NIPAWIN — After the civic election in November, the Town of Nipawin will be bringing in a expert to lead a governance seminar that will clarify the roles of both elected officials and staff.
Nipawin council approved the seminar led by George Cuff unanimously at its Feb. 12 meeting. The amount budgeted for the seminar is $12,500.
"We will be offering surrounding municipalities to join us," said Marlon Zacharias, Nipawin's mayor. "We will be reaching out from our office once we have secured dates for the seminar."
Other municipalities that join in would share the cost.
Cuff has a Canada-wide reputation amongst municipalities, crown agencies and other public sector bodies as an advisor, consultant and author on the art and principles of governance and the elements of effective organizations, said a biography given to council. His seminars are delivered with a no-nonsense approach, but with considerable reinforcement of the individual roles of Council and staff. The information shared at these seminars is important for new Councils, including newly-elected and returning members, to hear as a group as soon as possible into their terms.
Senior administration staff participation is equally important as it provides clarification and reinforcement of the roles of both Council members and staff.
Nipawin hosted a similar seminar facilitated by Cuff in 2016 with elected officials and staff members from other municipalities participating. The town said that seminar was well-received by all participants at that time.
Cuff brings the perspective of one who has worked within organizations on an administrative level and one who has helped in a leadership capacity. He served four terms as Mayor of Spruce Grove, Alberta having been first elected in 1977. In addition to his more than 450 governance reviews, he has spoken to more than 700 groups and organizations on quality management and best governance practices.
