Post-Event Report – 2019 Local Government Leadership Academy’s Newly or Returning Elected Officials Seminar – Electoral

Area Directors’ Session

To: Constituents of Electoral Area ‘D’ (Commodore Heights – McLeese Lake)

From Cariboo RD Area ‘D’ Director S. Forseth

Date: January 20th, 2019

Re: Post Event Report – 2019 LGLA EOS Session for Electoral Area Directors’

From Wednesday, January 16 to Friday, January 18th, 2019 – I attended the 2019 Local Government Leadership Academy’s
(LGLA) Newly or Returning Elected Official Seminar for Electoral Area Directors’ at the Radisson Vancouver Hotel Airport

The Agenda for this session can be viewed at https://lgla.ca/wp-content/uploads/2019/01/2019-EA-AGENDA-Jan-15.docx

On Wednesday, January 16th:

• Welcome by LGLA President Arjun Singh

• Presentation from UBCM President Arjun Singh and UBCM Executive Director Gary MacIsaac on the current status
of local government in British Columbia and what is to come…
• Presentation by former Port Coquitlam Mayor and Metro Vancouver Chair Greg Moore on “How to Have a Happy
Political Journey” – I was personally disappointed in this session as there was no relation to the role of an Electoral
Area Director – this was a major let down given elected officials from the LGLA Board are municipal councillors’ and
they should have reached out to their Electoral Area Directors’ colleagues to make the presentation more
meaningful and plan to advise LGLA of same….
• Words of Welcome from the Hon. Selina Robinson – BC’s Minister of Municipal Affairs/Housing… again, given
Electoral Area Directors’ were in the room, context for EA Directors would have been helpful/useful however, given
the Minister’s busy calendar, it is appreciated she made the time to address EA Directors’….

On Thursday, January 17th:

• EA Partners Clinic – presentations from Nicola Marotz from the BC Ministry of Municipal Affairs/Housing, Nancy
Taylor of the Local Government Management Association representing senior local government administrative staff
and from Columbia Shuswap RD Chair Rhona Martin
• Dynamics/Decision Making presentation from Tracey Lorenson -- Effective decision making in the council/board
context. Maintaining role clarity, dealing with difficult people and situations, and working as a team in the interest
of the community. I ALWAYS enjoy her sessions and leaves me “hungry” for more… 😊
• We’ve Got to Stop Meeting Like This. Presentation from Former Saanich Mayor Frank Leonard, City of Richmond
Corporate Officer David Weber and Lisa Zwarn -- Discussion on practical tools to make your meetings orderly,
focused, efficient, and inclusive, while seeking to produce quality outcomes that earn public trust and confidence
• Current Legal Issues Presentation from Peter Johnson, Stewart McDannold Stuart - An experienced viewpoint on
some of the legal issues currently facing local government. There was a significant discussion on cannabis from the
Electoral Area context with no clear answers provided. This continues to be a challenge for RD’s to address with no
clear path forward, given one tool available for control for municipalities but not Electoral Areas is business
licensing…
• Public Hearings 101 -- Rhona Martin, Columbia Shuswap RD Chair - This session will cover the various rights and
responsibilities of Mayors, Chairs, Councillors, and Directors at public hearings, with top learnings from experienced
elected officials and staff. Participant interaction encouraged
• Local Emergency Orientation – What you need to know -- This session will provide you with an orientation to your
responsibilities during the planning and declaration of a local emergency, and what you can leave to trained operational
personnel
• Local/Indigenous Governments Working Together -- This session will bring together local government and indigenous
community leaders to discuss regional efforts to work together for mutual benefit.
 Post Event Report, cont. Page 2

Thursday, Jan 17th, 2018 – cont:

• Civic Info BC’s Post Election Assessment/Results, Trends

• “Political Jeopardy with former Saanich Mayor Frank Leonard --- Frank Leonard will use his years of governance
experience in the public and private sector to lead the session through a series of questions for the audience and the
“contestants” in a fun but impactful LGLA Jeopardy.

Friday, January 18th, 2018:

• EA Partners Clinic – Presentations from Peter Urbanc, Municipal Finance Authority; Paul Gill, Municipal Insurance
Association of BC and Michael Spatharakis, BC Assessment

Afterwards – I drove back to Williams Lake….

Overall – a good session and a good opportunity to connect with old friends and establish new ones….

Costs to attend:

Registration – Free (won registration at any LGLA EOS Session in 2019 in Spring 2018)
Travel - $600 to drive between WL-Richmond round-trip
Hotel - $230 for two days….

I will post the presentations at this LGLA EOS Session on Facebook (personal/Area D Director) as soon as they are
available….

Regional Districts’ in attendance included - Cariboo, Central Coast, Sunshine Coast, Kootenay-Boundary, Kitimat-Stikine,
Columbia Shuswap, Fraser Valley, North Okanagan and Central Okanagan

Respectfully submitted,

Steve Forseth
Director, Electoral Area ‘D’ (Commodore Heights-McLeese Lake)
Cariboo Regional District
SF/sf