Municipal Councillor Orientation 2008

An orientation for newly elected municipal councillors, mayors and wardens, sponsored by Service Nova Scotia and Municipal Relations in cooperation with the Union of Nova Scotia Municipalities and the Association of Municipal Administrators was held on November 20 and 21, 2008 at the Holiday Inn in Truro NS.

In addition to providing an opportunity for newly elected councillors and their municipal administrators to network and get to know one another, it was also an opportunity to learn about the role of elected municipal officials and what to expect in the next four years.

Speakers included Roger Snowdon of Media Communications, Jack Novack of Dalhousie University’s Public Sector Program, Kevin Latimer of Cox Hanson, as well as Nathan Gorall, Paul Wills, Mark Peck, and Stephen Feist, of Service Nova Scotia and Municipal Relations. The presenters were assisted by a number of municipal elected officials who offered the municipal perspective on each topic. Presentations were provided on Local Government, Council and the Law, The Municipal Budget Process, Council Staff Relations, and Council and the Media.

Future sessions on these and additional topics are being considered by Service Nova Scotia and Municipal Relations and our partners The Union of Nova Scotia Municipalities and the Association of Municipal Administrators as well as Dalhousie University’s Public Sector Program. Municipalities will be informed of these professional development opportunities as they arise over the next few years.

• Collaborative Council Staff Relations
• Council and the Law
• Local Government in Nova Scotia
• Municipal Budget Process