CAMA BOARD MEETS IN YELLOWKNIFE TO SHAPE THE FUTURE OF MUNICIPAL LEADERSHIP

The CAMA Board gathered in Yellowknife on October 2-3, 2024, for a meeting focused on advancing key strategic initiatives and reviewing important organizational updates. We extend our sincere gratitude to Stephen Van Dine, City Manager of Yellowknife, and former City Manager Sheila Bassi-Kellett, for their exceptional hospitality. Their northern hospitality was incredible, and the Northern Lights provided a beautiful and fitting reminder of the shining leadership of CAOs across Canada.

The Board also devoted a full day to an in-depth governance review, honing their roles and responsibilities, particularly with the onboarding of six new Board members.

Stay tuned for a Special e-Brief soon with the exciting announcement regarding the dates and locations of the CAMA Conferences for 2026, 2027, and 2028, as well as the CAMA Executive Assistant in Local Government Conferences for 2025 through 2028. You won’t want to miss this announcement – it’s going to shape the future of these must-attend events!

This month, we are also excited to roll out two brand-new toolkits! The Succession Planning Toolkit (launched yesterday and highlighted below) is already available, and later this month, we’ll unveil the highly anticipated Standing Strong: A CAO’s Guide to Professionalism Amidst Incivility. Stay tuned for more details!

NOW AVAILABLE TO CAMA MEMBERS: SHAPING TOMORROW'S LEADERS: MUNICIPAL SUCCESSION PLANNING TOOLKIT

The CAMA Municipal Succession Planning Toolkit is a comprehensive resource designed to help municipalities ensure effective leadership transitions and organizational stability, and is available to members by visiting the Member’s Section (Toolkit area) of the CAMA website.

Whether your municipality has a dedicated Human Resources Department or not, this Toolkit provides customizable strategies and tools for Chief Administrative Officers (CAOs), Senior Leadership Teams, and Councils. It includes guidance on identifying key leadership positions, creating development plans for potential successors, and managing transitions smoothly.

This resource covers a range of succession planning approaches, including Traditional Hierarchical Succession, the Talent Pool Approach, and Performance-Based Planning. It also focuses on Leadership Development Programs and External Pipeline Development.  The Toolkit also addresses critical topics like risk management, political navigation, and the importance of aligning succession planning with municipal strategic goals.



Prepare your organization for future leadership challenges by fostering a culture of growth, continuity, and resilience. Download the CAMA Succession Planning Toolkit today to ensure your municipality’s long-term success.

If you would like to read the Executive Summary of the Toolkit, click here.

La trousse d’outils de L’ACAM pour la planification de la relève a été conçue pour aider les municipalités à organiser la continuité, la stabilité et la réussite à long terme de leur équipe dirigeante. Elle est à la disposition des membres sur le site Web de l’ACAM dans la section Membres, puis sous trousses d’outils à droite.

Que votre municipalité dispose ou non d’un service de ressources humaines, vous trouverez dans cette trousse des stratégies et des outils faciles à adapter pour les DG, les équipes de direction et les conseils. Vous y découvrirez aussi des conseils pour dresser une liste de postes clés de direction, pour préparer les successeurs potentiels et pour gérer les transitions de manière harmonieuse.

Cette ressource présente plusieurs approches de planification de la relève, notamment la succession hiérarchique traditionnelle, l’approche du vivier de talents et la planification basée sur les évaluations de rendement ainsi que les programmes de développement du leadership et la création d’une banque de candidats externes. La trousse d’outils couvre également des sujets essentiels tels que la gestion des risques, les enjeux politiques et l’importance d’aligner la planification de la relève sur les objectifs stratégiques de la municipalité.

Préparez votre organisation à relever les défis futurs de leadership en développant une culture de croissance, de continuité et de résilience. Téléchargez la trousse d’outils de l’ACAM pour la planification de la relève dès aujourd’hui et commencez dès maintenant à le réparer la réussite à long terme de votre municipalité.

Si vous souhaitez lire le résumé de la boîte à outils, cliquez ici.

MAXIMIZING MUNICIPAL REVENUE: THE WSC® MUNICIPAL SPONSORSHIP SUMMIT - APRIL 1-2, 2025

PETERBOROUGH, ON

The WSC® Municipal Sponsorship Summit is a key event for municipal sponsorship professionals looking to build or enhance their sponsorship programs to increase non user fee or tax-based revenue for their municipality. The summit features a two-part structure. There is a half day of “deep dive” in-depth workshops that provide actionable insights and case studies followed by a day and a half with keynote speakers, panels, and breakout sessions led by industry experts. To view the Summit schedule and all its sessions, please visit our Summit website.

VIRTUAL NATIONAL WEBINAR FOR CAMA MEMBERS

Navigating Employment Agreements and Employment Law Updates with Don Lidstone, K.C.

Join Us for a FREE CAMA Webinar: Navigating Employment Agreements and Employment Law Updates.

Mark your calendars for Thursday, October 24, 2024, at 1:00 p.m. EST and get ready to dive into the latest legal updates and expert advice on employment agreements with Don Lidstone, K.C. In this virtual session, hosted by CAMA and Lidstone & Company, Don will provide invaluable insights for municipal administrators navigating the complexities of employment law.

Don’t miss this chance to learn about key topics like negotiation strategies, employment contract mechanisms, and recent legal changes that can protect you from common pitfalls. Plus, get your questions answered in the interactive Q&A session, "Everything You Wanted to Know About Employment Agreements but Were Afraid to Ask."

For more information, visit the CAMA website for a full description and details and register using the link below.

This is a must-attend event for CAOs and local government leaders—secure your spot today and pass this along to your staff members!

ACCELERATE THROUGH SUBTRACTION

Career Compass No. 110: By Dr. Frank Benest, ICMA

In this latest Career Compass article, Dr. Frank Benest addresses the growing challenges of bureaucracy and inefficiency in local government organizations. "Accelerate Through Subtraction" offers practical strategies to simplify processes, eliminate unnecessary friction, and boost organizational responsiveness. Whether it’s streamlining hiring, procurement, or everyday decision-making, this piece explores actionable steps for leaders to foster agility and adapt to the fast-paced demands of today’s governance environment. Discover how small changes can lead to big improvements in performance and employee satisfaction. Read the full article here.

• Scott Vokey, Executive Director, Ontario Municipal Administrators' Association (OMAA)
• Gerry Hynes, Chief Administrative Officer, Town of Placentia, NL
• Ethan Fredeen, Chief Administrative Officer, Village of Fraser Lake, BC
• Sofie Di Muzio, Chief Administrative Officer & Assistant Deputy Minister, Ontario Ministry of Finance, ON
• Al Radke, Chief Administrative Officer, Qathet Regional District, BC
• Brad Hvidston, City Manager, City of Yorkton, SK
• Heather Paul, Chief Administrative Officer, Squamish-Lillooet Regional District, BC
• Adryan Slaght, Managing Director, Planning & Infrastructure, City of St. Albert, AB