LGMA: Preparing and supporting local government CAOs and ... · first it provides background to provoke discussion about the ... and soft services provided by local governments. ...

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This paper was initiated by the LGMA to help guide the organization in its work

in providing professional development and member support services.

The goals of the paper are two-fold:

first it provides background to provoke discussion about the

influences that may be impacting CAOs and senior management staff

in local governments in BC, and

second it proposes a number of ways the LGMA may respond to the

changes that it perceives are occurring.

By undertaking this examination the LGMA hopes to be better positioned to

prepare and support local government CAOs and senior managers to face

emerging challenges and to achieve success in their roles.

Further, it is hoped that this paper will lead to the LGMA building on past

collaborations and partnerships with other organizations such as the Ministry of

Community Sport and Cultural Development (MCSCD), the Union of BC

Municipalities (UBCM), and the Local Government Leadership Academy (LGLA).

Each of these organizations has a vested interest in building and maintaining a

strong, collaborative and resilient local government system in BC to provide the

good governance and services communities in B.C. want and need.

This paper is structured around five central questions:

What are the foundations of the form and structure of the local

government system in BC?

What trends are emerging and exerting pressure on the BC local

government system?

What are some specific areas of challenge for BC local government

senior management today?

What new training and services are needed to support existing and

emerging CAOs and senior managers?

What ways can the LGMA and its members collaborate to influence

and contribute to the positive evolution of local government in BC?

LGMA: Preparing

and supporting

local government

CAOs and senior

managers into the

next decade

September 10, 2015

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What are the foundations of the form and structure of the local government system in BC?

In order to gain a solid understanding and appreciation of the current form and

structure of local government in BC and the role of senior management staff in that

structure it is worth reflecting on the genesis and evolution of local government in BC.

It is argued here that the current structure of local government in BC evolved out of

and was shaped almost entirely by the 20th century reform movement and that this

structure has stayed remarkably unchanged for more than one hundred years. Further,

it is argued that the form and structure of local government in BC and the role of senior

staff evolved out of the push of the 20th century reform movement to shape local

government around a corporate board model, as opposed to a parliamentary model

which would have political parties and a government and opposition. In the corporate

board model politics are separated from administration and professionals and experts

apply technical solutions to local government matters. In its present day form this

structure is referred to as the council-manager model.

British Columbia had the advantage of joining confederation relatively late in 1871 and

thus benefited greatly from the experience of eastern Canada in establishing its system

of local government.

The roots of the local government system in BC are found in the period of the late

1800’s and early 1900’s commonly referred to as the reform period in Canada and the

progressive period in the United States. In the US progressives were primarily focussed

on eliminating the notorious urban political machines," best exemplified by the

Tammany Hall machine of the Democratic Party in New York City…… In the United

States, the municipal reform movement led… to a search for new forms of municipal

structures in which principles of good management would be able to prevail over the

parochial concerns of ward politicians.”i

In Canada the reform period was less focussed on corruption than was the case in the

US. The reform movement brought together a variety of interests including, early

advocates for city planning, health professionals interested in addressing public health

problems and business interests motivated to expand services to property.

The reform movement in Canada and its impacts on local government are well

documented by practitioners and academics including: Artibise and Stetler in the

Usable urban past (1979) Tindal and Tindal in Local government in Canada 6th Edition

(2004), Bottomly in Ideology planning and the landscape the business community urban

reform and the establishment of town planning in Vancouver British Columbia 1900-

1920 (UBC PhD Thesis 1971) and Siegel in Leaders in the Shadows (2015) to name just a

few.iiiiiiv

In Canada, the reform movement had two principal thrusts: the social, humanitarian

and health thrust and the civic structure reform thrust. Although the literature tends

to refer to the reform movement as monolithic, the people and organizations involved

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in the two principal thrusts were in fact quite distinct, “…the urban reform groups

pressing for humanitarian reforms were usually made up of clergymen, women’s

groups, temperance advocates, and academics. However, the typical leaders of

campaigns for local government structural reform, particularly in the West, were

leading business men, usually members of the boards of trade.”vvi

The core features of municipal government structural reform in Canada are described

in detail by James Anderson in “The Municipal Government Reform Movement in

Western Canada, 1880-1920.” and are summarised briefly here as:

abolition of the ward system to eliminate parochialism;

institution of civic executive and bureaucratic reform the most common of

which in Canada included Board of Control, Board of Commissioners, and the

City Manager systems;

non-partisanship of elected officials; and

municipal reform ideology which included belief in:

o city government is primarily business rather than politics,

o a clear distinction between policy and administration, and

o party politics should be kept out of municipal business as local

government is largely technical and administrative in nature.vii

Interestingly, although a century has passed since the rise of the reform movement,

the core features and ideologies of the turn of the century movement could easily be

uttered by elected officials and pundits today!

