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2022

ANNUAL

REPORT

President’s Message

Greetings from the traditional, ancestral, and unceded tm̓ xʷúlaʔxʷ (land) of the Syilx and Nlaka’pamux nations, both of which are Interior Salish cultures. My name is Corie Griffiths and I am the President of the Local Government Management Association of B.C. This report summarizes the LGMA’s efforts over the past year and progress against key strategic metrics. It is an honour to highlight the cumulative accomplishments of the Association, and its volunteers, in 2022. As you likely know (possibly from personal experience), the majority of LGMA programs are designed for and by local government volunteers, so the accomplishments highlighted in this report are a direct result of the cumulative efforts of local government volunteers championing excellence within the sector.

In 2022, it felt like local government leaders seemed to find their “sea legs.” We sought innovative solutions to what had now become somewhat familiar challenges that shocked us over the past couple of years. We found a way to carry forward, and though we experienced some growing pains we found a way to adapt, to celebrate the small successes, and to look ahead with creativity and hope. We celebrated opportunities to get together again and reconnect. With all of these changes, we made economic, technological, and social advancements within our organizations and communities. We celebrated each other and sought to help lift our peers up during times when they needed support. I am extremely proud of the ways in which local government leaders have modelled innovation, peer support, and finding opportunities amidst challenging times.

As this report highlights, the LGMA’s work to return to in-person learning while improving online programming has proven successful. Select programs were delivered in person with enhanced safety measures to keep local government leaders safe. Iterative development efforts and the use of technological improvements helped to enhance online programming. Added efforts to enhance volunteerism has resulted in more formal and informal opportunities for LGMA volunteers to contribute to local government excellence. Additional resources were created to support local governments, both as they navigated the 2022 local elections and, as part of the work of the Working Group on Responsible Conduct, a new online learning resource to help local elected officials explore responsible conduct principles. Local governments continue to demonstrate a strong commitment to ethical conduct with continued engagement with the updated, complimentary Ethics On Demand course and signing off on the LGMA Code of Ethics.

The Board of Directors engaged in a mid-point Strategic Planning assessment to ensure the Association was on track given all that had changed as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic, and through this effort, key themes were prioritized as they relate to the current labour market crisis, enacting DRIPA, and navigating climate change. Additionally, the Board noted new metrics by which to measure online and in-person engagement in LGMA programs.

I am honoured to have served as the Association’s President over the past year. On behalf of the LGMA Board of Directors, LGMA staff, the 187 local and First Nations government organizations and 1,134 individuals who held LGMA memberships in 2022, it is my pleasure to present the 2022 Annual Report to the membership.

Corie Griffiths

President

Board of Directors

Corie Griffiths

President

Heather Nelson-Smith

Past President

Curtis Helgesen

Vice President

Treasuerer

Treasurer

KERI-ANN AUSTIN

Director at Large

Angila Bains

Director at Large

Laurie Mercer

Director at Large

Alice Johnston

North Central

Chapter Director

JENNIFER SHAM

Thompson Okanagan

Chapter Director

BRYAN TEASDALE

West Kootenay

Boundary Chapter

Director

MICHAEL DILLABAUGH

Vancouver Island Chapter Director

JON WILSGARD

Rocky Mountain Chapter Director

JAMIE VAN NES

Lower Mainland Chapter

Executive Director’s Message

As I reflect on 2022, I am extremely proud of the combined accomplishments of the LGMA Board of Directors, volunteers, staff, and of course, the membership. I am grateful to our members and volunteers who, despite navigating an election year, labour market challenges, and the impacts of inflation, amongst other challenges, were always available to share their wisdom and expertise. I am grateful to our partners and sponsors for helping us keep our programs accessible, and for their ongoing support. I am also exceptionally proud of the LGMA staff who, despite navigating our own capacity challenges, did a remarkable job meeting the educational and professional development needs of local government leaders, engaging members as volunteer faculty or guiding subject matter experts, and ensuring quality member services. I appreciate the dedicated work of the Board of Directors who were always willing to lend a hand to help steer the Association through new challenges or considerations but were also exemplary leaders and mentors to me in my first year as the Association’s new Executive Director.

