MOOSE JAW — The seven people who will form the new city council in November will receive formal orientation and training for their roles to ensure they are prepared for the next four years.
Orientation and training workshops are important for ensuring that members are well-prepared to serve their community effectively and have a positive effect, a council report explained.
Previous orientation workshops were conducted on an ad-hoc basis and provided new members with information and guidance on a need-to-know basis, which created gaps in elected officials’ knowledge bases, the document continued.
Therefore, city administration is recommending that council implement a first-ever formal orientation and training policy, which standardizes the introduction process and ensures that all members receive thorough and consistent training that enhances their effectiveness and efficiency.
The report noted that new members face several challenges in their new roles, such as time management, understanding procedures, handling public criticism, building relationships and navigating legal and ethical issues.
“By investing in the development of its members, the council can ensure better governance and improved service delivery to the community,” the report added.
The workshops would serve several purposes, such as:
- New members would better understand their roles, responsibilities and the scope of their authority
- Members would learn about council procedures, protocols and legislative processes, ensuring they can effectively participate in meetings and decision-making
- Newly elected officials receive training on ethical standards, legal requirements and compliance issues to ensure they adhere to all regulations and maintain public trust
- The workshops include sessions on strategic planning and goal setting, which help new members align their priorities with the city’s long-term vision
The report added that the costs to conduct the training and orientation workshops are budgeted through the city clerk’s operating budget in an election year.
The orientation and training policy says new council members must attend and participate in the workshop, while the city manager — with help from the city clerk — will co-ordinate the development and delivery of the program.
Meanwhile, administration will not prepare any formal minutes from the workshops, council will not conduct any business or make any decisions, and any materials presented will not cover topics that advance the business of the city or an existing council motion.
Lastly, administration will use The Cities Act, the city administration bylaw and the procedure bylaw as supporting references and resources.
Council discussion
During the Oct. 7 executive committee meeting, Coun. Crystal Froese said when she was first elected in 2016, she and other members took tours of major infrastructure venues.
She said those trips were valuable in understanding what the municipality was managing and where it was spending its money. She also thought it was important to include such trips in the training workshops.
Furthermore, Froese thought the training should cover The Cities Act and the Local Authority Freedom of Information and Protection (LAFOIP) Act since they were large documents that council referenced regularly.
She also thought administration should provide the new council with books from authors who focus on municipal governance.
City administration will give council tours of major infrastructure projects since that falls under strategic planning, while both provincial Acts are covered under the city’s ethics and legal training and procedures, said city clerk Tracy Wittke.
Meanwhile, administration plans to bring in speaker Keith Comstock, who works with the Johnson Shoyama Graduate School of Public Policy, she added.
Coun. Heather Eby thought it was great that the training was mandatory since it ensured that all council members were on the same page from the start. She then asked whether this information would be in candidates’ packages for the 2028 municipal election.
Future candidates will see this information when they register, while administration will bring it back to council before the 2028 election for review and possible changes, Wittke replied.
Council then voted unanimously to approve the orientation and training policy.
The next regular council meeting is Monday, Oct. 21.
