WELCOME TO YOUR

1. WELCOME TO YOUR COUNCIL ORIENTATION

2. Your Council Members Mayor: • Insert Name(Term expires Oct. 20__) Councillors: • Insert Name(Term expires Oct. 20__) • Insert Name(Term expires Oct. 20__) • Insert Name(Term expires Oct. 20__) • Insert Name(Term expires Oct. 20__)

3. Presentation Outline • Review of Council Orientation Manual • Distribution of Legislative Powers in Canada • Community Council • Duties of Council Members • Duties of Community Administrative Officer • Consultative Services Available from Department • Meeting Management • Financial Management • Conflict of Interest • Fraud Awareness • Understanding & Interpreting Financial Statements • Question Period

4. Distribution of Legislative Powers in Canada • The federal Constitution Act gives sovereignpowers to the federal government and the provinces • The federal government has jurisdiction over all of Canada • Provinces have jurisdiction only within provincial boundaries

5. Distribution of Legislative Powers in Canada Delegated Authority • Local government authorities are created by provincial legislation and have no sovereign powers • Local authorities have powers that are delegated by the province • Council gets its authority from The Northern Affairs Act

6. Community Council • Legislation • TheNorthern Affairs Act: • is the legal authority under which councils exist, function and operate • provides for the incorporation of communities • The minister has the legislated authority to act on behalf of unincorporated communities

7. Community Council Regulations • Have the same authority as an act of legislation • Community Councils Election • Status and Boundaries – Unincorporated Communities and Settlements • Council Compensation

8. Community Council Regulations cont. • Procedures and Delegation of By-law Making Powers (Communities that are not incorporated) • Conflict of Interest

9. Community Council Reference Material • Local Government Development Manual of Policies and Procedures (LGDMPP) • Financial Management Guide • A Safe Workplace • Local Government Development Community Management Series Manual • Community Development Corporation (CDC) Manual

10. Community Council Local Government Development Manual of Policies and Procedures • Financial • Public Works • Land • Protective Services • Environmental Health Services • Election • General

11. Community CouncilFinancial Management Guide • Administrative • Financial • Budgeting & Coding • Blank Forms • Appendix

12. Community CouncilA Safe Workplace • General Requirements • Health and Safety Management • Rules, Procedures, Practices and Guidelines

13. Community CouncilCommunity Management Series • Running for Council • Council Orientation • Employee Management Guide • Managing Your Own Affairs • Community Management Plan Development • Land Use Planning Guide • Subdivision Process Guide • Capital Project Planning and Delivery

14. Duties Of Council Members • Good governance • Act in the best interest of the community • Understand council authority and departmental policies • Attend council meetings and participate in discussions/decisions • Make objective and unbiased decisions • Be aware of financial position

15. Duties Of Council Members • Accept responsibility for assigned “portfolio” • Protect community assets from theft, misuse or fraud • Ensure staff are adequately trained • Adhere to Conflict of Interest regulation • Keep matters confidential until discussed at meeting open to public

16. Duties Of Council Members • Good communication with residents and employees • Evaluate policies and programs for the community • Serve on committees • Adhere to workplace safety and health (WSH) requirements

17. Duties Of Council Members Additional Duties Of Mayor • Council representative • Leader • Chair of council meetings • Ensures council decisions are legal • Guards against conflict of interest

18. Duties of Community Administrative Officer (CAO) • An information resource and principal advisor to council on legislation, regulations, policies, procedures and finances • Responsible for implementing council decisions • Council is the decision-maker and responsible for all its decisions • Attends council meetings • Prepares agendas and meeting minutes • Drafts resolutions and by-laws • Manages and supervises all council staff

19. Duties of Community Administrative Officer • Prepares and presents financial statements • Maintains files and filing systems • Provides administrative support • Correspondence • Provides records for council inspection and audit purposes • Maintains records required under Conflict of Interest regulation • Ensures necessary documents are submitted to appropriate authorities

20. Consultative Services Available from Department ANA Consultants • Municipal Development • Recreation and Wellness • Technical and Public Works • Workplace Safety and Health • Environmental • Protective Services • Community and Resource Development

21. Consultative Services Available from Department Municipal Development • Facilitate council/staff development and improved financial management and administrative skills • Facilitate council’s development of a CMP • Assist with trouble-shooting on financial matters • Provide information on resources and training opportunities • Assist in interpretation of legislation • Advise on services available from other government departments and agencies

22. Consultative Services Available from Department Recreation and Wellness • Promote recreation and wellness programming for communities • Provide support, resources and networking opportunities • Promote and support professional development for community recreation directors

23. Consultative Services Available from Department Technical and Public Works • Assist communities plan, deliver, operate and maintain various public works and infrastructure projects • Three major operational areas are: • Project planning • Project delivery • Operations and maintenance