The accomplishments of 2022 are further amplified by the fact that the LGMA returned several programs to in-person delivery for the first time in nearly three years, amidst the delivery of added election resources and training. I am mindful of how much extra time the team spent strategizing new approaches and safeguards to ensure attendees at the LGMA Annual Conference would feel safe to reconnect with their peers amidst fluctuating health and safety concerns, and I am extremely grateful for their dedication and determination. At the same time, the Association worked to expand upon the virtual training programs to ensure continuous improvement for the membership. Overall, the Association saw an increase in demand for programs and services, likely at least partially reflective of the changing labour market and increase in complex challenges faced by local government leaders. While the Association navigated a return to in-person program delivery in a new environment, the additional staff capacity and considerations required to manage health and safety concerns, rising venue and service costs, and labour market impacts required added capacity and effort.

I know you will join me in applauding the outstanding work of the LGMA team: Senior Program Manager Ana Fuller, Event and Volunteer Coordinator Shannon Gustafsson, Finance Officer Randee Platz, Communications and Membership Management Coordinator Adrian Paradis, Program Assistant Paulina Chua and our talented contractors Sonia Santarossa, Allison Habkirk, Liz Cornwell, and Barbara Van Fraassen.

Candace Witkowskyj

Executive Director

The LGMA Team –

Here to Serve You

Ana Fuller
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Shannon Gustafsson
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Randee Platz
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Adrian Paradis

Adrian Paradis
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Paulina Chua
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Our Ongoing Commitment to

Helping Members Learn, Lead, Grow

Strategic Results for 2022

The Board of Directors, members from Chapter Executives, and the staff of the LGMA achieved a number of significant objectives identified in the Strategic Plan. The Board and staff engaged in a Mid-Point Strategic Plan assessment process to reflect on the impacts of the pandemic and identify any resulting areas of priority required to keep the organization on track through 2024.

The goals and objectives achieved

during this time of transition

demonstrate the Association’s

ongoing ability to adapt to

the changing needs of local

government professionals to

ensure they can continue to

Learn, Lead, and Grow.

Education and Professional Development

In 2022, a number of programs were delivered in-person for the first time in nearly three years. In person programming was delivered by piloting new health and safety approaches to ensure a safe and accessible learning experience.

The Association maintained virtual delivery of the remaining education and professional development programs, building on past strategies and approaches to ensure ongoing improvement. All programs aimed to continue to provide high-quality, practical education and training to meet the needs of the local government management community, and the results from the evaluations of participants demonstrate the LGMA was able to maintain these goals.

Training and Programs

1,571

local government

professionals

trained

Programs Delivered:

21 online, 4 in-person

complimentary Townhalls on high value topics delivered

572

local government professionals accessed important information in complimentary Townhalls

570

members completed on-demand Ethics Online course

Satisfaction and Enrollment

courses achieving 80% or above satisfaction evaluation

courses achieving 90% or above enrollment target

Scholarships and Bursaries

Foundations of Local Government Learning Series participants received a bursary through funding from the Municipal Finance Authority

LGMA scholarships awarded

for a total of $38,800

Board of Examiners Report

FOR THE PERIOD: APRIL 2022 - MARCH 2023

The Provincial Board of Examiners operates under the Local Government Act and is responsible for awarding certificates to local government employees in municipalities, regional districts, and improvement districts, who meet the standards of qualification in local government administration as prescribed by the Board’s Regulation. In conjunction with the Union of British Columbia Municipalities, the Board awards scholarship funding to eligible local government employees. The principal goal of the Board is to improve the professional skills of local government employees in British Columbia.

Certification Program

Four categories of certification are available – Certificate in Local Government Service Delivery, Certificate in Local Government Administration, Certificate in Local Government Statutory Administration, Certificate in Local Government Executive Management – each requiring a level of competency in local government administration and management, services, finance, law, policy, and economics, as well as relevant work experience. A Professional Development Endorsement, to encourage a commitment to ongoing learning of CAOs and Deputy CAOs, is also offered to holders of the Certificate in Local Government Executive Management.

