 Staff/Council relations as seen by a
politician
 Effective politicians
 Dealing with staff in a proactive way

 Competing interest of governance and
administration.

 Representing the public
 Developing and evaluating policies
 Determining services
 Maintaining fiscal integrity

 Maintain operations of the corporation
 Offer professional advice
 Provide written reports
 Undertake sound administrative
practices

 Relationship between council and staff
should be a respectful one of trust and
one where there is a principle of joint
ownership and teamwork.
 Both solitudes are charged
with providing service to
all citizens.

 Public Floggings
 Micromanaging
 Withholding information
 Failure to respect the
chain of command
 Failure to defend

 Accepting ineptitude
 Failure to define council vision and goals
 Failure to review

 Listen more and speak less.
 Compromise and feel good about it.
 Are honest and ethical.
 Respect staff, political colleagues and the
people they serve.
 Care about the work they do.
 Pursue justice.

 Player politicians are courageous.
 Player politicians are persistent .
 Player politicians are responsible.
 Player politicians are able to laugh.

 Fireside chat
 Council orientation
 Procedural By-law
 Councillor spending policy
 Councillor code of conduct

 Staff/council relations
 Dealing proactively with staff
 Effective politicians
 Balance
 Clerk/Treasurers do great work and
together we can do fantastic things!

 http://fenikpublishing.wordpress.com
 jfenik@cogeco.ca