Reflecting on each of these core features the enduring nature of the reform movement

is clear:

Wards

Although attempts have been made to institute ward systems in BC

municipalities, most notably in Vancouver, the only ward system in the

province is found in Lake Country which was incorporated in 1995 with the

ward system in place as a condition of incorporation.viii

Civic executive and bureaucratic reform

The structural reforms advocated for by reformers were enacted in various

forms in municipalities in BC. The council–manager system which is universally

adopted in BC today is perhaps the most significant legacy of the reform

movement.”ix

Non-partisanship of elected officials

With a few exceptions overt non-partisanship in BC local politics has historically

been the practice and remains the norm today. There are party systems in a

few municipalities such as Vancouver and Victoria but even they are not

overtly linked with provincial or federal political parties. In most municipalities

in BC little mention is made of political party affiliations or even slates of

candidates during elections. Candidate independence remains highly valued in

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our current political environment. It will be argued later in this paper that this

practice may be changing. It is perhaps one of the most curious characteristics

of local government in BC that there remains a desire to be non-partisan in the

midst of a highly political environment. One can’t help but wonder if the

enduring influence of the turn of the century reform ideologies is now coming

into conflict with current political realities.

Primarily business

The sentiment that local government is more business than politics has not

only endured but was reinforced by the New Public Management Movement of

the 1990’s popularized by Osbourne and Gaebler and others.x A hundred years

ago when municipalities provided a narrow range of services, most of which

were hard services to property, it may have been easier to make the case that

they were in the “business” of providing services. It is likely much more

difficult today to make a similar case given the current vast array of both hard

and soft services provided by local governments.

Distinction between policy and administration

The drive by reformers to distinguish policy and administration was brought

about by their desire, significantly influenced by American progressives, to rid

local government of corruption and to move from the “spoils” system to an

independent non-partisan civil service.

In The UBCM: The First Century, the early evolution of the local government

civil service is chronicled, “The period also saw steps taken to professionalize

the civil service and to increase its competency and efficiency by adopting a

civil service system for municipal officials. Officials working within municipal

government held appointed positions, which were automatically renewed on

an annual basis. Under the new system, adopted by the UBCM and its

members in 1916, ongoing employment was based on “good behavior [sic] and

efficiency.”xi

In 1919, the Municipal Officers Association (MOA), precursor to the Local

Government Management Association (LGMA), was established. From 1919 –

1939 the MOA met concurrently with the UBCM and made recommendations

for resolutions to be considered at the UBCM conferences.xii

The independence and non-partisan nature of the BC local government civil

service has endured. Consistent with the traditions of the civil service in

Canada, staff in British Columbia local governments are committed to the

highest ideals of public service as laid out in the LGMA code of ethics which

include commitment to:

“Maintain the highest ideals of honour and integrity in public and

personal relationships and discharge faithfully the duties of office

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without fear or favour…..carry out his/her duties with impartiality and

equality of service to all.”

The tradition and history of local government professionals in BC is grounded in

the fundamental tenants of an independent non-partisan civil service.

And so the legacy of the turn of the century reform movement endures shaping

the way local governments have operated in BC for over a century. This of

course begs the question of whether or not these key features - at large

elections, council-manager system, non-partisan elected officials, business

approach, and non-partisan civil service - will continue to endure or are there

forces and influences at present that challenge these key features.

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What trends are emerging and exerting pressures on local government CAOs and senior

staff?

The local government system in BC exists in the context of ever changing and evolving

economies, generational differences, politics, and technologies. Among these are a

number of influences that seem to be of particular importance to local government.

These include:

new financial realities and pressures;

the passing of the baby boom generation in the civil service to generations X &

Y - otherwise known as Millennials;

erosion of the non-partisan tradition of local government elected officials; and

the impacts of social and conventional media on senior managers.

New financial realities and pressures

The UBCM in a 2013 report entitled “Strong fiscal futures” acknowledged the pressures

currently being experienced by local governments. The report asserts pressures are

brought about by the inadequacy of the existing system of generating revenues

through property taxes and user fees to finance the significantly expanded range of

services local governments are being required to deliver.xiii The report concludes, “The

local government finance system contains substantial external cost drivers – that

provide no shortage of examples of places where senior government decisions or

decision-making structures drive local government costs.”xiv These external cost drivers

along with broader global economic pressures such as the 2008 economic downturn

and sluggish recovery exert pressure on local governments, local government elected

officials and senior staff.

As would be expected local government elected officials turn to their staff to find

answers to financial challenges which often have no ready solutions. One example

cited in the UBCM report illustrates this challenge:

“A community that has seen continuing reductions in population and income

from reduced industry activity and a gradual reduction in related production

faces stark options to manage its own fiscal circumstances:

It can reduce community recreation and park expenditures – likely

increasing the rate of emigration and reducing the possibility of

economic diversification.

