Municipal Monitor - May/June 2008 - (Page 7)

PRESIDENT’S MESSAGE By Betteanne M. Cadman, CMO On Messages and Milestones the graduations, the weddings, not the great goals achieved. The real milestones are less prepossessing. They come to the door of memory unannounced, stray dogs that amble in, sniff around a bit and simply never leave. Our lives are measured by these.” While the previous comment is attributed to Susan B. Anthony, I think that the small steps often, in hindsight and if viewed collectively, can be more important in defining our roles in life than the big ones. tion of being elected by my peers to this unique leadership role. Of all the opportunities, duties and responsibilities that fall within the role of the president, those that I will treasure most focus on the opportunity to travel to the far reaches of the province to attend the zone meetings and meet many colleagues who I previously knew only by name. Placing faces to the names of members is always pleasant and, in my view, is key to the way the president represents the association. Finally, I want to extend an invitation to all members to attend the Annual Meeting and Professional Development Institute being held in Niagara Falls, June 8 to 11, 2008. This event will mark the Association’s 70th anniversary and, as you can see from the conference insert in this issue of the Monitor, the Conference Co-ordinating Committee has maintained the previous high standards for educational offerings, social activities and networking opportunities. As it was so succinctly put in Volume 1, No. 1 of the Municipal Monitor, June 1967: “It is a must for all Municipal Clerks and Treasurers to attend our Convention at Delawana Inn, Honey Harbour, June 18 to 21, 1967. If you are not a member come along anyway. See what we can do for you, if you like what you see, join us.” Forty-one years later, while the conference destination may be different, the theme of building partnerships remains. ◆ municipal MONITOR · 7 n the May/June 2005 Monitor, then President Jack Watson wrote, “If there is a difficult part to holding this office, this has to be it. I sit here and pound away on my computer not knowing whether my fingers are typing what my brain wants to convey, but I do my very best. I now understand writer’s block.” Boy, was he on the mark! I also had the occasion to speak with another past president, Jim McQueen, very early on in the year. I recall one distinct part of the conversation in particular. As I was lamenting the fact that one of the president’s tasks was to convey a personal message to the membership in each issue of the Monitor, Jim ever so politely made me aware that during his tenure he thought it would be a good opportunity for the membership to get to know the president and thus the President’s Message was launched. Thanks Jim! And I do mean that with all sincerity. We all have different writing skills and abilities, and our focus can be as diverse as the cold winter days and weeks seem long. Perhaps if there has been a theme to the messages I have written, it would be that I have emphasized the personal touch and the experiences of being president and a long-standing member of the association. “Sooner or later we all discover that the important moments in life are not the advertised ones, not the birthdays, I Together, we can embark on a journey—as we acknowledge our past, celebrate the present and imagine the future for AMCTO. During the past year, I have come to appreciate that AMCTO cannot reach milestones without participation from the membership, and leadership cannot accomplish anything of significance without help. Together, we can embark on a journey—as we acknowledge our past, celebrate the present and imagine the future for AMCTO. As I reflect on this past year, I can’t help but express my sincere apprecia- May/June 2008

Table of Contents Feed for the Digital Edition of Municipal Monitor - May/June 2008

Municipal Monitor - May/June 2008 Contents President's Message: On Messages and Milestones Viewpoint: Much Ado About Nothing? Again Mapping the North: Municipalities Team Up to Create Sophisticated Geographic Information System The Clean Water Act: Let's Make it Perfectly Clear Developing Trend: Communication is Essential During Large-Scale Projects Water Under the Bridge Municpal Memos Index to Advertisers

Municipal Monitor - May/June 2008

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