13 BOE Certificates Awarded in 2022 - 2023

Nine (9) Certificates in

Local Government Service Delivery

FRANK RAWLINGS, Manager of Bylaw Enforcement and Animal Control, District of Squamish

GILLIAN VILLENEUVE, Manager of Development Planning, City of Chilliwack

BONNIE MCCUE, Corporate Officer, City of Fort St. John

DAVID MOORHEAD, Groups and Roads Superintendent, City of Trail

LAURA SHAW, Administrative Coordinator, City of Coquitlam

LIA PESKLEVITS, Executive Coordinator, Town of Comox

JAMIE LEGGATT, Director of Communications, City of Chilliwack

SHELDON MCKINLAY, Senior Engineering Technologist, City of Chilliwack

DUSTIN PRIDHAM, Manager, Recreation Operations, City of Vernon

Two (2) Certificates in

Local Government

Administration

GERALD DAVIS, Director of Community Services, Town of Osoyoos

CHRISTOPHER GARRISH, Manager of Planning, Regional District of Okanagan-Similkameen

Two (2) Certificates in

Local Government

Statutory Administration

JENNIFER HAHN, Director of Corporate Services, City of Chilliwack

PAIGE MACWILLIAM, Director of Corporate Services, City of Duncan

Certificate in

Local Government

Executive Management

Three applications are in process. The applicants have met the work experience and academic requirements in accordance with sections 5 (a), (b), (c) and (d) of the Local Government Employees Certification Regulation.

Certificates Not Awarded

The Board received five (5) additional applications for certificates that were not awarded. The Board declined to award one (1) Certificate in Local Government Service Delivery and three (3) Certificates in Local Government Statutory Administration as the applicants had not yet met the educational requirements for these certificates. The Board also received an application for one (1) Certificate in Executive Management and did not approve proceeding to the written and oral presentation step as the applicant had not yet met the educational requirements for that level of certificate.

Respectfully submitted,

Marijke Edmondson, Chair, Ministry of Municipal Affairs

Marie Crawford, Board Member and UBCM Representative

Linda Glenday, Board Member and LGMA Representative

Mid-Point Strategic Plan Assessment

The LGMA Board of Directors and staff engaged in a Mid-Point Strategic Plan Assessment process in December of 2022 to revisit the Association’s strategic priorities reflective of the rapid change experienced both by the Association and its members as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic. The local governments’ evolving relationships with Indigenous governments, the labour shortage, and economic conditions impacting the cost of training and training budgets were identified as priority national and global concerns.

Participants then engaged in a facilitated exercise that tasked them with prioritizing what new strategies should be the focus of staff effort over the next two years. Participants identified a top tier of four strategies (and a second tier of four). Maintaining the volunteer base, the ability of members to take time away from work for training, and opportunities to expand training offerings were the top three challenges for the association. Finally, ensuring the Association maintains learner-centred during the post-pandemic transitions was also identified as an overarching priority.

Top Four Priorities

Second-Level Priorities

Summary

Updates were made to the strategic plan reflective of the above core priorities. The revised LGMA 2020-2024 Strategic

Plan was reviewed, amended and subsequently approved at the LGMA Board meeting held on March 3, 2023.

Professional Networking Results

virtual courses delivered with

networking components

courses with 80%

or above Excellent/

Very Good feedback on

networking opportunities

course with 80% or above

Excellent/ Very Good

feedback on mentoring

connections

Strategic Results: Professional Networking

Starting in 2020, the LGMA team worked at rapid speed to adapt many in-person programs to virtual delivery. In 2021-2022, the LGMA team worked to improve the delivery of virtual learning opportunities to incorporate a diversity of learning activities and ensure opportune learner engagement.

Despite course participants continuing to report above-average satisfaction with online learning, participant responses clearly identified that the LGMA membership had a previously established understanding of what it means to engage in mentorship and networking, and this was not in fact something they felt could be reproduced online.

New Metrics

LGMA course participants noted frequently that they appreciated the opportunities to connect virtually with their peers and learn from other local government leaders, however they noted that this did not fit the sector-established definition of what it means to engage in in-person mentorship and networking.

