Last week, from Wednesday to Friday, Council and I had the pleasure of attending the Southern Interior Local Government AGM and conference.
You might ask: “What does Council do when they go to the SILGA conference?” Good question. These conferences are jam-packed with relevant tours, breakout sessions, speakers, and chances to meet with our counterparts in other communities.
Wednesday morning Councillor Wallace-Richmond and I choose a tour of Kelowna’s Mission Sports Complex led by Jim Gabriel, Director of Active Living and Culture. Jim actually showed us a few of Kelowna’s multi-use centres and we came away with some very useful ideas.
Wednesday afternoon, Council attended the Water Symposium on Sustainable Drinking Water Systems and Healthy Communities.
Thursday and Friday were filled with motivating speakers and presentations, including Frank Leonard, ALC Chair explaining new regulations within the ALC, and Ministry Of Environment regarding the new Water Sustainability Act. Robert Turner, Former Head of the United Nations Relief and Works for the Gaza Strip, spoke on the importance of effective governance.
Keynote speaker, George Abbott kept us intrigued with his speech entitled “Romancing the Throne” or rather strategies for effective meetings with the Provincial Government. Christine Benty’s presentation on asset management and infrastructure funding asked us to consider “the long-term consequence of deferring upgrading municipal infrastructure.”
This is a snapshot of the quality of presentations. Check my blog on the city website for the full agenda and information.