This month we caught up with Tracey Alexander, Manager Environment and Regulatory Service at Berri Barmera Council about her role, the Executive Leaders Program and the General Managers and Directors Network Forum.

What is your role and what does it involve?

I am the Manager Environment and Regulatory Services, my role incorporates a variety of services including planning, building, property and building management, cemeteries, CWMS network, animal and parking management, fire prevention, camping regulating and limited project management.

You recently attended the General Managers and Directors Network Forum: Your Brand, Your Culture, what was your biggest takeaway from the forum?

I attended the recent Forum via zoom and was very impressed with the presenters. I found the topic of branding very interesting and insightful. From this, I have identified that good branding is an important part of any successful marketing campaign, your product needs to be easily identifiable and show the human side of your business.

The forum also provided valuable perspectives from local and non-local government sectors. 

What would be your advice to others thinking of attending a Network Forum in the future?

Do it! The Forum offers General Managers and Directors the chance to network with peers, listen and learn from experts on a range of topics and build on your own skillset by building on social skills and public speaking.

Earlier this year you participated in the Executive Leaders Program. Why did you decide to register for the program? What were some key takeaways?

I had only been in my first role as Manager for 14 months and was looking to grow my skills and acquire information to help me become a better Manager. The program was highlighted by my CEO as being something he would recommend I pursue.

The program was excellent, delivered by fantastic facilitators and I’d highly recommend it. It has given me the tools to be a more effective and confident leader. Sometimes it’s the small things like check in and check out with staff across the organisation, pausing on the balcony to get a broader view and knowing my chimes and gongs.

The buddy system was great and allowed me to connect with other members. The challenges we all face are similar across both metro and regional councils. I have connected with some amazing peers and the sector is fortunate to have such great leaders.

Any significant projects you / council are currently working on?

Council is still in recovery mode after the flood and will be for several months. As part of this we are assessing the damage caused by water at Lake Bonney in particular the campsites and damage to Cultural Heritage.

Council is also in the process of consulting on design options for the replacement of the Barmera Jetty situated in Lake Bonney.

What do you enjoy doing in your free time?

I love spending time with my two beautiful grandchildren, family and friends, I enjoy creating mosaic pieces, spending time in my craft room and gardening.

I also enjoy being part of the community and I am currently the Finance and Administration Coordinator for the Monash CFS and have recently retired from firefighting, I am a Justice of the Peace and the Treasurer of the Riverland Justice of Peace group and help out where I can for the Barmera Pageant.

This month we spoke with Damian Carter, Chief Executive Officer at District Council of Streaky Bay, about his role, the Business Performance and Improvement Network and an exciting project council is working on.

As Chief Executive Officer of District Council of Streaky Bay, what does a typical day look like for you?

I get in the car and drive two minutes to our office where I have numerous carparks at my disposal to park in (honestly why would you live in Adelaide?). Then throughout my day, I complete a number of tasks based around the themes of:

• Strategic Planning and Decision-Making
• Meetings with Senior Management
• Stakeholder Engagement
• Financial Management
• Staff Management and Leadership
• Policy Development and Implementation
• External Relations and Advocacy
• Project Management
• Council Meetings
• Continuous Learning and Professional Development (thank you ChatGPT)

Then I get in my car and grab the family for a nice beach walk.

What is your career background?

I came across to Streaky Bay about two years ago, before this I worked in Local Government with the Barkly Regional Council in the Northern Territory and prior to this I worked as a General Manager for an extended period in the Asia-Pacific region. This is my second stint working in Local Government. In my first stint, I worked in Economic Development, Community Development and strangely enough Local Laws.     

What benefits to regional councils do the LG Professionals SA Networks provide?

Apart from the usual professional development and capacity building benefits, the range of LG Professionals SA Networks allows regional council staff to connect and network with their peers which promotes collaboration, knowledge exchange, and the sharing of resources, whilst fostering a sense of unity, strengthening of regional ties, and enabling staff to collectively address common challenges and opportunities.

What has been the biggest benefit to you of being part of the Business Performance and Improvement Network?

I joined the network as I’m passionate about driving innovation in the sector, however, to be honest I’ve really found the insights given in the various conversations facilitated by the network the biggest benefit so far.

Are there any exciting projects you are currently working on?