It can ignore high crime rates and reduce spending on policing, making

a bad situation worse.

It can increase taxes on residents who are already dealing with lower

wage levels and higher unemployment; it can increase taxes on its

struggling small business sector; or it can maintain revenue from an

industrial sector that is dealing with reduced production and partial

closures.”xv

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The impact of any of the above described alternatives would likely have serious impact

not only on the community at large but also on municipal staff through service

reductions, layoffs and/or significant political and community stress.

The ever expanding demands on local governments coupled with uncontrollable

external financial pressures and limited solutions can only increase pressure on elected

officials and senior managers.

A compounding and related influence is the emergence of interest groups like the

Canadian Federation of Independent Business (CFIB) which has committed to regularly

reporting on the, “extravagance of municipalities across the country.”xvi The CFIB has

shown particular interest in attacking the wages and benefits of local government

employees with regular reports and media releases on its views on the topic.xvii

A second interest group, the Canadian Taxpayers Federation, is also a regular critic of

local government staff. A recent interview posted on the Federation’s website is

headed by, “BC director Jordan Bateman delves into the excessive salaries that BC

cities are paying their employees. Jordan explains why it is happening and what can be

done to stop it.”xviii

Both of these lobby groups target the finances and expenditures of local government in

BC for regular criticism. The pressure on elected officials and senior staff created by

these groups is no doubt significant and adds to the very real financial and

organizational challenges of local government in BC today.

The very real external financial realities and pressures, revenue challenges related to

the property tax system, expanding service requirements by senior levels of

government and attacks on local government finance by special interest groups

combine to produce a challenging environment for local governments today.

The passing of the baby boomer generation to generations X and Y

A second trend impacting local government today is the demographic shift resulting

from the aging of the baby boom generation and causing a significant generational

change in the local government CAO and senior management cohort. A 2010

demographic study of local government CAOs in Canada concluded, “…over half of all

municipal CAOs will be in a position to retire, or at least at the age retirement could be

expected, within the next five years.”xix Five years have passed since the study was

completed and we would expect a significant number of long-time local government

CAOs in BC have retired or are near retirement. Using the 2010 study estimate it is

conceivable that of the 160 municipalities and 27 regional districts in the province as

many as 98 CAOs could have retired and left the profession over the last five years.

There is no ready data to support this proposition but it is an indicator that a significant

demographic shift is likely occurring in the ranks of CAOs in BC. For all intents and

purposes this is a generational change with all of the accompanying cultural shifts one

would expect including possible differences in who is attracted to work in local

government and different workplace and lifestyle commitments to local government

work.

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A recent survey of LGMA membership conducted by Insights West details the

breakdown of current LGMA membership by age (the column on the left was added to

the Insights West data to provide additional detail.)

Generation Age LGMA Members Sample size 202

Non-Members Sample size 64

Millennial 1983-2004

18 to 34 (b.1980-

1997) 6% 14%

Generation X 1965-1982

35 to 54 (b. 1960-

1980) 72% 58%

Baby Boom 1946-1964xx

55+ (b. 1960 and

earlier) 22% 29%

Although the age alignment of the Insights West data is not precisely in line with the

generation groupings, particularly in the age grouping of Generation X which in the

Insights West data includes some of the Baby Boomers cohort, it does generally

illustrate the distribution of local government senior staff across the generations. First,

the 22% of LGMA members in the 55+ cohort, who we can assume are mostly in the

senior ranks, are in a position to retire at any time. Further, data indicates that that

the bulk of LGMA members are in the Gen X category. Finally of note is the alarmingly

small membership of millennials (6%). This is an especially surprising low percentage

given that this generational group is much larger in sheer numbers than Gen X and will

soon be poised to take over many management positions. If it is accurate that the

majority of LGMA members hold positions in the senior ranks of local government

organizations then this data indicates that nearly a quarter of senior management is at

or near retirement age and there is a large cohort of Generation X positioned to fill the

ranks.

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The following chart illustrates the size of each of the generation cohorts currently in

the workplace. It shows the decline of baby boomer numbers in the workplace and the

relatively large size of the millennial generation.

Source: Retrieved from http://www.catalyst.org/knowledge/generations-workplace-united-states-

canadaxxi

There is a rich supply of information on the characteristics of the different generations

in the workplace and there is little doubt that each generation has its unique

relationship with work and workplaces.xxiixxiiixxiv There is little question that both Gen X

and Millennials will have significant impacts on workplaces. xxvxxvi

Drawing on an analysis of generational differences prepared by Catalyst, a non-profit

organization with a mission to expand opportunities for women and business,

generational differences in the work place can be summarized as follows:

Generation Defining Characteristics

Mature/World War II Generation

born before 1946 - 67 years or older

described as viewing work as an obligation, respectful of authority, taking rational approaches, and producing quality work.

