e-Brief July 11, 2019
SOLACE, ICMA AND CAMA Launch Report on the Value of Storytelling in Local Government
At a time when respect for traditional institutions and professional authority is in decline, public service leaders have been found to adapt their leadership techniques to take account of a radically changing world.

This shift is brought to life in Storytellers in Chief: How Top Local Government Managers Use Storytelling to Lead’, an empirical study which has taken place over the course of a decade. It was jointly commissioned by the Society of Local Authority Chief Executives (SOLACE), International City/County Management Association (ICMA) and the Canadian Association of Municipal Administrators (CAMA) which together represent chief executives, city managers, chief administrative officers, and other senior managers across the United Kingdom, the USA, Canada and beyond.

This new resource identifies five major themes that emerged from interviews with more than 120 chief executives, city managers and other senior managers across the UK, USA, and Canada and highlights ways in which storytelling – and the broader idea of narrative – represents a significant part of everyday leadership practices.

In the study, stories emerge as a powerful and purposive medium. Leaders use these as a means for working with and through others, as well as encouraging collaboration, developing the next generation, passing on knowledge and forging a common identity. Storytelling is a way of achieving influence, of moving, motivating and persuading others to take action in pursuit of the public good.   You can also access the full report here.
LOCAL GOVERNMENT EXCHANGE TO TOKYO WITH CLAIR
Staff members from The Council of Local Authorities for International Relations (CLAIR) New York Office had the opportunity to participate in this year’s 2019 CAMA Conference held in Québec City.

CLAIR is a Japanese governmental agency to support the international activities of local governments to strengthen international collaboration, particularly around local development and revitalization. It also aims to provide support to local governments in promoting tourism and regional products.  Its headquarters are in Tokyo and there are domestic branch offices in each prefecture in Japan, as well as a network of overseas offices in major cities around the world.

CLAIR is pleased to offer its Fellowship Exchange Program/Seminar to CAMA members. The goal of this program is to build networks and promote mutual understanding between the local governments in Japan and overseas.   This seminar will be held in Tokyo and Kitaibaraki City from November 4-13, 2019 and includes visits to Takahagi City and Iwaki City.  This year’s theme is “Construction, Destruction and Reconstruction:  Creating Community Identity through Art and Recovery from the Great East Japan Earthquake”.  CLAIR will be accepting one CAMA member to participate in this program. If you would like to receive more information on this opportunity please contact Jennifer Goodine, CAMA Executive Director at [email protected]   The deadline for applications is July 30th, 2019.

You are responsible for your round trip airfare to Japan and any expenses incurred prior to arrival in Japan and after departing from Japan (along with any personal expenses incurred in Japan). CLAIR will cover the expenses incurred during the Seminar period in Japan including transportation (within Japan), accommodations, meals, seminar materials, admissions, and overseas travel insurance.

Click here to see some comments from some of the participants from last year’s program.  You can also learn more about Kitaibaraki City here.

Jeff Renaud
CAMA President
 
CONGRATULATIONS LOUIS ON 43 YEARS IN LOCAL GOVERNMENT
 
From Left to Right:  Mike Dolter, CAMA Board Representative for Nova Scotia & PEI/CAO, Town of Truro; Louis Coutinho, Retired CAO, Town of Windsor, NS; Louis' Grandson; Louis' Great Niece;
Jennifer Goodine, CAMA Executive Director
 
Congratulations to Louis Coutinho who retired as the CAO of the Town of Windsor, NS on June 30th, 2019 - a position he held since June 2006.  Prior to that, he was a thirty year (30) employee of the Halifax Regional Municipality. Louis has been involved in a variety of different disciplines in his career with Halifax including traffic engineering, industrial engineering, project management during the G8 meeting of world leaders in Halifax, General Manager of Shared Services, Manager of Organizational Development and Director of Human Resources.

He is a Past President of the Association of Municipal Administrators of Nova Scotia and was a Board Member on the Union of Nova Scotia Municipalities serving two different terms.  Louis joined the CAMA Board in 2015 as the representative for Nova Scotia and PEI. He served as the Chair of the Communications Committee, a number of our Conference Program Sub-Committees, and most recently was a member of the Political Acumen Toolkit Committee along with the 2019 Awards Chair. 

It was a pleasure to have you as part of the CAMA Board and we commend you for your continued dedication to excellence in the municipal field.  Enjoy your retirement!
FREE: ICMA Coaching Program webinar
The ICMA Coaching Program invites you and all of the members of your team to this free webinar:  Grappling with Gnarly Issues: How Local Government Can Help
Wednesday, September 11 - 10:00 - 11:30 a.m. PT (1:00 - 2:30 p.m. ET)

Registration is FREE - Advance registration is required
Communities want their local governments to take action on tough issues, sometimes even when a local government may not be the primary entity responsible. Learn about successful efforts by local governments to tackle gnarly issues like environmental challenges, opioids, and homelessness. Gain insights and approaches you can use to address the tough issues your agency faces.

Webinar Topics:
  1. What are difficult issues like environmental challenges, opioids, and homelessness facing local government?
  2. What are innovative and effective ways in which local government agencies are making a difference?
  3. What resources are available to help local governments successfully address their own tough issues?
Presenters:
  • John Crumpton, County Manager, Lee County, North Carolina
  • Marie Peoples, Deputy County Manager, Coconino, AZ
  • Susie O'Hara, Assistant to City Manager, Santa Cruz, CA, and
  • Chris Richardson, Chief Program Officer, Downtown Streets, CA
This webinar meets Practice 6 (Strategic Leadership), 7 (Strategic Planning), 9 (Community and Resident Service), and 10 (Service Delivery)
Audience: All persons in or interested in local government careers.  We'll be using webinar tools (including real-time questions and live polling) to make this an excellent opportunity for audience interaction.

