Take the time to do the reading in advance, noting any questions you may have.

Then, reach out to the staff members on the report to ask questions in advance.

Don’t hesitate to talk with the Committee Chairs and other Councillors on those committees for their take on the issue.

Lastly, ask your contacts in the community about their experience with the issue. Often this step is overlooked when making decisions.

• Be clear in phrasing intended motions to minimize the opportunity for dissent including your supporting comments and/or preamble

• Run your motion wording by your Clerk

• Run it by the Department Head and the Mayor to give them a heads up

• Run it by the council member who will second the motion

• Have conversations with staff and individual council members in advance of the meeting to get information and perspectives in advance. Find out if you have sufficient support to move the conversation forward

• It’s OK to consult with other council members as long as you aren’t all meeting and sharing opinions as a quorum outside of declared meeting

• Observe the presentation and delivery styles of others, including thse from other municipalities. Study what works and what you can adopt and align with your own communication style.

• One size does not fit all and one communication approach does not necessarily work in every situation. Be flexible!

• Know your audience to be resilient and effective in your communication. How do they speak? What words do they use? Use them back

• Practice your style and communication method (e.g., in a mirror, tape it and review it or in front of individuals whose feedback you trust and comes from “a good place”.

• Examples of what other smaller municipalities receive in funding

• Establish and communicate priorities as outlined through budget discussions and strategic plan directions. Always refer back to the plan!

• Acknowledge that the issue(s) raised by the public or individual is a priority for them at that particular time

• Nothing is beyond looking into … always commit to getting an answer, even if it’s not the one they were hoping to receive!

• Be prepared to read documents many times to be able to grasp the detail, past history leading to the document and impact

• Ask staff, other councillors and the author of the reports

• Recognize that the first few budget times are labour intensive and it does become more manageable as you get answers to your questions, and learn more along the way.

Our panelists told us…

• The desire to work collaboratively with respect for staff and others with expertise in the areas needed

• Community service being the driver of all I do

• Communication skills, both effective LISTENING and presentation skills

• Conflict resolution skills

• Facilitation skills

• Personal time management

• You can learn a lot from those who have gone before, so don’t hesitate to reach out to others with a question

• Remember: Don’t share confidential information! If you’re in a public space, someone may be listening in so be aware of your surroundings!

• Participate in networking opportunities to build your formal or informal support or learning groups (through events like events hosted by electHER Now, attending conferences and all available training session, including at the County level)

I wish I could go back and…

• Truly understand that it takes time to learn the ropes. My confidence has built over time

• Realise there is no PERFECT decision. You will have to make the decision based on the information available at the time

• Know in my heart that I didn’t bear the responsibility of the decision alone. You are only one vote!

• Listen more to wisdom of others and others with historical knowledge

• Avoid “analysis paralyzes”

• Not let others make me feel that I was asking too many questions.