Baby Boomers

born between 1946 and 1965 - approximately between the ages of 47 and 66

occupies most of the senior-level management roles

described as extremely focused on work, possessing a strong work ethic and desiring recognition for their efforts

Generation X born between 1966 and 1980 - approximately between the ages

of 32 and 46

oldest members could be entering senior-level management roles

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while the younger members entering/approaching mid-career and senior-level supervisory roles.

described as embracing diversity and entrepreneurship

Generation Y/Millennial

born between 1981 and 2000 - approximately between the ages of 12 and 31

older members are in the labor force while the younger members are still completing their formal education

described as being optimistic and goal-oriented, collaborative, multitaskers, comfortable with technologies, and appreciate meaningful work

Source: Catalyst Retrieved from http://www.catalyst.org/knowledge/generations-workplace-united-

states-canadaxxvii

The literature indicates that the business sector is well aware of the generational

differences impacting workplaces and is seeking to anticipate and adjust to the

differences in order to recruit and retain staff. It would be prudent too for the local

government sector to follow a similar path. A 2011 study prepared by the LGMA

entitled, Recruiting the Next Generation to BC Local Governments, concluded sectors

other than local government, “…. have been quicker to adjust to the shifting career

aspirations of Next Gens. “xxviii

The generational differences will be particularly significant as baby boomers have

dominated senior local government ranks for such a long time and in doing so have

precluded the emergence and preparation of a successive generation to fill CAO ranks.

The 2010 demographic study of local government CAOs in Canada previously referred

to concluded, that even if there is a ready supply to fill the ranks left by the retiring

baby boomers, “…succession can still present challenges related to transition and

organizational adjustment.”xxix

It is reasonable to suggest that the passing of the baby boom generation has and will

continue to have a significant impact on local government senior ranks. At the very

least, impact will be felt from the sheer number of leadership changes as well as from a

change in workplace culture brought about by the introduction of younger CAOs and

senior managers born of Generations X or Y.

Thus, local governments may need to better understand the needs and aspirations of

the Gen X’ers and Millennials and adjust their recruiting and workplace practices if they

want to attract and retain the best and brightest staff for local government.

Erosion of the non-partisan tradition of local government elected officials

A third influence impacting the local government workplace is an apparent shift

towards more partisan politics in the local government sector across BC. Up until 15

years ago only a few local governments in BC, Vancouver and Victoria being the most

visible examples, demonstrated some form of party politics. In the early 2000’s there

was a shift in interest and resources by provincial political parties to support and

mentor local government candidates. Since that time the elections in 2004, 2008, 2011

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and 2014 have seen increased involvement of provincial politics and political

organizations in local electionsxxx. It is suggested that local government candidates

supported by provincial parties once elected tend to remain partisan and one result of

this is a more polarized local government political environment. As noted previously

non-partisanship was a feature of the reform movement and one can’t help but

wonder if this tradition of non-partisanship is beginning to erode. Where local councils

used to be described as boards of directors populated largely by politically independent

individuals they increasingly seem to be more a reflection of the polarized politics of

provincial political parties. Some would argue this has led to a more polarized and

often more volatile local government environment in BC.

The impacts of social and conventional media on senior staff

A fourth influence impacting local government and particularly workplace conditions is

the rise in use of social media, particularly in the political and interest group sectors.

The use of special interest blogs and Facebook pages has opened CAOs and staff to a

level of exposure not seen prior to the emergence and proliferation of social media.

Increasingly senior staff is targeted and are commonly drawn into the public discourse

in social media blogs and postings. This relatively new exposure to intense public

criticism is challenging the traditions of the local government public service.

In a recent example, a blog post makes reference to individual senior staff members by

name and makes serious allegations regarding their work.

In another recent online posting a former defeated Mayor offered these comments

alleging unethical behaviour by named members of his former staff. xxxi

It is not difficult to see how personally and professionally challenging these attacks are

especially given there is virtually no opportunity for rebuttal.xxxii

In sum it is argued here that powerful influencers on local government and senior staff

exist. Prudence would suggest anticipating and managing these influences to

proactively prepare and support a resilient senior local government workforce is

necessary.

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What are some of the specific areas of challenge for senior management?

Along with and possibly a result of the external influences noted previously there are a number

of recurring circumstances and pressures that give rise to particular challenges for senior

management staff. These perhaps point to a number of areas where the LGMA might focus its

efforts to support its members.

Three of these are described below.

Post-election transition

Post-election transitions can’t help but be challenging for any local government

organization. As Eli Mina, a well know local government advisor, is often quoted as

saying, “Every council is a new council.” Even though the legislation ensures a council

or board “is a continuing body” each election the elected body is a new body which

needs to establish new norms and a new group dynamic. As is the case with every new

group a board or council must go through the group dynamic phases of the forming,

norming, storming, performing and adjourning cycle. Transitioning through each of

these phases can be extremely stressful for all involved and in particular senior staff

who can find themselves caught in the crossfire of the storming phase. It takes an

experienced and deft CAO and senior staff to successfully facilitate the post-election

transition.

