LGLA 2022 Leadership Forum

Early Morning Roundtable on Mitigating Risk

LGLA Partners: MFA (Municipal Finance Authority); MIA (Municipal Insurance Association) and BCAA (BC Assessment Authority), describe trends ahead from their own unique perspectives and the risks that local governments can face.

Social Media Conversations – New Horizons: Stars, Stories, Solutions

Main Ballroom, 9:00am-10:15am

As high-profile local government leaders, your social media presence is a crucial element of your communication with your public. Even more so in these tumultuous times. Join Jan Enns (Jan Enns Communications) in an interactive session featuring esteemed leaders – who have been actively and successfully navigating the sometimes stormy waters – as they tell their stories and offer solutions for grabbing control of your vessel, staying the course, and exploring new horizons.

Guests:

Mayor Lori Ackerman – City of Fort St. John

Mayor Richard Stewart – City of Coquitlam

Refreshment Break

To be served in the main Foyer

LGMA Plenary – Forging a Path to Responsible Conduct

Codes of conduct are becoming increasingly common in BC, but for many it remains challenging to know where to start to decide on developing a code of conduct and how to start the conversation about creating a code of conduct around your council or board table.  What do you need to know first?  When is a good time to start? What would a good code of conduct look like? What do you do when the conversation gets hard?  These are all good questions that should be asked along the journey of creating a comprehensive code of conduct that can reflect the commitment of a council or board to responsible conduct. Led by Candace Witkowskyj, Executive Director, Local Government Management Association (LGMA), the plenary will focus on how to start and continue the conversation with your elected colleagues about creating a new, or revising an existing, code of conduct.

Panel:

WGRC presenter: Michelle Dann, Executive Director MMA Governance and Structure

Mayor Al Siebring, District of North Cowichan

Ted Swabey, CAO, District of North Cowichan

Mayor Henry Braun, City of Abbotsford

Peter Sparanese, City Manager, City of Abbotsford

Economic Recovery – Large and Small Communities Under Pressure

The need for economic recovery and transformation is a reality for all communities, large and small.  How to adapt, attract new businesses and workers, keep vibrant centres are universal challenges and  keys to economic resilience.  In part I, George P. Richard Benson, Manager, Economic Transformation, Vancouver Economic Commission will be introducing some new trends and key elements to implementing and sustaining a new economic vision for a community.    In part II, LGLA Board members Laurey-Anne Roodenburg (Councillor City of Quesnel) and Curtis Helgesen  (CAO of Bulkley Nechako) will call on real life examples, introducing case studies from small/mid-sized communities that have executed successful transformations with a new approach to their economic development.

Impacts of Climate Change – What Is an Emergency?

Heat domes, air quality, flooding and unprecedented wild fires… BC was faced with all of these emergencies.  Mayor Maja Taitleads the session on how climate change is impacting what emergencies look like now and in the future – so local governments may need to change their  definition of emergency preparedness. experiences.Communities that are pro-active and are taking steps to adapt their approach to issues such as flooding and wildfires share their experiences. Special Guests: Marijke Edmondson, Strategic Advisor, Local Government, and Heather Brazier, Executive Director, Policy and Legislation, EMBC, who will be highlighting EMBC’s working relationship with the UBCM Flood and Wildfire Advisory Committee, and speaking about EPA modernization.

Refreshment Break

Asset Management – What’s Your Legacy? …“The Antidote to Asset Management Apathy”

Main Ballroom, 3:45pm-5:00pm

Asset management provides critical information on the costs, service levels and risks associated with delivering infrastructure services. It is about good decision making in a structural, systematic, and strategic way. It helps you make logical, rational, evidence-based decisions that target your limited resources and prioritize your infrastructure investments. It is the planning tool that helps you organize the future you want for your community and makes good business sense. This begs the questions:

What could possibly get in the way of evidence-based decision making?  Why do we ignore the things we should not ignore? Why do we not attend to the things we should attend to?

This session will illuminate the condition assessments of a different kind and explore the antidote to asset management apathy: Psychological Safety. Participants will leave with tools to conduct an organizational self assessment and help a healthy, safe, and brave organizational culture.

Presenter: Christina Benty, the former-Mayor of the Town of Golden.

Equity, Diversity and Inclusion = Belonging, Dignity and Justice;

Racism and discrimination are fundamental issues facing organizations of all kinds and society as a whole.  Local governments that don’t proactively tackle racism and discrimination could also expose themselves to potential legal action, for example, in relation to their workplace policies, procurement policies, and services they provide to the public.

Lidstone & Company lawyers introduce their free model Anti- Racial Discrimination and Anti-Racism Policy  which has served as a starting point for some communities to build their first anti-racism policy. Panel discussion will feature leaders invited from some of these communities.

Networking Reception Day Two

Main Foyer, 6:00pm-7:00pm

* Bonus…by Candle Light with Councillor Laurey-Anne Roodenburg and Councillor Arjun Singh

Main Ballroom, 7:00pm-8:30 pm

Candid Conversations with City of Quesnel Councillor Laurey-Anne Roodenburg and City of Kamloops Councillor Arjun Singh.  An interactive, dybnamic session for members of the audience to share their thoughts on leadership, and to reflect on their terms in office.