Is your council going in the opposite direction from management? How many times have you heard a municipal employee say, "If only Council would understand this issue." This is a common statement, so let's examine where it originates from, and find ways to mitigate the problem.

Councils are elected every three or four years, and for newcomers to the municipal culture, the learning curve is high; "straight up" as some elected officials will agree.  Coming from diverse backgrounds, mayors or councillors may have no previous government experience, while others come from management roles.  Usually people bring a roster of very hands-on skills developed through business or non-profit experience to the council chambers.

Prior to the election, candidates heard the list of requests from the public, including more recreation facilities, more programs, increased animal control, more garbage and compost pickup, and more snow removal. The demands were bolstered with requests for less taxes and regulations.  Enter the newly elected council members who may have ideas of ways to improve the community, either by stopping a project or initiating new ones, as suggested by the public. Election promises are on record, and often made without thorough knowledge of the municipality's financial situation.

Now the process becomes tricky. At the first finance meetings, council will hear there is no extra money to undertake anything new this year (or next), and that pet projects do not align with the strategic plan. Funds are committed to maintain and repair the assets, the most crucial of which the public rarely sees but is dependent on water and waste water infrastructure.  What happens to the election promise to build the new park? By going through the list of essential or discretionary services, council may choose to reduce one program to support another one, as is councils' prerogative. A highly visible program cut will elicit vocal displeasure from the public directed loudly at council.

Management may feel council does not understand the employees are diligently trying to do the jobs council directed them to do, which is taking care of the municipal assets, whereas council may feel management is building a barrier to undertaking new projects. By bringing previous hands-on experience to the table, conflict arises when council forgets to stay in a policy-only mode. Council often wants too much information, whereas management may be seen to withhold information. Is the situation fixable?

Much of the misunderstanding can be alleviated with preparation on the part of elected officials and senior management. Candidates have a responsibility to understand what their roles on council will be. Talk to current or former councillors and the CAO about what the role is truly about. Ask if the perception of the role fits reality. Examine how candidates can fit in with the municipal culture, and where can they contribute to, or be able to smooth over potential conflict. Will political aspirations overtake the stewardship of municipal assets that is the primary responsibility of the council? Candidates are applying for a job via the election, so taking the time to thoroughly research the position will pay off for the upcoming term.

Senior management can host information sessions for prospective candidates, and although few might attend, the ones showing up will gain increased and valuable knowledge.  The municipality's financial information should be available, along with web links to policies and bylaws. Make time available to answer appropriate questions from candidates. Management staff may have to work with the candidates in the near future, and have the ability to influence the working relationship from the initial contact. Once council is in place, provide training and workshops on a regular basis to help council learn and work within their roles, as council does not come fully trained to the position.

A well-functioning municipality does not just happen, rather it takes commitment and investment from both management and council. The learning curve reoccurs every election cycle, and by communicating the frustrations openly in the first quarter, everyone can work on understanding why the conflicts arise and finding common ground and solutions that make sense. The end goal is hearing management say, "Council does understand this issue," thus knowing you are well aligned.