Trend toward politicization of the CAO position

A second circumstance that gives rise to challenges for CAOs and senior staff is brought

about by the increasingly common practice of dismissing the CAO selected by a

previous council or board and replacing him/her with a more politically aligned CAO.

Until recently the position of local government CAO was regarded as a “non-partisan

neutral public servant” in the traditions of the turn of the century reform movement

and the non-partisan public service described earlier. In the past it was expected that a

senior CAO would ably serve mayors and councils of all political stripes in his or her

career. This trend indicates a breakdown of the commitment to a merit based non-

partisan public service which will if continued could lead to further instability and

volatility in the senior ranks of local government management with its commensurate

increased costs to taxpayers in severance payments and loss of organizational stability

and institutional memory.

In an effort to find data to provide insight into the CAO job turnover in BC CivicInfoBC

CAO job posting data was collected. It is important to note that this data reflects only

advertised CAO positions and does not account for internal promotions or positions

filled through recruiting firms. Further, the data does not distinguish or identify which

positions became available voluntarily or by forced dismissal. The data are however

considered to provide a fairly accurate reflection and solid comparative data of the

turnover of CAO positions in BC over a 12 year period and 5 election cycles.

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Data were collected for the period of 2003 – 2015. As Figure 1 illustrates annual job

postings vary from 18-26 with the exception of the years following local government

elections which were held in 2002, 2005, 2008, 2011 and 2014.

For the years 2003-2014 the average number of CAO job postings was fairly steady at

25 per year or approximately 13.3% of the total 187 CAOs. Interestingly for 2 of the

years following local elections there appears to be a spike in CAO job postings. This is

particularly true of 2006 and 2012. 2009 held relatively steady possibly due to the

economic downturn in 2008 which may have deterred elected official and CAOs from

taking on the cost and risk of making changes. It remains to be seen what the numbers

for 2015 will be but based on anecdotal information at least 15 forced CAO departures

have occurred since the 2014 election with several others in the offing. If these are

coupled with the regular turnover of 25 per year we could see a total of advertised

positions upwards of 40 which would be similar to the 2006 and 2012 post-election

years. A complete listing of CivicInfoBC CAO job posting data 2010- 2015 is included in

Appendix 1.

Returning to the projection for retirements highlighted in the 2010 study discussed

previously, over the period of 2010-2015 it was suggested that up to 98 CAOs in BC

would retire or be near retirement. It is interesting to note that the CivicInfoBC data

for this five year period show advertisements for a total of 134 CAO positions. How

many of those were the result of retirements is not clear but certainly it is possible and

perhaps likely a good proportion of them were.

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Year following Local government election shown in yellow

June 29, 2015

Figure 1 CivicInfoBC Advertisements for CAO Positions 2003-2015 (as of June 2015) - Year following Local government election shown in yellow

Challenge of the “council- manager model of government” and “one employee rule”

As detailed previously, BC has a long history and currently universal adoption of the

council-manager organizational model. In addition, local governments in BC have for a

significant period of time embraced the “one employee rule” promoted by George Cuff

and others. Cuff asserts that, “Council deals with the organization through one

employee – the chief administrative officer (CAO). Any other course of action in

attempting to guide the work of the administration should not be tolerated.”xxxiii

No doubt it has always been a challenge for elected bodies to embrace the one

employee convention but there seems to be particular pressure on it of late. In

particular, elected officials appear to be increasingly interested in hiring and firing

employees below the CAO level and participating in the management and supervision

of operations. This apparent erosion of the council-manager model and the one

employee rule could be the result of the increasing financial pressures local

governments are experiencing, a lack of role clarity or a lack of understanding of the

council-manager model and the one employee rule.

23

19

24

33

26 24

23 24

27

38

27

18

10

0

5

10

15

20

25

30

35

40

2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015

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Other models for governing structures exist including the committee system, executive

system, and mayor-council systems. However, in both Canada and the United States

the predominant model of local government is the council-manager model. Further, in

BC the council-manager model is now recognized in the Community Charter which

provides a council, “…may establish the position of chief administrative officer of the

municipality, whose powers, duties and functions include the following:

(a) overall management of the operations of the municipality; (b) ensuring that the policies, programs and other directions of the council are implemented; (c) advising and informing the council on the operation and affairs of the municipality.”xxxiv

If the council-manager model and the one employee rule are indeed being challenged

it would be prudent to undertake an examination of why the challenge is occurring and

what potential alternatives or remedies exist.

