The City of Kamloops is pleased to announce that it will be hosting an information session about the roles and responsibilities of City Council on Thursday, August 6, from 4:00 pm to 8:00 pm for prospective City Council candidates and those interested in learning more.
Facilitated by Christina Benty, former mayor of the Town of Golden, the session aims to demystify the roles and responsibilities of local government and elected officials, dive into leadership practices and decisions that prioritize long-term sustainability and collaboration, and explore how citizens can be active contributors to decision making and community building.
“We hope that prospective candidates love their city by learning the roles and responsibilities of City Council before making the decision to put their name forward,” said Kristen Rodrigue, the City’s Communications and Strategic Partnerships Director. “Council plays an integral part in shaping the lives of a municipality’s residents, and the position comes with a lot of responsibility and commitment. We want to provide those considering running in the fall’s municipal election with an opportunity to learn more about what exactly the role entails. Who better to learn from than someone who’s done the job?”
Benty served in local government for 12 years and has over 25 years of experience on numerous policy governance boards spanning health care, government, information technology, and community planning. She is passionate about leadership development, organizational culture, asset management, and community engagement and believes in the importance of cultivating boards and councils that lead by governing and not managing.
“Your Mayor and City Councillors are your neighbours, your friends, and your fellow citizens. We want to elect people who care,” said Benty. “However, caring in and of itself is not enough. Governance takes both understanding and practiced skills. The most effective elected officials are the ones who understand the system, not the ones who blame the system.”
This dynamic and interactive session will be held in the Kia Lounge at Sandman Centre and is limited to 50 attendees. Pre-registration is required and will open at 10:00 am on Wednesday, July 15. Interested individuals can visit KamloopsCandidateInfoSession.eventbrite.ca to find out more and secure their spot for this free event.
The session will also provide valuable information for voters. A recording will be available on the City’s YouTube channel shortly after the event.
For more information regarding the event and to find the recording following the information session, visit LetsTalk.Kamloops.ca/LoveYourCity.
