1 minute read
Boot Camp Thank You
Prisoner of Boot Camp On-Air
“Now this is a story all about how my life got flipped, turned upside down. I’d like to take a minute, just sit right there, I’ll tell you how I became a Prisoner of Boot Camp On-Air” – Green Team Boot Camp circa 2021. For those of you who know, you know, but I am not about to leak any Boot Camp secrets here. What happens in Boot Camp, stays in Boot Camp.
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In all honesty though, GFOABC Boot Camp isn’t like being a prisoner at all, but what a week the online GFOABC Boot Camp was! Being relatively new to local government and having worked at the District of Squamish for just over a year, I certainly had some unanswered questions, many of those were answered in just one week at Boot Camp!
Boot Camp is exactly what its name implies. It is short intense training, designed to provide finance officers or soon to be finance officers with the practical reality and training for local government finance. It is a fully immersed five days spanning all core subjects of local government finance. It was another Zoom Boot Camp this year which was handled masterfully. Supporting Boot Campers, access to the GFOABC online application was provided that allowed Boot Campers a platform to collaborate, connect, share information, ideas and a safe space to groan and moan.
The curriculum covered everything from the role of a finance officer, budgeting and financial planning, prop-
erty taxation, sources and uses of funds, and closed off with financial accounting and reporting. The materials that were provided were absolutely excellent; many Boot Camp Alumni will be using these guidebooks as reference throughout our careers. The agenda was thoughtfully laid out and the speakers were informed and well prepared to tap dance to the many questions the earnest, albeit exhausted, Boot Campers served up. The presenters were a mix of seasoned local government finance masters and industry wizards taking the time out of their busy schedules to
2021 Boot Camp Golden Boot Winners - Green Team: Heather Boxrud, District of Squamish; Kathy McLennan, District of Oak Bay; Manish Mehra, City of Coquitlam; Emily Mitchell, Village of Radium Hot Springs; Marleah Plesko, City of Kamloops; Suzanne Williams, Central Okanagan Regional District.
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