Each of the above described challenges, 1) post-election transition, 2) erosion of the

commitment to a non-partisan civic-service and 3) erosion of the council-manager

system, point to three areas where CAOs and senior managers require support and

assistance and where the LGMA may be able to assist.

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What new training and services may be required to support existing and emerging CAOs and

senior managers?

Recent research by the LGMA indicates high levels of satisfaction by members for training and

services provided by the organization. Key conclusions of the research include:

The LGMA should consider offering more web-based courses and shorter 2 or

3-day MATI-type courses; these formats would be easier for local government

employees to fit into their busy schedules.

The LGMA should create educational offerings that focus on training

newcomers in the industry, such as an introductory program to teach

newcomers the basics of how to be successful in their new roles.

The LGMA should strive towards creating support networks where local

government managers can connect and learn from one another. Starting online

chat forums where members can login to chat with one another to get quick,

free advice would be a fairly low-cost and easy initiative.

Suggestions for improvements include offering more high level “refresher”

type courses, as well as legal education and succession planning courses.

Online courses and shorter in-person courses may help overcome some of

these barriers, especially for those outside the Lower Mainland.

Keep members informed about current best practices and other helpful

information regularly with newsletters, notices, blogs, and emails.

Once again, LGMA should consider creating online forums and discussion

groups where members can chat with one another to gain advice and support,

perhaps from another member who has been through a similar experience in

the past. xxxv

The conclusions of the LGMA research were coupled with the challenges discussed in this paper

to identify a number of areas where the LGMA could focus its efforts to enhance its existing

training and support services.

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In may be helpful to consider the LGMA range of programs and services as falling within three

areas.

Supporting CAOs and senior

managers in their positions

and in transition

Collaborating with partners

Preparing CAOs & senior

managers to do their work

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LGMA Current Training and

Services

Proposed Actions

Maintain Modify Expand

MATI:

Introduction to Local Government

Leadership

Managing People

Advanced Communications

Community Planning

Approving Officer

Successful CAO

Review content and shape to respond to changing demographics and emerging challenges as needed

LGMA Webinars & workshops

Conflict Resolution and Having Difficult Conversations

Respectful Workplace and Generational Issues

Issues Management: How your Proactive Communications Can Prevent Problems

Strengthening Council Staff Relations

Consider offering these in both online and face to face modes to respond to membership feedback noted previously

Annual Forums

CAO Forum

Clerks and Corporate Officers Forum

Approving Officers Forum

Expand focussed topical learning opportunities at LGMA forums and particularly at the CAO Forum to include content to address changing demographics and emerging challenges

LGMA Compensation/Contract Toolkit

Maintain and keep current

LGMA Mentoring Initiative Formalize and expand mentoring, executive coaching and support services (volunteer and fee for service)

LGMA Transition Counselling Services (Right Management)

Formalize and expand counselling and support services both volunteer and fee for service

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LGMA Proposed New Services & Programs

Develop short 2 or 3-day MATI-type refresher courses to meet the ongoing professional development needs of more senior managers – topics could parallel existing MATI courses e.g. HR, Communications, Leadership as well as other topics e.g. legal, conflict prevention & management, understanding the Council-manager system, attracting and retaining Generation X & Millennials

Develop support materials for CAOs in transition “The first 100 days after local government” (to accompany CAOs in Transition)

Develop materials (promotional, advertising & marketing) to support CAOs and senior managers to recruit and retain the next generation of local government professionals and staff. See LGMA Report: Recruiting the Next Gen to BC Local Government Final Jan 2011

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What ways can the LGMA and its members collaborate to influence and contribute to the

positive evolution of local government in BC?

The local government system in BC is built on a tradition of inter-agency collaboration. A 2006

report presented at the World Planning Forum entitled, “Local Government Excellence Through

Collaborative Partnerships” xxxvi asserts that, “The effectiveness of British Columbia’s local

government system depends on a high degree of collaboration between different interests

within the system. This relationship has developed over time and is based on the principle of

mutual respect and the practical recognition that there are opportunities to achieve benefits

through working together. Many different agencies are involved. For example, the Ministry of

Community Services….the Union of British Columbia Municipalities…the Local….”xxxvii

Perhaps the stresses and strains of a declining economy, pressures on both the Provincial and

local staff and changes in governments has eroded the spirit of collaboration to some extent in

BC, but opportunities remain to continue to build on previous successes. The LGMA should

take initiative to launch a number of collaborations with the Ministry of Community, Sport and

Cultural Development (MCSCD), the UBCM and the Local Government Leadership Academy

(LGLA) to support and provide services to its current and prospective members. A number of

potential collaborative initiatives are identified below.