24. Consultative Services Available from Department Workplace Safety & Health • Assist communities comply with workplace safety and health requirements

25. Consultative Services Available from Department Environmental • Assist communities plan, deliver, operate and maintain municipal infrastructure for: • water treatment plants & distribution systems • wastewater treatment plants & collection systems • solid waste disposal grounds • Assist with capital applications, designs, estimates and RFPs • Arrange job-site meetings with councils to plan project delivery • Arrange engineering services • Responsible for overall project management

26. Consultative Services Available from Department Protective Services • Work to improve local capacity to respond to public safety concerns • Work with the following program areas: • Fire • Ambulance • Constable • Emergency Planning

27. Consultative Services Available from Department Community and Resource Development • Promote, assist and facilitate the process for communities to improve social and economic conditions • Facilitate process for developing a community economic development (CED) strategy • Assist and facilitate the process for the development of land use planning documents • Assist existing and potential entrepreneurs • Mentor community development staff

28. Meeting Management • Council determines date and time of at least 10 regular meetings/year • If a member misses 3 consecutive regular meetings without prior approval by council resolution, the member is deemed to have resigned and the seat becomes vacant • The mayor or 2 members of council may call special meetings • Council meetings are open to public

29. Meeting Management Duties of Community Administrative Officer • Prepares and distributes agenda • Prepares and presents financial statements • Requests approval of payables • Presents correspondence • Provides well researched reports • Records minutes and resolutions

30. Meeting Management Duties of Council Members (includes Mayor) • Attend all council meetings • Participate in discussions • Represent concerns and views of the community • Behave in an orderly manner • Be respectful of others

31. Meeting Management Additional Duties of Mayor • Ensure there is a quorum • Conduct an orderly meeting • Ensure everyone has a chance to speak • Ensure decisions are made by resolution and carried by a majority • Ensure speakers are on topic and control the length of discussion

32. Financial Management • It is important for council to know the community’s financial position • Financial management is making economic and efficient use of limited resources and protecting community assets from theft, fraud or neglect • Financial management involves planning (includes budgeting), implementing and controlling

33. Financial Management Planning • Council is responsible for annual preparation and submission of a Community Management Plan (CMP) • This plan (due January 31) includes a budget, 5-year capital plan, operation & maintenance plan, recreation and wellness plan, CED strategy and staff training plan

34. Financial Management Implementing • Throughout the year decisions are guided by the CMP • Significant deviations from the plan will require council to act to ensure that council does not incur a deficit • Council must identify cost savings or extra funding needed prior to approving any unplanned expenditures

35. Financial Management Controlling • Financial control by council requires current and accurate financial information • Information is found in the community financial statements • Understanding of these financial statements is required to make good financial decisions

36. Conflict of Interest • Arises when a council member takes advantage of their position on council to benefit themselves or their immediate family members • Members of council cannot use their position for direct personal gain and must excuse themselves from the meeting if they have a conflict of interest

37. Conflict of Interest • Conflict of Interest regulation requires that each council member file a Statement of Assets and Interests with the community administrative officer and update when change occurs • Council members must disclose any conflict of interest • Statements filed are public documents

38. I. Fraud Awareness • Each council member is responsible to protect community assets from misuse, theft or fraud • Fraud is often a result of poor management practices which should not be tolerated by council • Early detection reduces losses, whereas delay increases them • Prevention starts with good financial and administrative practices • Be aware of the warning signs

39. I. Fraud Awareness Warning Signs • Infrequent council meetings • No approval of prior minutes, expenditures and financial statements in council minutes • Unapproved expenditures • No documentation for expenditures • Late or no bank reconciliations • Late payments/late payment charges & penalties • Inability to complete projects on a timely basis • Failure to deposit reserve funds into reserve investments on a timely basis • Signing of blank cheques

40. I. Fraud Awareness How to Prevent Fraud • Attend council meetings and ensure they occur at least monthly • Ensure resolutions are passed approving all payments made or to be made each month & that list totals are correct • Ensure a resolution is passed approving the latest financial statements and that a bank reconciliation is attached • Ensure minutes are complete prior to approval, with all lists attached

41. I. Fraud Awareness How to Prevent Fraud • Ensure all payments presented for approval have back-up and any unusual interest charges are noted in the minutes with council’s plan to investigate/correct the situation • Ensure all travel advances are within departmental policy and adequately accounted for • Take any complaint or rumour of misuse of community assets seriously • Ensure “immediate family” as defined under “Conflict of Interest” are not signatories on a cheque • Report any concerns immediately where council fails to adequately address any of the above deficiencies

42. Understanding & Interpreting Financial Statements • Refer to booklet in Council Orientation Manual

43. QUESTIONS