The greatest thing about working with a small regional council is the variety of items you get to work on and as a regional CEO this is no different. At the moment we are delivering several exciting projects. However, a strange, but true project is that all the Councils across the Eyre Peninsula are developing their own Monopoly game. With the aim of the project being to create destination awareness, develop community identity/pride and encourage collaboration amongst the councils across the Eyre Peninsula.

What do you enjoy doing in your free time?

To be honest as a CEO you don’t get too much spare time, however when I do, I like to spend time with my young kids (3 & 4 years of age). Currently we are making a film using stop motion animation. I think it will be the greatest movie to come out of Streaky Bay since Blue Finn, however, to be honest it is most likely the only film to come out of Streaky Bay since Blue Finn.  

This month we spoke with Steph Paprzycki-Baker, Team Leader, Community Safety at City of Adelaide, about her role and being awarded Emerging Leader of the Year at the 22nd Leadership Excellence Awards.

What is your role at City of Adelaide, and what does it involve?

My role at the City of Adelaide is Team Leader, Community Safety. My main gig? Creating a vibrant and secure city environment! As part of the Regulatory Services Program, my awesome team and I make sure Council's rules are followed in public spaces. We're all about maintaining a safe and accessible city for everyone, while also being there to support and mentor our talented crew.

What are you most looking forward to in your role in the next 12 months or so? Any exciting projects or initiatives you can share?
In the coming year, we're super excited about expanding our teams and embracing new on-street technology to work smarter. We're also planning a review of our by-laws to stay up to date with our amazing community and deliver top-notch outcomes for our customers. Big things are on the horizon at the City of Adelaide!
        

Congratulations! You were announced as the 2023 Emerging Leader of the Year at our 22nd Annual Leadership Excellence Awards recently – what does this win represent, and what does it mean to you? 

Winning the 2023 Emerging Leader of the Year Award at the 22nd Annual Leadership Excellence Awards is a tremendous honour for me. It represents the journey of personal and professional growth I've undertaken, showcasing resilience, perseverance and overcoming numerous obstacles. This recognition at the sector level is a testament to never giving up and I hope is an inspiration for others.

You impressed the judging panel with your authentic and passionate leadership style – what do you enjoy about being a leader?

Being a leader brings me immense joy as I witness the growth of my team, both personally and professionally. Seeing them develop, achieve their goals and gain confidence is incredibly rewarding. Even during challenging times, observing team members overcome obstacles fills me with immense pride. For me, true leadership is about serving and helping others succeed.

Finally, who is Steph? What do you like to do in your leisure time? 

In my free time, you can find me playing footy and DJing. I'm a coffee enthusiast and cherish moments with my goddaughter, niece, godson, and my two adorable staffys, Quinton and Lulu. Life is all about enjoying the things we love!

This month we caught up with Michael Mallamo, Coordinator, Corporate Planning Strategy, at City of Adelaide about his role, joining the Business Performance and Improvement Network and Committee, and his learnings from participation in the LG Professionals SA Management Challenge.

What is your role and what does it involve?   

I am one of two Corporate Planners at City of Adelaide where I provide advice, reporting, and planning standards for a range of internal and external stakeholders. I am often the ‘go to’ person for policy administration maintenance and advice, organisational and performance reporting, budgeting, planning research, insights and implementation. I’m also responsible for grants and advocacy work, project management and community engagement.

Corporate Planning covers so much but its focus is on ensuring that we are driving the organisation forward in what we are delivering for our community. Our service plans and our strategic plan are our major influences, but so are our operating environment and stakeholders.

You’ve recently joined the Business Performance and Improvement Network Committee. What are you most looking forward to achieving?

I’m really excited to be a part of this reformed committee and helping the sector to work in an ever-changing environment. I’m looking forward to both learning from my peers and also being a person that my peers can come to for advice and collaboration. I want to really help people think outside the square and challenge the idea that ‘this is how we must do it’ – we have so much to learn from within and outside our sector. By the end of the year I hope our Members will be able to look back and see the Committee has been a positive driving force for the sector, helped councils to work more effectively and improved their understanding of the shared work we do.

What does Business Performance and Improvement mean to you?