Areas of potential MCSCD, UBCM & LGMA collaboration

Initiate a partnership task group/focus group consisting of members from LGMA, MCSCD, UBCM to work together on identifying challenges and opportunities of mutual interest

Develop content for LGLA sessions (in person & online) focussed on “Leading respectful workplaces” “the First 100 days as a new council,” “Managing Council-Staff Relations.” “Managing and mitigating conflict”

In collaboration develop materials to support elected officials e.g. Respectful workplace, codes of conduct, council handbook http://www.miga.gov.nl.ca/publications/training/Councillor_Handbook_2014.pdf & ICMA Council Manager Form of Government Brochure http://icma.org/m/en/icma/knowledge_network/documents/kn/Document/2705/CouncilManager_Form_of_Government_Frequently_Asked_Questions_brochure

In collaboration create mentoring, coaching & mediation services/opportunities for elected officials, councils & boards (volunteer & fee for service)

21

Appendix 1

CivicInfo BC Advertisements for CAO Positions - Municipalities Jurisdiction 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 100 Mile House

Abbotsford

Alert Bay √

Anmore √

Armstrong

Ashcroft

Barriere √

Belcarra

Bowen Island √

Burnaby

Burns Lake

Cache Creek √√ √

Campbell River √

Canal Flats √√

Castlegar

Central Saanich √

Chase √

Chetwynd

Chilliwack

Clearwater

Clinton √

Coldstream √

Colwood √ √

Comox

Coquitlam

Courtenay

Cranbrook √

Creston

Cumberland √

Dawson Creek

Delta

Duncan √

Elkford

Enderby

Esquimalt

Fernie

Fort St. James

Fort St. John

Fraser Lake

Fruitvale

Gibsons √

Gold River

Golden

Grand Forks √ √

Granisle

Greenwood

Harrison Hot Springs

Hazelton

Highlands

Hope √

Houston

Hudson's Hope √ √

Invermere

Islands Trust

Kamloops √

22

Kaslo √

Kelowna

Kent

Keremeos √

Kimberley √

Kitimat √

Ladysmith

Lake Country

Lake Cowichan

Langford

Langley

Langley

Lantzville

Lillooet √ √

Lions Bay

Logan Lake √√ √√ √

Lumby √

Lytton √ √√ √ √

Mackenzie

Maple Ridge

Masset

McBride √

Merritt √

Metchosin

Midway

Mission √ √

Montrose

Nakusp √

Nanaimo

Nelson

New Denver √

New Hazelton

New Westminster √

North Cowichan √

North Saanich

North Vancouver

North Vancouver

Northern Rockies

Oak Bay √ √

Oliver √

Osoyoos

Parksville

Peachland

Pemberton √ √

Penticton √ √

Pitt Meadows √

Port Alberni

Port Alice √√

Port Clements

Port Coquitlam √

Port Edward

Port Hardy

Port McNeill

Port Moody √

Pouce Coupe √ √ √

Powell River

Prince George √

Prince Rupert √

Princeton √ √

Qualicum Beach

23

Queen Charlotte √ √

Quesnel √ √

Radium Hot Springs

Revelstoke √ √

Richmond

Rossland

Saanich √

Salmo √

Salmon Arm

Sayward √ √

Sechelt

Sechelt √ √

Sicamous √ √

Sidney √

Silverton √

Slocan √ √

Smithers

Sooke √

Spallumcheen

Sparwood

Squamish √

Stewart √√√

Summerland √ √

Sun Peaks √ √

Surrey √

Tahsis √ √

Taylor

Telkwa

Terrace √ √√

Tofino √

Trail

Tumbler Ridge √

Ucluelet

Valemount √

Vancouver

Vanderhoof √

Vernon √

Victoria √

View Royal √

Warfield

Wells √ √

West Kelowna

West Vancouver √

Whistler √

White Rock √

Williams Lake √ √

Zeballos √ √

24

CivicInfo BC Advertisements for CAO Positions – Regional Districts

Jurisdiction 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 Alberni-Clayoquot

Bulkley-Nechako

Capital √

Cariboo

Central Coast √

Central Kootenay √

Central Okanagan √

Columbia Shuswap

Comox Valley

Cowichan Valley √

East Kootenay

Fraser Valley √ √

Fraser-Fort George

Kitimat-Stikine

Kootenay Boundary

Metro Vancouver

Mount Waddington

Nanaimo √

North Okanagan √ √

Okanagan-Similkameen

Peace River √

Powell River √ √

Skeena-Queen Charlotte √

√

Squamish-Lillooet √

Strathcona

Sunshine Coast

Thompson-Nicola √

25

i Sancton, Andrew. An affidavit by Andrew Sancton filed in the Supreme Court of Canada in the 1999 unsuccessful challenge to the Toronto megacity legislation, Bill 103, Citizens’ Legal Challenge Inc., et al vs Attorney General of Ontario. ii Tindal, R.C. & Tindal, S.N. Local Government in Canada 6

th edition. Nelson: Scarborough. 2004.

iii Artibise, A. F. & Stelter, G.A eds. The Usable Urban Past. Macmillan:Toronto. 1979.

