2023-2024 CAMA Board of Directors
Left to Right: Gary Kent, Mike Dolter, Tony Kulbisky, Vincent Lalonde, Bev Hendry, Brenda Orchard, Sheila Bassi-Kellett, Jack Benzaquen, Marc Melanson, Raffaelle Di Stasio,
Rodney Cumby
Not Pictured: Jamie Nagy
The Canadian Association of Municipal Administrators (CAMA) Board of Directors held their quarterly meeting in Ottawa, Ontario from February 14th to 16th, 2024. The Board had the opportunity to meet with Gerard Peets (Assistant Deputy Minister) and Lindsay Boldt (Executive Director) from Infrastructure and Housing Canada for a discussion covering infrastructure, funding, housing affordability, and homelessness. Mathieu Bélanger, Executive Director of Policy and Public Affairs, from the Federation of Canadian Municipalities, also joined the meeting to provide an update on FCM’s activities and advocacy efforts.
DETAILS OF BOARD MEETING
The Board discussed various topics, but what follows are the highlights:
Board Vacancies and Elections. The following five positions are available on the Board for the 2024-2025 year:
· Member-At-Large for Municipalities with a Population Under 100,000
· Representative for Nova Scotia & Prince Edward Island
· Representative for Manitoba & Saskatchewan
· Representative for British Columbia
· Representative for Northwest Territories, Yukon Territory & Nunavut
The nominations will close on March 8th, 2024 and detailed information is available on the website.
CAMA Executive Leadership Program. The January 2024 Program received positive feedback, with the next session scheduled for January 28-31, 2025 at the Kingbridge Centre (near Toronto). Applications will open on April 25th, 2024 at 12:00 Noon EST, with two scholarships to be awarded (more details will be announced soon).
Support to the ICMA Conference. The Board opted not to host the Canadian Dinner at the upcoming ICMA Conference in Pittsburgh but initiated a Scholarship Program to aid first time attendees at this event, and other professional development opportunities throughout the year. Details of two $2500 scholarships will be released shortly.
Future Conference Updates. Discussions on potential conference venues and dates for 2026-2028 took place, with the Request for Proposal process commencing soon and final decisions expected by Fall 2024.
2024 Awards of Excellence. The 2024 CAMA Awards of Excellence received 45 applications, showcasing increased interest, especially in the new Municipal Inspiring Workplace Award. Winners will be chosen by March 15, 2024 and announced at the Annual Conference in Banff.
Communications & Membership Committee Update. Membership growth continues, with 810 members. Although a proposal for a new membership category for municipalities under 1,500 was considered, the current categories were deemed sufficient. The Masterminds Forums received positive feedback, leading to their continuation from September to December 2024.
Toolkit Taskforce Progress. Work on the Succession Planning and Crisis Management toolkits is ongoing, with completion expected by the end of April 2024.
Review of Strategic Plan Workplan. Updates on the 2023-2024 Workplan and recommendations for 2024-2025 aligning with CAMA's Five-Year Strategic Plan were presented, with positive outcomes from new programs introduced this year.
Board Meetings. Scheduled meetings are set for June 2, 2024, in Banff, AB, and October 1-4, 2024, in Yellowknife, NWT.
Additionally, the Board expressed gratitude to Bev Hendry for her leadership and congratulated her on her recent retirement. Per CAMA's Constitution, she resigned as CAMA President, with Tony Kulbisky, CAMA’s First Vice-President, assuming the role until the 2025 Annual General Meeting. Sincere appreciation was also extended to Jack Benzaquen, the outgoing Past President, for his decade-long service on the CAMA Board.
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