In my nearly two decades of working at City of Adelaide I’ve served in a variety of roles and had the opportunity to learn from so many great people. Based on this experience, to me Business Performance and Improvement means that we’re pushing boundaries to think differently, work differently and to change up expectations. The term is often brought up in the context of ‘efficiencies’ and may be considered scary because the end outcome is unclear. However, BP&I is not scary and it’s not always about being efficient. It’s about daring to think how we might work differently, and sometimes it even results in the realisation that we are already doing things the best way.

It’s important that the advice we give our organisations and the way we help people work responds to our environment. We need to have a clear understanding of the expectations from our communities so we know what our operating environment looks like, and we can deliver improvements that help lift the performance of our businesses. It all comes down to having a holistic view across all areas of an organisation – BP&I isn’t just one person’s job!

Can you share with us any exciting projects you’re currently working on?  

As many Councils would be doing right now, we’re currently welcoming new Elected Members into our financial and planning environment. We’ve had some great conversations in our chamber and organisation as the election has allowed us time to pause and reflect on core areas like financial sustainability, community insights, our operating environment and  planning and performance. I’m really looking forward to helping a new Council articulate its plans for 2023/24 and sharing this with our community.

I’m also working on how we can re-invigorate policy, developing a new corporate planning framework and implementing a new quarterly reporting process, which has already seen a new organisational and CEO performance process introduced. The new corporate plan being proposed is a great opportunity for our organisation to re-align to our new strategic plan, which will also be developed concurrently by our team.

You’ve been a team member and a mentor in the LG Professionals SA Management Challenge over recent years. How has your participation enhanced your professional development?

When I joined the Challenge, I expected that I’d be contributing familiar skills relating to my role – the creative person, the disrupter, the planner and project officer. However I came away enlightened, with a new outlook on how I functioned, and what my leadership skills had the potential to be. With each task addressing a different stakeholder, audience, or communication medium it really forces participants to not just think on their feet, but also to reach out and utilise each other’s skills. As a mentor the following year and now part of the support crew, I’ve been able to use all of these opportunities to focus on developing my leadership capabilities. It just goes to show that even if you’re years into your local government career, you’re never finished with your professional development and there is always a surprise to be had!

Finally – what do you enjoy outside of work? How do you spend your leisure time? 

I love the adventures I have with my partner and our goofy greyhound. This might be just a walk to the beach, a hike in the hills, or a shop along Rundle Mall. Sometimes we also venture out further to Clare Valley, Yorke Peninsula, or one of the many other amazing locations we have to explore in SA. Of course, these adventures only happen if I’m not reading or binge-watching TV! I also love trying to cook something new each week as it’s a time to be creative, relax and to have time together with my partner. He is a recipe person and I’m a ‘go with my heart’ person, so cooking is always a mix of fun and frustration (and I’m ok with that!).

This month we caught up with Vesna Haracic, Manager Community Health and Wellbeing at City of Salisbury about her role, the Leadership Excellence Awards and what she enjoys most about working in local government.

What is your role and what does it involve?   

My current role is Manager of the Community Health and Wellbeing Division. I work with a great team of staff to provide services to our ageing residents (funded under the Commonwealth Home Support Program), people with disability and intercultural communities.

In addition, I have responsibility for the HR function of volunteers involved across Council.

In my current role, I have the opportunity to lead community planning and engagement, development and implementation of various strategic directions, such as the Intercultural Strategic Plan, Age Friendly Salisbury and Abilities and Inclusion Strategic Plan.

These strategic plans are focused on providing an inclusive social and physical environment for diverse communities. They contribute towards improving community health and wellbeing, and creating opportunities for learning and social connection.

My areas of responsibility in my current role include:

• Management of Commonwealth Home Support Programme
• Aged Housing program
• Management of NDIS programs
• Senior Centres management
• Community Garden 
• Access and Inclusion
• The Shed
• Corporate volunteering

Last year City of Salisbury won the Excellence in Diversity and Inclusion Award at the 21^st Annual Leadership Excellence Awards for Cohesive Salisbury Projects, can you share an overview of this nomination?  

City of Salisbury has three diversity and inclusion strategic plans as well as an internal diversity and inclusion policy that act as the framework for council’s diversity and inclusion. The strategic plans: Intercultural Strategic Plan 2017-2027, Age Friendly Strategy 2022-2027 and the Ability Inclusion Strategic Plan 2020-2024 are implemented holistically across the organisation and are supported by the Council’s City Plan 2035 and vision to be ‘a progressive, sustainable and connected community’. The Diversity and Inclusion Policy is concerned with improving inclusivity of the organisation’s staff culture including recruitment, training and development, customer interface, communication and events.