As a result, the Mid-Point Strategic Plan Assessment process identified the need to adapt the metrics noted in Core Strength 2: Professional Networking and Peer Connection for future online learning.

Virtual programming

metrics:

In-person

programming

metrics:

Local Government Resource Materials

Resources were well-accessed by B.C. local government professionals in 2022.

Thank You to Our Subject Matter Experts!

In addition to providing resource materials, the Association has benefitted from the expertise of several members to support provincial committees reviewing legislation and regulatory frameworks for local government and partner organizations in 2022.

OUR DEEPEST THANKS GO TO:

BOB LAPHAM

CAO, Capital Regional District – EMBC-UBCM Flood and Wildfire Advisory Committee

SELINA WILLIAMS

Director of Corporate Services, District of Oak Bay – Province of BC Technical Advisory Committee for Elections

JIM MARTIN

CAO, Regional District of Fraser-Fort George – Fire Services Working Group

MARK ANDISON

CAO, Kootenay Boundary Regional District – Fire Services Working Group

STUART HORN

CAO, Central Kootenay Regional District – Pre-Hospital Care Collaborative Committee

DAVID STUART

CAO, District of North Vancouver – Pre-Hospital Care Collaborative Committee

TREVOR SEIBEL

CAO, District of Coldstream – BC Local Government RCMP Contract Management Committee

CECILIA ACHIAM

General Manager, Community Safety, City of Richmond – BC Local Government RCMP Contract Management Committee

BYRON MCCORKELL

Community and Protective Services Director, City of Kamloops – BC Local Government RCMP Contract Management Committee

DAVE CRITCHLEY

General Manager Community Safety, City of Burnaby – BC Local Government RCMP Contract Management Committee, Advisory Committee on Provincial Policing

Standards

MIKE YOUNIE

CAO, City of Mission – BC Local Government RCMP Contract Management Committee, BC RCMP Occupancy Agreement Working Group

KIM ANEMA

CAO, Town of View Royal – BC RCMP Occupancy Agreement Working Group

KRIS BOLAND

CAO, City of Terrace – BC RCMP Occupancy Agreement Working Group

Services for Members

Throughout 2022, a range of services were accessed by LGMA members to support their specialized needs.

members accessed Pension Consulting

member accessed Transition Counselling

member accessed Executive Coaching

members accessed Temporary Employee Database

Member Engagement

2,523

LinkedIn followers

+32%

Over 2021

1,073

Twitter followers

+5%

Over 2021

166

Facebook followers

+15%

Over 2021

~3,600

Weekly e-newsletter subscribers

+20%

Over 2021

Some of our popular 2022 social media posts:

Meeting our Objectives Through Member Engagement

Through our member engagement both online and in-person, we are working to deliver on Strategic Plan core strengths such as:

ORGANIZATIONAL GROWTH AND STABILITY

Growing and sustaining the Association, as it has for over a century, by attracting, maintaining and engaging members and volunteers in the work of the LGMA to ensure fiscal sustainability and good governance.

PROFESSIONAL NETWORKING priority actions, including:

› Build on LGMA’s practice to connect to members and tap into expertise for volunteer support and advisory services

› Identify Association ambassadors to assist with new program development or promotional support of the Association

› Promote the benefits of belonging to and supporting LGMA

› Ensure new entrants to the profession are welcomed, introduced and acknowledged

More Member Feedback

- We Appreciate It!

Organizational Growth and Sustainability

Throughout 2022, the LGMA received tremendous support from its Local Government and Education Partners. Thank you to:

We also recognize our generous 2022 Sponsors:

We gratefully acknowledge the financial support of the

Province of British Columbia through the Ministry of Municipal Affairs.

Volunteers

The LGMA gratefully acknowledges the contributions made by all our volunteers who have provided valuable expertise in support of their colleagues across B.C. throughout 2022.

Membership

187

local governments

with LGMA members

First Nations

governments

1,146

members (all types)

210

first-time

members

Sustainable Financial Model

Local Government Management Association of BC

Statement of Financial Position (Unaudited)

Statement of Operations (Unaudited)

These condensed financial statements are derived from the financial statements of the Local Government Management Association of BC for the year ended December 31, 2022.