Can't make it to the live webinar?  Register for the webinar and get an automatic email notice when the recording is available.

If you are not already subscribed to the ICMA Coaching Program email list, we encourage you to sign up for free (whether you are an ICMA member or not).
Deadline for Applications is July 12: CAMA CAO Employment Contract Toolkit
In a world in which employment relationships are becoming more and more contentious, municipal administrators should consider the importance of an employment contract.  It was the decision of the CAMA Board of Directors, at its meeting held on March 14, 2019, that the current contract should be expanded to include additional tools for the membership on this topic. The goal of this initiative is to prepare a CAO Employment Contract Toolkit that will support the CAO when negotiating their contract with the elected officials.  This toolkit will also take into consideration the work that has already been completed on CAMA’s Performance Evaluation Toolkit, the CAO Members in Transition Toolkit, and the Political Acumen Toolkit. The Committee members are Jake Rudolph (Chair), Jeff Renaud, Marc Landry, Dawn Chaplin and Rodney Sage. The Board would like to have two additional non-board members on the Committee.  

The Committee work can largely be accomplished by Conference Calls and e-mail. 
They will meet monthly or more frequently at the call of the Chair to ensure the work can progress on schedule. 
Anticipate the time commitment to be approximately 3 hours per month in reviewing material and participating in Conference Calls. 
The goal would be to have the toolkit prepared, approved and ready for presentation at the 2020 Annual Conference.  The work for the Committee will be between September 2019 and March 2020.   If you are interested in serving, please contact Jennifer Goodine, CAMA Executive Director ([email protected]). Applications are due no later than Friday, July 12th, 2019.
The Value of Change for Canada’s Public Sector

Innovation and transformation expert, Max Valiquette, sat down with CPA Canada to talk about the next generation of civil servants and the value of change for Canada’s public sector.
For over twenty years, Max Valiquette has been at the forefront of what’s now, what’s new, and what’s next. Anointed by Marketing Magazine as one of Canada’s “most influential Marketers,” Max has worked with some of the biggest companies in the world to help them transform their organizations, their businesses, and their brands. He is an award-winning marketer and market researcher; an author; a broadcaster; and a journalist who relishes engaging with audiences. Prime Minister Justin Trudeau called him a “don’t miss” speaker.  As this year’s keynote speaker for the Public Sector Conference, Max sat down with CPA Canada to talk about the next generation of civil servants and the value of change for Canada’s public sector.   Interested in joining us this year in Ottawa for the Public Sector Conference, October 28-29? Register now to sign up for either the in-person or virtual conference.

 FEATURED WINNERS

2019 CAMA AWARDS OF EXCELLENCE PROGRAM
Congratulations to the City of Moncton: A Leader in Mid-Size Canadian Cities in Immigration
 
Louis Coutinho, 2019 Awards Chair; Don MacLellan, General Manager of Community Safety Services; Kevin Silliker, Director of Economic Development and Marc Landry, CAMA Past President

The City of Moncton, NB was recognized with a 2019 CAMA Willis Award for Innovation, in the 20,001 to 100,000 population category, for being A Leader in Mid-Size Canadian Cities in Immigration.

The City of Moncton is playing a leading and coordinating role in bringing together stakeholders in the area of immigration as one of the few mid-sized Canadian cities to have embarked on a formal immigration strategy process.

As Canada’s first officially bilingual city in Canada’s only officially bilingual province, Moncton has carved out a reputation as a national leader. This strategy has doubled the number of immigrants coming to Moncton between 2013 and 2017. It has also provided a coordinated approach to immigration in the region, where immigration now represents the primary source of population growth for the City.

As a result, the City of Moncton, in collaboration with regional partners, has led the creation and implementation of the Greater Moncton Immigration Strategy and delivered on the following key actions:
  • creation of the Greater Moncton Local Immigration Partnership
  • implementation of newcomer and international student employment fairs (filling over 270 positions)
  • hosting of welcome events for newcomers and international students
  • creation of the city’s first immigration grant for innovative projects to further implement the immigration strategy
The next immigration strategy (2019-2024) is now in the process of being created to ensure this continued integration and growth.  To learn more about this project view the video here.
Congratulations to the City of Fort St. John, BC - Learning and Development Program
 
Louis Coutinho, 2019 Awards Chair; Rashid Hasan, Director of Human Resources,
and Marc Landry, CAMA Past President

The City of Fort St. John, BC was recognized with a 2019 CAMA Professional Development Award, in the 20,001 to 100,000 population category, for its Learning and Development Program, an in-house professional development program to address availability of relevant training opportunities for City employees.

In Fort St. John, training opportunities for local organizations are limited due to the City’s location in the northern region of British Columbia. Significant travel costs meant professional development was limited, resulting in poor morale and frequent turnover of staff. Investing in professional development is a long-standing commitment in Fort St. John, and there was a will to improve efficiency and effectiveness.

The internal professional development program launched in 2016 with 16 in-house courses offered. Council approved additional funding in 2018 to enhance the program further. In partnership with Southern Alberta Institute of Technology (SAIT) School of Business, a Supervisory Skills Certificate was introduced that focused on providing human skills required for supervisory and management positions, with a further opportunity to take an additional four online-based courses to complete SAIT’s Applied Management Certificate.

The City has benefitted with significant increases in employee engagement, qualified internal hires, reduced costs, and improved retention. Staff morale has been positively impacted with a new sense of achievement and belonging. This program has created a culture of learning, as evidenced by the fact that participant registration has continued to increase.  To learn more about this project view the video here.
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