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 15 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 15 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.
2023 Recipient: Libby O’Hara, Mayor of Quispamsis. “Regardless the person, the intensity of the situation, or the subject matter, Mayor O’Hara consistently offers those she interacts with her full calm attention and commitment to inviting resolution and improvement,” said Phil Ouellette, who works closely with Libby in his role as CEO of the Fundy RSC.
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.
2023 Recipient: Kate Akagi, Deputy Mayor of the Town of Saint Andrews. Her commitment as an educator, devoted volunteer, Indigenous liaison, and civic supporter for not only Saint Andrews but for all of Charlotte County, is extremely commendable and worthy of recognition. She has influenced generations of community members, and represents the very best of New Brunswickers. Kate was awarded the Order of New Brunswick this past fall for her dedication to the province.
Previous Winners of the Raymond Murphy Memorial Award
2022 Recipient: Chris Flemming, former mayor of the Town of St. Andrews. During his stewardship, the community completed guiding documents of Municipal Plans, and Zoning By-Laws that helped to shape and steer Saint Andrews for over a decade. In May of 2001, Mr. Flemming completed his Mayoral services and continued to provide consultations to the Mayors that followed.
2021 Recipient: Ann Seamans, former mayor of the Town of Riverview. Mayor Seamans broke barriers as the first woman elected mayor in the tri-community area of Riverview/Dieppe/Moncton, received the Queen Elizabeth II Diamond Jubilee Medal, was named an RBC Woman of Distinction, and has served her community for more than 23 years.
2020 – Gerald (Jerry) Gogan, Mayor of Petitcodiac with 31 years on Council, Chair/Member of over a dozen Boards of Directors, mentor, recipient of the Queen’s Golden Jubilee Medal for Community Service, who has both “been involved in almost every good thing to come out of the Village of Petitcodiac” and has been “responsible for igniting a new generation of community leaders.”
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.
2018 – Scott 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.
2023 Recipient: Marcel Deschenes, former Mayor of Grand Falls. Serving as president and 2nd vice president of our Union and while that is impressive in its own right, it is this gentleman’s love and commitment to his community and region that is so impressive. He has spent over 25 years improving his community. His impact was so great on his town that the new town hall carries his name. An uncommon feat for a sitting mayor.
Previous Winners of the Louise Breau Memorial Award
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