What does this award mean to Council, staff and the community?  

This award was a huge achievement for City of Salisbury and we are very proud to have received it. City of Salisbury has a long and proud history of working with its diverse community. The passionate staff have built close relationships with the community that has enabled this meaningful work. Recognition of this by LG Professionals SA is affirming and motivating for the Council and staff, and encourages us to continue and build on this work and continue to achieve better outcomes for the community.

What is the most satisfying thing about working in Local Government?    

Working in local government at City of Salisbury is rewarding because of the interactions and relationships with the community. The interactions and closeness to community is unique to local government and it is satisfying to shape council decisions that facilitate a greater sense of connection in the community. Key highlights include working on large community celebrations like Harmony Week and seeing the weekly cultural social programs. 

Finally – what do you enjoy outside of work? How do you spend your leisure time?  

I like traveling, spending time with my family and friends and going out for a meal or a coffee. I also like shopping, watching movies and relaxing.  

This month we caught up with Daniel Jellings Manager Performance and Strategy at City of Mitcham about his role, the Leadership Excellence Awards and what enjoys most about working in local government. 

What is your role and what does it involve? 

I’m privileged to manage our Performance and Strategy team, which exists to help Council set a clear purpose, maintain its integrity, listen to the community, make strong decisions and monitor its progress. This means my role stretches across governance, risk, marketing & engagement, strategy and corporate reporting.

Earlier this year City of Mitcham won the Excellence in Emergency Management / Disaster Recovery Award at the 21^st Annual Leadership Excellence Awards for Mitcham Prepared - Integrated Emergency Management Program, can you share an overview of the project?  

The City of Mitcham has a proud history of resilience, with a community passionate about its heritage and natural environment. It is critical that we plan and prepare for natural disasters.

Mitcham Prepared is the culmination of three years concerted cross-organisational effort to put in place plans, policies, systems and practices to ensure we can manage worst-case scenarios. It is a truly integrated program supported by governance structures, training, communication technology and field deployment (in partnership with LGFSG).

What does this award mean to the Council, staff, and the community?  

It is humbling to be recognised for planning and not just how well we have responded to an emergency. Good planning is difficult to judge and even more difficult to prioritise. You only reap the rewards during an event, and you’ll never truly know what the outcome would have been had you not invested the effort in preparation.

Thankfully, we have since proven the model effective. In November a storm event tore through Blackwood, Craigburn Farm and Hawthordene causing significant damage to our tree canopy and requiring a massive clean-up effort (still ongoing).

It has been gratifying to see the orgnaisation deliver as planned and efficiently return our suburbs to safety, with help warmly received from other Councils and agencies. This is the ultimate reward for our organisation and the community we serve.

What is the most satisfying thing about working in Local Government?    

The diversity and breadth of services is one of my favourite things about local government. It creates its own unique challenges and complexity unapparelled by business or other tiers of government.

I also take great satisfaction in being able to see the practical results of our efforts within the communities we serve. For example, during our storm clean up, we provided opportunities for office staff to help tend to light debris in reserves outside of the worst affected areas. What other sector would provide a ‘white collar’ like me the opportunity to put on my boots and pitch in, shoulder-to-shoulder, with our customers?

Finally – what do you enjoy outside of work? How do you spend your leisure time?  

As a father of four active kids, my leisure time is spent coaching soccer, helping with homework, exploring nature, watching movies and doing my best to model a balanced life, doing good and spending time with those most important to me.

This month we caught up with Morgan Potter, Manager Corporate Services at Port Pirie Regional Council about her role, being elected to the LG Professionals SA Board and what she enjoys doing outside of work. 

What is your role and what does it entail?

I ask myself this question often! In principle, I’m the Manager Corporate Services at Port Pirie Regional Council. This incorporates Finance, Rates, Customer Service, People & Culture, Governance and most recently Records Management. However, it’s forever evolving, and many new things continuously pop up so I’m yet to determine what a ‘business as usual’ workday entails.

What is your career background?

