Municipalities convening in Brandon for AMM convention

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This article was published 18/04/2022 (1316 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

Municipal officials from across the province will be gathering in Brandon this week for the Association of Manitoba Municipalities spring convention.

The event, which takes place today through Thursday, is an opportunity for mayors, reeves, chief administrative officers and other officials to connect, network and participate in various presentations.

“This is huge for municipal officials from across the province,” said Denys Volkov, executive director of AMM.

“There will be municipal officials from all parts of the province, including our special guest — the premier of Manitoba — several ministers and a full packed agenda for our members.”

On Tuesday, officials will gather for meetings.

On Wednesday at 9 a.m., opening remarks will be provided by federal Rural Economic Development Minister Gudie Hutchings, provincial Municipal Relations Minister Eileen Clarke and AMM president Kam Blight.

The remarks will lead into breakout sessions at 11:15 a.m. and 1:30 p.m., followed by a plenary session with the topic centred around fostering municipal and Indigenous partnerships at 2:45 p.m.

The breakout sessions are designed to teach people information on policy and professional development for those who work in municipal government.

“We usually have a combination of policy announcements,” Volkov said. “Our municipal relations department will be talking about upcoming municipal elections and changes for people who would like to run in municipal elections.”

After two years spent apart from the pandemic, Volkov said, this conference will serve as an opportunity to re-engage discussions between municipal officials from across the province.

“It’s very important to remind ourselves how to run meetings, talk about insurance and talk about saving money on procurements.”

Breakout sessions on Wednesday will explore topics such as advancing accessibility in municipalities, strategies for polarizing interactions on issues like COVID-19, and preparing for elections.

On Thursday, the AMM will host its first-ever Women in Leadership breakfast ahead of a provincial announcement at 9 a.m. More details will be revealed at the conference.

This will be followed by a “fireside chat” with Clarke and Blight.

The discussion will prelude more breakout sessions throughout the day, which will focus on topics such as immigration, engaging and retaining employees, cosmetic pesticide legislation, workplace investigations and whistleblower hotlines.

Event organizers noted the convention is an in-person event only and no component will be made available virtually.

A full lineup of Manitoba displayers will be featured in the Manitoba Room and City Square facilities inside the Keystone Centre, giving attendees the opportunity to reconnect with dozens of municipal providers and the products and services they offer.

Some of this year’s displayers include CAA Manitoba, Armtec, Western Financial Group Insurance, Canadian Public Works Association, Timber Restoration Services, Ritchie Bros., and JBB Consultants and Engineers.

Before the convention closes on Thursday, the AMM conference will draw for a $500 door prize sponsored by Superior Asphalt Paving Co. in addition to a $2,000 grand prize sponsored by AMM. All registrants to the convention are automatically entered for a chance to win.

» jbernacki@brandonsun.com

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