March 2021 Town of Pelham Newsletter

Town’s Life in Pelham Guide will take new form in 2021

The Town of Pelham’s bi-annual Life in Pelham Guide — commonly known as the community guide — will be offered in 2021 as a series of special inserts in the Voice of Pelham throughout the year.

The change in presentation and distribution stems from the COVID-19 pandemic’s impact on programs, events, and key dates. With continuously changing rules and regulations, producing a guide that could result in irrelevant information within a day after being printed; this outcome does not align with the Town’s communications goals.

“The Town’s communications plan outlines a commitment to being accessible, accurate, timely, understandable, relevant, and consistent; continuing with the guide in its traditional form this year would conflict with these principles,” said Marc MacDonald, communications and public relations specialist. “Working with the Voice of Pelham allows the flexibility required to ensure the information the Town is sharing about programs, events, services, and more is as up-to-date as possible.”

Town information appearing in the newspaper will be presented as centre spread pull-outs, printed in full colour and on heavier, brighter stock than traditional newsprint. This format is designed for residents to pull out the section and keep it as a quick-reference guide until the next installment is printed.

The first insert will be in the March 10, 2021, issue of the Voice of Pelham. There is no set publication date for the remaining issues; they will be included throughout the year dependent upon COVID-19 factors.

Make sure to check out the Town’s EngagingPelham page to learn more about you can provivde input into future issues of the Life in Pelham Guide. 

Town of Pelham launches new public engagement tool

The Town of Pelham will launch a new online engagement tool, EngagingPelham, on Thursday, February 18. The online portal features a suite of engagement tools asking residents to participate in discussions, offer ideas, complete surveys, and more on various topics.

The software, powered by Bang the Table’s Engagement HQ, offers a user-friendly site that hosts information, documents, videos, photos, and more, allowing residents to participate and follow projects as they progress. Tools such as surveys, question and answer, polls, news feeds, virtual post-it notes, and the ability to connect with the project’s administrators are available.  

“This tool will help the Town and residents connect in a way that opens up the idea of two-way communication,” said Marc MacDonald, communications and public relations specialist. “The options this new platform offers exceed what has been available to us in the past. The convenience and flexibility of the program are designed to boost engagement and invite viewpoints from all sides of any particular issue.” 

Community engagement helps the Town improve its understanding of resident concerns and improve its recommendations. By engaging with residents, the Town can make more informed decisions based on the community’s needs, opinions, and visions on issues that matter to them. 

It is encouraged that users register once on the site before sharing their input. Usernames retain a level of anonymity for individuals concerned with using their real names. Registered users can tailor their preferences to receive notifications about topics and projects of interest.  

The onboarding of this platform is another example of the Town Council’s strategic plan commitment to enhancing communication and engagement. The first Town projects to use the platform are Second Dwelling Units and the Pelham Street Reconstruction project (live as of February 22). Additional features such as staff shout outs and and upcoming broadband Internet survey will also be posted to the site. 

Residents can visit https://engagingpelham.ca to register and begin engaging with featured and current projects.

Clerk retiring in spring, cementing a legacy of professionalism and dedication to local government

Nancy Bozzato, Pelham Clerk since 2010 and a Pelham employee since 1999, is retiring this spring after more than 40 years of municipal service in Niagara.

Her impact as a municipal leader is evidenced by decades of outstanding work, including her most recent success: the safe and successful 2020 Pelham Ward One by-election, which occurred during the COVID-19 pandemic. This achievement was recently, and deservedly, featured in Municipal World magazine.

A third-generation and life-long Pelham resident, Bozzato says she is honoured to have served the residents and community she calls home for so many years.

“Every day has been rewarding, and I am very proud of the work I’ve accomplished,” said Bozzato. “I’ve had the privilege of mentoring tomorrow’s leaders and bringing residents of Pelham the business of the corporation in a clear and accessible manner. It truly has been a fascinating and fulfilling career where every day presents a new opportunity. Pelham is blessed with an engaged community.” 

One of the most recognized roles of a Town Clerk is planning and executing a municipal election. Bozzato has run or participated in Pelham elections in 2000, 2003, 2006, 2010, 2011 (by-election), 2014, 2018, 2020 (by-election). She has been trusted to assist with recounts in sister municipalities and worked provincial and federal elections to gain more perspective through the election official lens. 

Outside of traditional Clerk duties, Bozzato inherited the communications department in 2017 as part of her scope of responsibility. Since then, communications from the Town of Pelham have been repeatedly awarded for their creativity, innovation, and execution. These successes are driven by Bozzato’s leadership, mentoring, and municipal knowledge. 

Chief Administrative Officer David Cribbs, whose employment in Pelham began in 2019, has worked briefly but effectively with Bozzato, appreciating the the dedication and skill Bozzato brought to the role. 

“Nancy’s family is about to get a big win, but her work family will experience a real loss. Nancy has an encyclopaedic knowledge of this Town, which comes from lifelong residence, a vast network of friends and acquaintances, and the key role she has performed admirably for this community,” said Cribbs. “There are numerous couples out there that Nancy has gracefully married.  There are even more people whom she has helped navigate processes at Town Hall to accomplish their goals. Multiple councils have relied upon her skill, procedural knowledge and impressive work ethic. On behalf of the Town’s administration I
congratulate Nancy, wish her the very best and thank her for her service to this community.”  

During her tenure, Bozzato has seen many changes in municipal governance, especially those altered by technology. Despite the changes, Bozzato was undeterred by the constant shift in technology. Recently, Bozzato led her team away from paper to digital in producing Council reports and agendas and adopted virtual Council meetings live-streamed for the public.  

Bozzato has many duties set out in various statutes, including, but not limited to, the Municipal Act, the Assessment Act, the Municipal Elections Act, the Marriage Act and the Drainage Act, and in Pelham, the Planning Act, as Secretary-Treasurer,  Committee of Adjustment, a position she has held for Pelham since 1999. 

Bozzato’s impact is felt throughout the corporation, and her staff, and the corporation as a whole, are privileged to inherit her legacy. Her leadership, ethics, and compassion are the model of excellence on a professional and personal level. 

The Town of Pelham has begun the recruitment process for the next Town Clerk.