Customer service at Bakers Delight, pouring Pimms at Adelaide Oval, three-handed croupier at Adelaide Casino then study took over and I got into Accounting. Renewable Energy (solar), Big 4, Not For Profit (training and job services), Intermodal Logistics, and Renewable Energy again but this time wind and hydro. I only commenced in local government in March 2022.

What attracted you to local government?

When I moved to the region, I was working remotely. I was transparent enough to my employer that I was keeping my eye on the local job market and if the right opportunity presented itself, then I would apply. Naturally, like most, I self-doubted putting in my application but after a 1.5hr interview you’d like to think you’ve got the job!

Congratulations on being elected to the LG Professionals SA Board – what are you most looking forward to?

Thank you. I’ve been very humbled by the welcoming from members, so I’m hopeful of only good things to come! The Strategic Plan for 2022-2024 is established on great pillars. I’m looking forward to seeing how the Board, committees, network groups, current and future members work together to achieve the targets.

What do you like to do in your leisure time?

I love planting seeds and watching them grow – be that veggies and flowers but now I’m focused on natives. My property has an old cottage garden full of roses, conifers and yucky suffocating trees that drop a lot of gunk! I’m slowly trying to transition to a native garden to ensure our current resident bearded and sleepy lizards will stay for a long time.

This month we caught up with Natasha Hunt, Manager Communications & Engagement at District Council of Yankalilla about her role, the Executive Leaders Program and what she enjoys doing outside of work. 

What is your role and what does it entail?
As of the 1st of November, I'll be heading over to join the Executive Team at Alexandrina Council on a 6-month secondment to the role of Manager Communications & Business Services. I will be responsible for Communications & Marketing, Business Reporting, the A2040 Community Strategic Plan, Elected Member Support, Governance, Risk & Audit. I'm looking forward to joining and working with the talented team over there.

What do you most enjoy about working in local government?
I love getting to know and understand diverse communities and being able to assist them to articulate their vision for their town and then delivering on it. I may also like the sneaky brag to my kids that mum helped get that project going. (i.e a new playground).

You recently participated in the Executive Leaders Program – how did you find the program? Any highlights like to share?
The program was fantastic and I highly recommend it. I learned that growth takes challenge and support and this program provides that. It has given me a deeper awareness of myself, what makes me tick, my values and what I bring to the table. It's given me the tools to understand complex problems and the ability to sit back 'on the balcony' to see what is going on, understand why, and plan how I can successfully affect change.

I believe it has made me a better leader. We were given numerous tools to test and trial on our teams and let me tell you, I tested them all! The tools are not only valuable in the workplace but I've also used them in my home life and in the community where I found them to be extremely effective within sporting teams that I am involved in.
The buddy system within the program was fantastic and allowed you to seek an outside view on the workplace challenge you were facing. The bonus of the program was the connections and networks I developed with my peers.

What advice would you give to someone considering if the Executive Leaders Program is the right program for them?
Say yes, ask questions later, and just do it! You don't have to be an executive right now to do the program. You can make time to do the program, the workload is also really manageable. If you go into the program with an open mind and are ready to challenge yourself, you will get so much out of it.

What do you like to do in your leisure time?
Try to keep up my mediocre netball and football career and I enjoy taking trips away with our kids and friends in our unofficial caravan club.

This month we caught up with Andrew Gurr, Digital Marketing Officer at City of Burnside about his role, the management challenge and what he enjoys doing outside of work. 

What is your role and what does it involve?

My role as Digital Marketing Officer offers a range of diverse and exciting opportunities. My primary responsibilities include maintaining the City of Burnside’s social media pages, filming and photographing Council services, operations and events, and much more. Each day looks so different for me – one day I can be out filming interviews with community grants recipients and photographing our parks team at work, and the next I can be developing content for our social media channels and editing videos. I love the creative freedom within my role and having the opportunity to promote the City of Burnside’s work in unique ways.

What do you enjoy the most about working in local government?

I love the satisfaction that comes with providing engaging communications to the City of Burnside community.  My role is important in raising awareness around the great work that Council does, and there are times when people get really excited about programs they may not have known about before. An example is our annual Native Tree Giveaway, which Burnside residents absolutely love to get involved with. I also really enjoy promoting our environmental initiatives and helping to share that we are so much more than the stereotypical “roads, rates and rubbish”! Having not worked in local government previously, working at the City of Burnside has given me a great appreciation for just how much councils do.

