Councillors have NO authority to hire, fire, supervise, discipline or evaluate any staff of a municipality other than their Administrator. (revised article) Full Stop. I do not know why we are tiptoeing around this when the legislation is abundantly clear. Recently during a webinar about legislated responsibilities for municipal employers, we ran into it again. Councillors reported to be micromanaging their CAO/Administrator by interfering with hiring, supervision, evaluation

Councillors have NO authority to hire, fire, supervise, discipline or evaluate any staff of a municipality other than their Administrator. Full Stop. I do not know why we are tiptoeing around this when the legislation is abundantly clear. Recently, during a webinar about legislated responsibilities for municipal employers, we ran into it again. Councillors reported to be micromanaging their CAO/Administrator by interfering with hiring, supervision, evaluation and discipline o

by Lorri Matthewson Administrator overreach happens when a CAO or municipal staff begin exercising powers that legally and democratically belong to Council. It’s not always intentional — but it almost always causes governance problems and makes Council look ineffective to the people who elected them. One of the biggest contributors to overreach is Council not staying in its lane. When Councillors spend their time chasing grader operators or micromanaging day‑to‑day operations

By Lorri Matthewson It feels productive to plan. It feels visionary. It feels like progress. But planning doesn’t accomplish anything if you’re not prepared to do. We’re becoming very selective about who we take on for strategic planning. There are plenty of consultants out there who will help you “check the box,” produce a glossy document, and walk away — knowing full well nothing will change. We are not that company. The hardest part of strategic planning begins after the c

Misuse of the “As Otherwise Provided for by Council” Idea When It Comes To Municipal Council and Staff By Lorri Matthewson Across the prairie provinces Councils involve themselves in hiring and firing, staff evaluations, raise decisions, disciplinary actions, staff direction, and operational decisions. They do this based on the assumption that they can, because they always have, or they feel entitled to, by virtue of their election. Here is the thing though. Council has O

By Lorri Matthewson A few months before the election, sometimes 5 or 6 months ahead of the election, Councils begin delaying their important decisions for the next Council. While Council is stalling at the conference table, the day-to-day decisions falls to the administration. They remain responsible for keeping the community compliant and managing risk. They prepare reports that people may not even read, and keep the wheels on the wagon until the new Council gets on its feet

By Lorri Matthewson (Founder and Lead Consultant Matthewson & Co.) www.smallplacesrock.com “People just don’t care anymore.” I cannot count the number of times I’ve heard that around a Council table, or in an administrator’s office. It is the easiest explanation for the low turnout at the annual meeting, empty meetings, and quiet comment boxes. Also, “People just like to bitch.” Again, the easiest explanation for the popularity of rants and raves pages, the growing un

Every municipality has “that Councillor.” And if you haven’t yet, there is always the next election! You know which one I mean. They are the ones who cannot resist micromanaging staff. They are the ones who treat the CAO like their personal assistant. They are the ones who promise the residents something they cannot deliver, then stir up drama on the socials, or freelance their own agenda as if they were a one-person show. They boss the public works staff around, follow the g

It is amazing to me to see how people weigh in online on politics in the U.S., in Canada, and provincially, while patently ignoring the government closest to the people. Your municipality’s Council chamber is where decisions are made about roads, water, recreation, safety, and long-term community well-being. That is why the role of Councillor demands seriousness, preparation, and respect for the position. And yet, it happens too often in our small-population communities t