UMNB 

Annual Awards

Each year during our Annual Conference and AGM, UMNB presents awards to municipal elected officials and volunteers as nominated by our membership. To nominate someone for the Arthur Slipp Municipal Leader of the Year Award,  Raymond Murphy Memorial Award, or the Louise Breau Memorial Award please submit a half- to one-page piece on your nominee, detailing some of their history of service and biography to info@umnb.ca for consideration by the Nominating Committee. Your nominee can be:

  • Currently elected or retired municipal official
  • From your municipality, or a municipality other than your own
  • A devoted community volunteer never elected (Raymond Murphy Award only)

Nominations are due on Friday, August 27 2025. 

Long Service Awards

MNB will present long service awards to those who have served on Council for a minimum of 12 years, 25 years and 35 years.

Nominations are due on Friday, August 27 2025. 

ARTHUR SLIPP MUNICIPAL LEADER OF THE YEAR

The Arthur Slipp Municipal Leader of the Year Award was established in 2023 to honour the impact of the former Mayor of Woodstock, Arthur Slipp, on the landscape of municipal politics in New Brunswick. Arthur is distinguished by his unwavering integrity and a steadfast commitment to the betterment of the community. This annual award honours a municipal leader who has demonstrated extraordinary commitment to improving residents’ lives and their community’s overall well-being. This leader is a role model, inspiring their colleagues and constituents alike, with their visionary thinking, innovative ideas, and determination to create lasting change.

2024 Recipient: Peter Saunders, Mayor of Three Rivers

Previous Winners of the Arthur Slipp Municipal Leader of the Year

2023 Recipient: Libby O’Hara, Mayor of Quispamsis. 

RAYMOND MURPHY MEMORIAL AWARD

The Raymond Murphy Memorial Award was established in 2017 in honour and memory of our past President, Executive Director, and friend Raymond Murphy of Rexton NB. Raymond was a man who loved his community deeply, and who devoted his whole life and his whole heart to public service. His legacy lives on in the lives he touched, the causes he advanced, and the community he made better through his efforts. This award is presented annually to a member municipality volunteer, elected or non-elected, who has shown outstanding dedication of his or her services to their municipality.

2024 Recipient: John Jarvie, Town Manager of Rothesay

Previous Winners of the Raymond Murphy Memorial Award

2023 Recipient: Kate Akagi, Deputy Mayor of the Town of Saint Andrews. 

2022 Recipient: Chris Flemming, former mayor of the Town of St. Andrews. 

2021 Recipient: Ann Seamans, former mayor of the Town of Riverview. 

2020Gerald (Jerry) Gogan, Mayor of Petitcodiac with 31 years on Council.

2019 –
Beth Thompson, councillor of Quispamsis for over two decades, co-creator of what has become one of the largest International Women’s Day events in the region, author, food bank volunteer, canvasser, and devoted member of her community.

2018Scott Dunlop, an outstanding community volunteer who has worked tirelessly to improve the quality of life for residents of Woodstock and Carleton County.

LOUISE BREAU MEMORIAL AWARD

The late Mayor Louise Breau of Millville NB was a person of great integrity and never-ending dedication. She worked diligently for the betterment of municipalities in New Brunswick, without thinking of her own gain. Louise was a reliable, sincere and dynamic person who always had a smile and the time to listen. She was a person who wanted to be involved and would help out in any way, no matter how big or small the effort was on her part. This award is presented annually to an elected official (past or present) with a similar spirit of dedication as Louise. 

2024 Recipient:  Robert Simpson, Councillor in Nackawic-Millville

Previous Winners of the Louise Breau Memorial Award

2023 Recipient:  Marcel Deschenes, former Mayor of Grand Falls

2022 Recipient:  Arthur Slipp, Former Mayor of the Town of Woodstock.

2021 Recipient:  Robert Lee, councillor of the Village of Centreville. 

2020 – Clem Tremblay, Councillor for 18 years and Past Mayor of Dalhousie.

2019 – Kenneth Chorley, three-term Mayor of Hampton.

2018 – Emil Olsen, Councillor and former Deputy Mayor of Quispamsis.

2017 – Cyril Rioux, Mayor, Drummond

2016 – Beverly Forbes, Mayor, Millville

2015 – William J. Bishop, Mayor, Rothesay

2014 – Darrell Giggie, Mayor Florenceville-Bristol

2013 – Frank Dunn, Councillor, New Maryland

2012 – Robert Harquail, Councillor, Dalhousie

2011 – Karen Titus, Mayor/Councillor, Perth-Andover.

2010 – Carole Doherty, Mayor, Chipman

2009 – Alexander (Sandy) MacLean, Mayor/Councillor, Dalhousie

2008 – Walter Brown, Councillor/Deputy Mayor, Fredericton

2007 – Eric Steeves (post-humous), Mayor, Hillsborough; Dr. James Purdy, Councillor, Sackville

2006 – Hugh Morris (post-humous), Mayor, Charlo

2005 – Burpee Wagner, Councillor and Mayor of Perth-Andover.

2004 – Stanley Graham, Mayor, Millville

2003 – Oscar Boyd, Mayor, Norton

2002 – J. Craig Melanson, Mayor, Nackawic

2001 – Alan Gillmor, Mayor, St. Stephen

2000 – Benson H. Parker, Mayor, Doaktown

1999 – Robert B. Simpson, Mayor, Nackawic

1998 – Ronald R. (Tchine) Long, Mayor, Clair

1997 – J. Raymond Lagacé, Mayor, Atholville

1996 – Fay L. Tidd, Mayor, Oromocto

1995 – Laura Reynolds, Mayor, Plaster Rock

1994 – James Watt, Mayor, Gondola Point