CAMA E-Brief Newsletter - 2024 Awards of Excellence Program Launched

Each year CAMA recognizes the value of excellence and professionalism in municipal administration through the Annual Awards Program, focusing on four key areas of Program Excellence: Inspiring Workplace, Environmental Leadership and Sustainability, Innovation, and Collaboration.

We are pleased to introduce the Municipal Inspiring Workplace Award, a new category this year that has replaced the Professional Development Award.

You can find the details on the website with the deadline for nominations being February 12th, 2024 at 4:30 p.m PST.

CAMA Honourary for Life Membership. The nomination forms are available now on the website with a deadline of January 31, 2024. The Honourary Life Membership in CAMA is an honour presented to long serving CAMA members who have made an extraordinary contribution to the field of municipal administration and to the work of the CAMA.

UNLOCK ANOTHER YEAR OF EXCLUSIVE BENEFITS - RENEW YOUR CAMA MEMBERSHIP TODAY!

If your membership was set to expire on March 31, 2024, you should have received your renewal invoice in your inbox last week for the April 1, 2024 to March 31, 2025 fiscal year.

To ensure uninterrupted access to exclusive benefits and to qualify for the member rate at the 2024 CAMA Conference, please renew your membership by the March 31, 2024 deadline. You can conveniently renew online and pay by Visa or Mastercard, opt for a direct deposit, or send a cheque to the CAMA National Office.

Renew now to secure your membership and take advantage of the valuable benefits and savings awaiting you!

WHAT WE LEARNED REPORT ON CHANGING CAO DYNAMICS

by Alberta Municipalities

As part of the Future of Municipal Government Project, Alberta Municipalities produced the Lonely at the Top: An Examination of the Changing Dynamics for Chief Administrative Officers in Alberta Municipalities by Kate Graham and Jesse Helmer. The paper explored the role and tenure of Chief Administrative Officers in Alberta municipalities and the implications for those municipalities. Find out what they learned in this two page executive summary.

PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT OPPORTUNITY

FOR ICMA MEMBERS

Thanks to ICMA’s Corporate Partner, The Ferguson Group , ICMA is again able to offer a scholarship to one ICMA member to attend the 2024 Harvard Senior Executive Program. The Ferguson Group has committed to funding a scholarship, to be awarded by ICMA, to cover the program fee of $17,400. Click here for details and how to apply.

CAMA members can join ICMA at a substantially reduced rate of $135 (US dollars) per person, an average savings of $800. To participate in this discounted ICMA membership offer, visit the ICMA website, or go directly to the International Application form to download the application and mail it directly to ICMA. It is important that you note on the ICMA application that you are a CAMA member.

JAMIE NAGY

CHIEF ADMINISTRATIVE OFFICER

TOWN OF LANGHAM, SK

CAMA BOARD REPRESENTATIVE FOR MANITOBA & SASKATCHEWAN

How long have you been a CAMA member? Five years

What do you like most about being a member? The wide range of knowledge from CAO’s across the whole country. The people are by far CAMA’s best asset, but the resources provided by such as the toolkits are also fantastic. You can tell a lot of work and resources go into them and it’s great to be able to pick out the information relevant to your municipality. The Annual Conference is a must!

What career advice do you live by? Who gave it to you? I have received so many valuable pieces of advice through being part of CAMA. I think something that I often hear that I feel CAO’s in particular need to be reminded of is the importance of work-life balance. It’s a demanding job and the late nights and weekends can take a toll, so its important to set boundaries.

What is the favourite place you’ve traveled? Top of mind is Bocas Del Toro, Panama

What would be the theme song of your life right now? (I Do It) For the Money – Charlie Major

What advice would you give to someone considering a career as a CAO or senior manager in local government? The advice that I would share is about how a CAO is not an expert at everything, but has the ability to find and lead a team of experts in their various fields. This resonates with me as it relates to another quote regarding the importance of continued learning or open-mindedness that goes something like this “Those who think they know everything, have the most to learn”.

