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Summer Agenda - Learning

Councillor’s Corner - Wednesday July 5th, 2017
Welcome Summer!!! What’s on your agenda for the summer? I’m going to spend most of my summer camping, fishing and reading about municipal politics. I thought I would share some information for anyone in our community that might be interested in running for the elections next year. A really great reference is Municipal World, you can order their magazine or any of the books. There are four books that are great resources for councillors: Cuff’s Guide for Municipal Leaders Volume 1 & 2, Guide to Good Municipal Governance, and Ontario’s Municipal Conflict of Interest Act – A Handbook. These four have helped me tremendously in the past ten months. Especially by joining council mid term, there were no really learning opportunities therefore I had to search for resources. Past Councillor Ginger Latoski was a big help setting me up with her portfolios and telling me about the Municipal World Magazine. The magazine is a Canadian wide publication but writers are from as close to home as the Wawa CAO, Chris Wray. Our own CAO, was a great help to by setting up a learning webinar with Fred Dean, who has extensive knowledge of municipal governance and is in the business of helping people get it right. After an election, there are learning sessions provided for the new council which will help you tremendously to fill role. The two books that I will be reading this summer from municipalworld.com are the are A Guide to Succeeding in Municipal Elections “Run & Win” and Electing Better Politicians, both are available from this website or you can borrow them from me. This summer your Council we will be working with Luc Denault, a community consultant, currently the CAO from Smooth Rock Falls to create a “Working Strategic Outline” for council. This will be an extremely useful exercise in learning where we are at and recommendations of where to go next. Our community has the potential to be a thriving place and a place where people want to stay and raise a family. A place where we can grow old and know our home. It will be a busy summer of learning and trying to “think outside the box” as Mr. Denault put it back in February when he was here sharing about Smooth Rock Falls successes. Be hopeful and I wish you a safe and enjoyable summer. My final thought: Thank-you for contacting me. I appreciate it immensely and thank-you for your kind words, recommendations and most importantly your interest. A councillor or mayor can sometimes feel like it’s thankless job but kind words to your council can go a long way to motivating us, to know that you are listening. The days I feel like quitting I always remember those who have encouraged me and believe in me. Thank-you.
Let’s rebuild Hornepayne was coined a few years ago and we are on our way.
Cheers to our sunny days,
Cheryl T Fort
cheryltfort@gmail.com