You were part of the winning 2022 Management Challenge team from City of Burnside ‘The Notorious COB’ and represented SA at the Australasian final last month. How do you think participating in the Management Challenge has assisted your professional development?

The 2022 Management Challenge has been an amazing experience. To win at the state level and then take out the bronze medal at the Australasian final against some really strong competition was truly special. From a professional development perspective, the Management Challenge has given me a lot of confidence to push my boundaries, try new things and continue to collaborate to create great results. I have improved my presentation skills, developed debating skills, learned how to brainstorm efficiently and effectively, opened up new pathways of thinking and so much more. It’s really strengthened my enthusiasm for working in local government.

What advice would you give to a colleague interested in participating in the Management Challenge in the future?

Do it! The Management Challenge is an incredible professional development opportunity and will boost your confidence, develop your skills and help you establish new networks within your Council. You and your five teammates become a closeknit unit over the months of training and this is a bond that remains after the challenge. It’s important to keep in mind that the challenge isn’t easy (nor is it meant to be), but by taking it on you will gain so much that you can utilise within your daily role at council in the future. It’s a unique experience that I recommend to anyone passionate about working in local government.

Can you share with us any exciting projects you’re currently working on?

I’m always looking for exciting opportunities to improve our digital content and communications. Currently my team and I are investigating the purchase of a drone so that we can begin to capture stunning aerial footage of Burnside’s beautiful open spaces. We are also investigating alternative social media channels and considering the possibilities of expanding to new platforms.

Finally, what do you like to do in your leisure time?

Outside of work I love to spend time with friends and family. I also like to read, garden, exercise and spend time outdoors!

This month we caught up with Erin Findlay, Senior Manager - Community Services at City of Playford about her role, the 21st Annual Leadership Excellence Awards and what she enjoys doing outside of work. 

What is your role and what does it involve?  

My role is interesting and diverse. I oversee all Community Services at the City of Playford - so that’s everything from Home Assist and disability services to community development to creative cultural development. My role is really to focus on that next 2 to 3 year window in terms of strategic service delivery. It’s a fantastic, fast paced and rewarding role.

Earlier this year City of Playford won the Community Partnerships and Collaboration Award at the 21^st Annual Leadership Excellence Awards for the Playford Wellbeing Hub – can you share an overview of the project?  

In late 2020, the City of Playford collaborated with Wellbeing SA as the lead agency of the South Australian Government’s Statewide Wellbeing Strategy on a project to support physical, social, mental and community wellbeing in response to COVID-19.

The Playford Wellbeing Hub launched in December 2020 and within 12 months saw 3168 attendances at 46 different initiatives designed to create opportunities to be active, support wellbeing through food, strengthen social connections and encourage community capacity building and connection to the Hub.

The project’s success has been founded on strong partnerships with 56 organsiations, including State Government agencies, local community groups, sporting clubs, schools, businesses and volunteers.

The goals of the hub are to:

• Creating opportunities to be active
• Supporting wellbeing through food
• Strengthening social connectedness to foster wellbeing
• Encouraging community capacity building and connection to the Hub.

What does this award mean to the Council, staff, and the community?  

Its an important award as it recognises the value of partnerships. It acknowledges that when different levels of government truly work together in partnership there are so many benefits and better outcomes to be had.

For the dedicated staff who have worked hard on the project, it’s a great recognition of their effort and commitment.

For our community, this award is quite special. Our community have been closely involved in the design, delivery and evaluation of the project. This has been really successful and has meant that the community have taken real ownership in the project. It shows that when we involve the community as a partner, the sky is the limit!

What is the most satisfying thing about working in Local Government?   

For me, it’s the ability to impact people’s lives in a positive way. Working so close to the community allows us interact on a meaningful basis and make a real difference.

Finally – what do you enjoy outside of work? How do you spend your leisure time?   

Outside of work I enjoy time with my family friends. I’m a big sports fan and I love to watch a range of sports. I also enjoy hiking and I can’t wait to take my new puppy out on the trails. Finally I’m working towards one of my lifetime goals, competing in a half ironman. It’s a slow process but I’m just aiming to finish!