What experiences and past roles have led you to where you are today? My mother was/is a CAO. I grew up doing my homework at her office. I began my career in public service working for the Ministry of Justice, Government of Saskatchewan. My mom shared with me that there was an internship program being offered through SARM (Saskatchewan Association of Rural Municipalities). I took a year leave to intern near Lloydminster and get my Local Government Authority Certificate through the University of Regina. I began my first CAO position in 2013, after my internship, and have been there ever since.

If you could collaborate with anyone, who would it be? Why? Definitely Jennifer Goodine, CAMA’s Executive Director. Her work ethic and ability to keep all that CAMA has going on organized is admirable.

Describe what a perfect day outside of work would look like for you? Easy. Wake up. COFFEE. Snuggles with my son. Hit the driving range. Brunch with friends (with mimosas of course). Fishing or laying on a beach. Seafood dinner. Wine. In bed by 9:00 p.m.

What is your proudest professional accomplishment/success story that you would like to share? Of course certain large capital projects come to mind, getting funding, and growing your community. However, I think what brings me the most happiness when I think about my career are the staff (teammates) that I have the pleasure of sharing my knowledge and learning from. Starting as a very young female CAO can have its challenges, but earning your team's trust, loyalty and respect in order to better serve your community is what makes the large projects come to fruition.

THE RETENTION REVOLUTION: HOW TO CREATE A CULTURE BY DESIGN WITH YOUR UPPER ARROWS

Adapting to the changing workforce to create a culture where people are not only satisfied, but loyal

By Sydne Jacques and Lindsay Jacques

Article by ICMA - PM Magazine

“You will never make it as a consultant. You don’t have what it takes. And when you want a job, don’t come back here. This door is closed.” These were the final words of my supervisor before I left my civil engineering job to begin my own consulting company. After thanking him for the opportunity, I quickly left his office and literally did a happy dance down the hall. I wasn’t leaving a job; I was leaving a supervisor who was not a good leader, and a culture that I could not stand to work in for one more day.

Since then, I’ve found through working with hundreds of clients that we are in need of a retention revolution. For local governments, shrinking workforces, costly recruitments, and strapped budgets have created a desperate need to reevaluate our retention strategies. Retention can no longer be an “HR issue,” and must be the responsibility of all employees, beginning at the top.

In my own small workforce of 10 employees to companies I’ve helped with over 2,000 employees, I have noticed three essential components required to pull off a retention revolution..... Read the full article here.

CAMA'S 2024 CAMA CONFERENCE PROGRAM & ON-LINE REGISTRATION LAUNCHING JANUARY 29, 2024

Get ready for an unforgettable adventure at CAMA's 2024 Annual Conference, happening at the stunning Fairmont Banff Springs Hotel from June 3-5, 2024! Mark your calendars because the highly anticipated Conference Program and online registration will be hitting your inbox (and the Conference website) on the morning of January 29, 2024. But wait, there's more excitement coming your way! Keep an eye out for a Special e-Brief edition next week, giving you a sneak peek of the incredible experiences awaiting you in the breathtaking Rocky Mountains!

2023 CAMA AWARDS OF EXCELLENCE NOMINATIONS COLLABORATION AWARD WITH MUNICIPALITIES

County of Simcoe and Town of Innisfil

Growing Together - Mentorship Program

As part of our commitment to a learning organization, and in line with our continued focus on enhancing learning and development, both the Town of Innisfil and County of Simcoe continue to evolve as leaders in learning with robust partnerships.

The Town of Innisfil proposed a partnership with the County of Simcoe to collaborate on a mentorship program (with Innisfil leading the implementation, and overarching program). This was a unique opportunity to build a supportive and mutually beneficial relationship with others (regardless of organization). Employees at the County of Simcoe, and the Town of Innisfil have valuable expertise that they can share. By introducing and collaborating on a Mentorship Program (‘Growing Together’) in Spring 2022, we have been able to facilitate connections between our organizations/employees and help them embrace their skills and boost career developments! An added benefit is greater opportunities to create synergies between the organizations and efficiency in work processes.

The success of the mentoring program to date, has generated interest from municipalities across Simcoe County (and beyond) and lends itself well with the original intent of expanding the program over time.

To view the entire submission go to the CAMA Member's Section - Awards of Excellence/Best Practices button and search "Growing Together".