The last few weeks there’s been some local controversy over increases in the municipal budget related to the role of councillors. The Committee of the Whole ultimately passed a pay increase for councillors that collectively amounted to ~$30k, but it was noted that the overall council budget increased by ~$60k. The rest of the increase was a combination of increased use of the Integrity Commissioner, and increased participation in conferences.
The increased use of the Integrity Commissioner is a good thing: it means that council members are being careful to do the right thing, and asking the Integrity Commissioner’s advice when in doubt. It’s also a sign of engaged residents, as occasionally a resident makes a complaint to the IC about a council member’s conduct. It may be that a council member is behaving unethically, which would be bad; it may also be that a person is making a false report against a council member (something I’ve been threatened with through online harassment before), which would also be bad. But either way, it’s a good thing that the Integrity Commissioner is there, and that we’re using them, to prevent any bad situation from getting worse and to hopefully avoid them in the first place. So any increase in the IC’s cost is, in my opinion, a sign of public money well-spent.
But what about councillor training and conferences? What’s the value of that?
The Value of Councillor Training
In the first few months after being elected, we received a lot of mandatory training that showed us the ropes of municipal governance: how meetings work, tours of municipal facilities, how the Integrity Commissioner works, and how to avoid getting into operational matters that are staff responsibility. We need to know our role, including the limits of it, and that training was very necessary. It’s also the bare minimum we need to do the job well.
Every week I get multiple emails from the Association of Municipalities of Ontario offering training sessions that go deeper on many of those topics, covering things like managing conflict relationships in municipalities, increasing cultural sensitivity and reconciliation with Indigenous peoples, and strategic leadership matters. These are all important skills for councillors to grow in, and I’m glad they’re available; but they also cost hundreds of dollars for a 2-3 hour seminar.
For a similar cost, I’ve found that I can take a semester-long course from the Association of Municipal Managers, Clerks, and Treasurers of Ontario (AMCTO), which accredits many of our municipal employees. Last year I completed the four-course Municipal Administration Program (MAP), which covered all of the basics of municipal policy, finance, and governance from a staff perspective. This year I’m taking a two-course program in Municipal Accounting and Finance, and a four-course program in Municipal Law, both from AMCTO. I’m paying for these courses myself, and not asking for reimbursement. I’ve even been in the same (online) classes as some of our staff.
Why should I learn so much about our staff’s roles? Not to do their jobs, certainly! I continue to rely on their expertise, not only because they know better, but because they are the relevant experts in the room; council must always rely on the expertise of staff. But understanding their jobs helps me to support them, rather than accidentally stepping on their toes in ignorance; it helps me to see my own role in the context of the bigger municipal picture, and work strategically to empower their work rather than causing them more work through my own lack of awareness.
The types of things that I’m learning about municipal finance are helping me ask better questions in the budgeting process, and make more confident decisions at the council table. The topics we’re addressing in municipal law classes are helping me to write better motions, and to consider bylaws and policies in light of the Charter and provincial laws. The post I wrote last week about municipal bylaws was inspired by an assignment for a municipal law course on that subject. The history of Ontario municipalities and the relationship they’ve had with the province was covered extensively in the MAP program I took last year, which really helped me understand the constant stream of changes the province has been making to how municipalities operate.
All of these things equip me to be a better councillor, and at no additional cost to the taxpayers of Brighton. Where your money is being spent is on conferences, which is a different kind of learning.
The Value of Conferences
I’ve heard it said that municipal conferences are an excuse for politicians to drink together. I witnessed that at the ROMA conference last year in Toronto, but I’ve been told (and it was my impression at the time) that this is a remnant of the “old guard” that is passing away. Most of the people who attend municipal conferences are there to learn and network, and at both of the conferences I attended last year I left absolutely exhausted and brimming with new ideas and contacts.
Municipal conferences feature presentations about innovative policies and programs that are working well in other municipalities, and that might be applied in ours. There’s usually a large trade show, where vendors show off new products that might help improve services in our town; Councillor Faretis found Automated Speed Enforcement providers at this year’s ROMA conference trade show, and we have now budgeted to purchase some for our new ASE program here. There’s panel discussions about recent provincial changes, or pressing issues like housing and homelessness, that affect all municipalities. And there’s a provincial presence, with Ministers taking delegations from municipalities who need a few minutes of their time, and with presentations from the Premier and other party leaders to talk about municipal-provincial relations.
To me, the value of conferences is in providing a forum for our municipality to interact with the rest of the province (or country – I’ll be attending the Federation of Canadian Municipalities conference this year in Calgary). It’s a key way for us to contribute to issues that extend beyond our own municipal borders, and to bring in new ideas and resources from outside. It’s how we get time with provincial ministers, forge contacts with other municipal partners, and even make connections with funding sources and granting agencies.
Value Added
All of this education and trips comes with an actual cost (around $30,000/year, including the increased use of the Integrity Commissioner), and isn’t necessarily paying a direct return. Is it necessary? It is entirely possible for a councillor to do an excellent job at making decisions on behalf of residents with only the basic training, and with no conference attendance. These things are not a requirement of the job, and might be considered a perk. Someone without training in the historical, legal, and financial aspects of municipalities can rely on our staff to fill in the gaps in their knowledge, and limit their focus to strictly local matters or to outside networking through online events only. If a councillor decides not to attend any conferences, that doesn’t mean that they’re shirking their role, any more than a councillor wanting to attend a conference is somehow exploiting perks of the role. It’s possible to do either a great or lousy job as a member of council, whether you’re taking courses and going to conferences or not.
But conferences and courses are tools to help council members hone their skills, broaden their networks, clarify their vision, and acquire new resources and support. Given all that, I would argue that they provide excellent value to the residents of Brighton.