CAMA’S COUNCIL ORIENTATION TOOLKIT

Council changeover happens any time there is an election or by-election.  Municipal elections in Canada fall within the jurisdiction of the various Provinces and Territories.  With municipal elections mostly occurring every four years, the probability of change is high.  Even if all the same individuals are voted in, each term brings a new Council.  With each election, the culture of Council may differ, the politics may vary, and return Councillors may become more confident in their role.

While the agenda may vary across jurisdictions and municipalities, the overarching purpose and importance of an orientation session is to ensure elected officials understand their role in governance and municipal service delivery.  By providing each new Council with the information they require to get off to a good start and govern successfully, a CAO can build trust from the get-go, establish a strong Council-CAO working relationship and ensure Council has confidence in the CAO’s abilities.

To access CAMA’s Council Orientation Toolkit click here.  The launch of the toolkit took place on September 17th, 2020 thru a Zoom Platform and the recording of this session can be found in the Member's Section of the CAMA Website (under the Conference Presentations)

Following are just a few of the topics that are included in the toolkit:

• Swearing-In Ceremony
• Checklists for Staff for Incoming and Outgoing Elected Officials
• Ideas for Teambuilding
• Suggestions on How to Explain the Different Roles of Staff and Council (including the mechanics of governance of a municipality and committee systems)
• The Decision Making Process
• How to Chair A Meeting
• Administrative Reports
• The Life of a Capital Project
• Media Relations
• Tips on Setting Priorities of Your Community
• Staff Orientation on Working with Council