iv Bottomly, J. Ideology planning and the landscape the business community urban reform and the

establishment of town planning in Vancouver British Columbia 1900-1920 (UBC PhD Thesis 1971). v Anderson, J.D. “The Municipal Government Reform Movement in Western Canada, 1880-1920” in The

Usable Urban Past. Macmillan: Toronto 1979 p. 78. vii

Ibid 79 viii

District of Lake Country. Retrieved from: https://lakecountry.civicweb.net/document/797/Ward%20Information%20Sheet.pdf?handle=1C7AE3936A964F8EBA9F1BF38D541B05 August 8, 2015. ix Sancton, Andrew. An affidavit by Andrew Sancton filed in the Supreme Court of Canada in the 1999

unsuccessful challenge to the Toronto megacity legislation, Bill 103, Citizens’ Legal Challenge Inc., et al vs Attorney General of Ontario. x Osborne, D. and Gaebler, T. Reinventing government: how the entrepreneurial spirit is transforming the

public sector. Plume: New York. 1993. xi UBCM. UBCM: the first century. Granville Island Publishing. 2006 p. 56.

xii Ibid p. 54.

xiii UBCM. Strong fiscal futures. UBCM 2013 p. 11.

xiv Ibid p. 18

xv Ibid p. 21

xvi Canadian Federation of Independent Business. Retrieved from http://www.cfib-

fcei.ca/english/article/6272-canada-s-municipal-spending-watch.html July 30, 2015. xvii

Canadian Federation of Independent Business. Canada’s Municipal Spending Watch. Retrieved from http://www.cfib-fcei.ca/cfib-documents/rr3329.pdf. P. 8 xviii

Canadian Taxpayers Federation. Retrieved from http://www.taxpayer.com/recent-media/why-are-bc-municipalities-paying-such-high-salaries-to-their-employees. July 30, 2015 xix

Municipal Monitor “A position in flux.” Spring 2012 p. 16 xx

Statistic Canada Retrieved from https://www12.statcan.gc.ca/census-recensement/2011/as-sa/98-311-x/98-311-x2011003_2-eng.cfm July 30 2015 xxi

Catalyst. Retrieved from http://www.catalyst.org/knowledge/generations-workplace-united-states-canada July 30, 2015 xxii

Globe and Mail March 13, 2013. Retrieved from http://www.theglobeandmail.com/report-on-business/careers/the-future-of-work/the-six-ways-generation-y-will-transform-the-workplace/article9615027/ July 30, 2015 xxiii

Business Insider the Strengths and Weaknesses of Millennials. Retrieved from http://www.businessinsider.com/how-millennials-gen-x-and-boomers-shape-the-workplace-2013-9 July 30, 2015 xxiv

Harvard Business Review. Mentoring millennials. Retrieved from https://hbr.org/2010/05/mentoring-millennials July 30, 2015 xxv

Globe and Mail March 13, 2013. Retrieved from http://www.theglobeandmail.com/report-on-business/careers/the-future-of-work/the-six-ways-generation-y-will-transform-the-workplace/article9615027/ xxvi

Ernst and Young. Younger Managers Rise in the Ranks. 2013 Retrieved from http://www.ey.com/US/en/Newsroom/News-releases/News_Younger-managers-rise-in-the-ranks. July 30, 2015 xxvii

Catalyst. Retrieved from http://www.catalyst.org/knowledge/generations-workplace-united-states-canada. July 30, 2015

26

xxviii

Local Government Management Association. Recruiting the Next Generation to BC Local Governments. 2011 p. 5. xxix

Municipal Monitor “A position in flux.” Spring 2012 p. 16 xxx

No hard data was found to support this but anecdotal observations and individual discussions with party members confirmed the involvement and interest of provincial political party personnel recent local elections. xxxi

Focus Online. Retrieved from http://www.focusonline.ca/?q=node/903 xxxii

Nanaimo Info Blog. Retrieved from: http://www.nanaimo-info-blog.com/2015/07/who-runs-cities-councils-or-city-staff.html xxxiii

Cuff, G. B. Cuff’s Guide for Municipal Leader’s. Municipal World 2002. 5. xxxiv

Government of BC. Community Charter Sec 147. Retrieved from: http://www.bclaws.ca/civix/document/LOC/complete/statreg/--%20C%20--/42_Community%20Charter%20[SBC%202003]%20c.%2026/00_Act/03026_05.xml#section146 July 30, 2015 xxxv

Insights West 2014 Professional Needs Study Online Bulletin Board Report 2014 xxxv Government of BC, Local Government Excellence Through Collaborative Partnerships. 2006 http://www.cscd.gov.bc.ca/lgd/intergov_relations/library/wuf_bc_guide.pdf xxxvi Ibid. xxxvii

Ibid p. 17.