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SPECIAL SECTION: SheLeadsGov Across the Globe Page 42
12
To Inform or Not to Inform
The ethics behind keeping your governing body in the know
Robert J. Wood and Alan Bojorquez
16
Knowing When to Leave
10 indications that it may be time to resign from your local government position
James Malloy, ICMA-CM
20
Defending American Democracy at the Local Level
We must all take action to preserve our democratic institutions, public processes, and the council-manager form of government.
Frank Benest, ICMA-CM (Retired), Chantal Cotton Gaines, and Rod Gould, ICMA-CM
24
Public Ethics and Fairness in Localities
Ethical fairness is about different conceptions of need, deservingness, and entitlement, and is at the heart of public action.
2 Letter from the CEO/Executive Director
The Foundation for a Century of Democracy and Good Governance
Celebrating 100 years of the ICMA Code of Ethics
This year, and in fact with this issue of PM, we are celebrating the centennial of the adoption of the ICMA Code of Ethics by ICMA members. To the association’s founders, the Code of Ethics became the way to demonstrate, to put into practice, the ideals that drove the birth of the council-manager form of government. In 1914, these were thought of as experiments by many. Was it possible to set forth a new way of governing at the local level, honoring democracy and good government—free from corruption and focused on delivering badly needed public services in an effective and efficient manner?
MARC A. OTT is CEO/Executive Director of ICMA, Washington, D.C.
That “experiment” has stood the test of time and serves as a shining example of the courageous leadership that has represented this association for over a century. In the United States, many local governments are council-manager. Those communities and their residents have benefited from the professionalism and code under which city, county, and town managers and their staffs serve. Outside of the United States, while many mature democracies have crafted codes of conduct similar to the ICMA Code of Ethics, developing democracies have asked for ICMA’s assistance in thinking through a set of ethical standards by which their emerging professionals can be guided.
International City/County Management Association
icma.org
March 2024
Public Management (PM) (USPS: 449-300) is published monthly by ICMA (the International City/County Management Association) at 777 North Capitol Street. N.E., Washington, D.C. 20002-4201. Periodicals postage paid at Washington, D.C., and at additional mailing offices. The opinions expressed in the magazine are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect the views of ICMA.
COPYRIGHT 2024 by the International City/County Management Association. All rights reserved. Material may not be reproduced or translated without written permission.
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BY MARC A. OTTICMA members have long placed an emphasis on continual improvement and making certain that local government leadership and management practices stay relevant over time. The Code of Ethics is no exception to that precept. Though the core principles have remained relatively constant, the guidelines provide an opportunity to recognize changes in society, technology, and culture. Given the speed of change, the need for ongoing assessment seems greater than ever as new challenges like artificial intelligence, multiculturalism, and incivility in public discourse test the capacity of professional managers. Yet ICMA members continue to demonstrate the resilience required to
ICMA members continue to demonstrate the resilience required to overcome and excel in the face of peril because the Code has served as a true north.
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ICMA’s vision is to be the leading association of local government professionals dedicated to creating and supporting thriving communities throughout the world. It does this by working with its more than 13,000 members to identify and speed the adoption of leading local government practices and improve the lives of residents. ICMA offers membership, professional development programs, research, publications, data and information, technical assistance, and training to thousands of city, town, and county chief administrative officers, their staffs, and other organizations throughout the world.
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overcome and excel in the face of peril because the Code has served as a true north.
I often hear from members and have expressed myself how difficult it can be to adhere to the Code of Ethics, how sometimes it seems to get in the way of basic rights. While it can be a struggle sometimes, it is part of the journey.
When you commit to the Code, it’s not only a professional commitment; it becomes a way of life. Countless members have resigned their position rather than compromise the integrity of their role. That is the power of this 100-year-old declaration.
When something has been around a long time, we may tend to take for granted what it says, what the actual tenets and guidelines impart. I encourage you today as part of your legacy that will shape future generations of local government leaders as you were inspired by your predecessors, to recommit to this core element of democracy and better
2023–2024
ICMA Executive Board
PRESIDENT
Lon Pluckhahn*
Deputy City Manager Vancouver, Washington
PRESIDENT-ELECT
Tanya Ange* County Administrator Washington County, Oregon
PAST PRESIDENT
Jeffrey Towery City Manager McMinnville, Oregon
VICE PRESIDENTS
International Region
Rebecca Ryan
General Manager
Queanbeyan-Palerang Regional Council, New South Wales, Australia
Colin Beheydt
City Manager
Bruges, Belgium
Doug Gilchrist City Manager
Kelowna, British Columbia, Canada
Midwest Region
Corri Spiegel* City Administrator
Davenport, Iowa
Michael Sable*
Assistant City Manager
Bloomington, Minnesota
Jeffrey Weckbach
Township Administrator
Colerain Township, Ohio
Mountain Plains Region
Kenneth Williams** City Manager
Beaumont, Texas
Dave Slezickey* City Manager
The Village, Oklahoma
Pamela Davis
Assistant City Manager Boulder, Colorado
Northeast Region
Scott W. Colby, Jr.
Assistant Town Manager Windsor, Connecticut
Dennis Enslinger
Deputy City Manager
Gaithersburg, Maryland
Steve Bartha* Town Manager Danvers, Massachusetts
Countless members have resigned their position rather than compromise the integrity of their role. That is the power of this 100-year-old declaration.
government—the ICMA Code of Ethics. Renew your pledge to honor the ICMA Code of Ethics at icma.org/ethicspledge. You can learn more about the 100th anniversary of the ICMA Code of Ethics at icma.org/ethics100. This is also a great time to give to the ICMA Future of Professional Management Fund (icma.org/icma-future-professionalmanagement-fund), which continues to support advocacy for professional local government management and encourage the next generation of local government leaders as we step into our next 100 years!
Southeast Region
Valmarie Turner*
Assistant County Administrator Loudoun County, Virginia
Jorge Gonzalez*
Village Manager Village of Bal Harbour, Florida
Eric Stuckey City Administrator
Franklin, Tennessee
West Coast Region
Pamela Antil*
City Manager
Encinitas, California
Jessi Bon
City Manager
Mercer Island, Washington
Nat Rojanasathira**
Assistant City Manager Monterey, California
* ICMA-CM
** ICMA Credentialed Manager Candidate
ICMA CEO/Executive Director Marc Ott
Managing Director, Lynne Scott lscott@icma.org Brand Management, Marketing, and Outreach; Director, Equity & Social Justice and Membership Marketing
Senior Managing Editor Kerry Hansen khansen@icma.org
Senior Editor Kathleen Karas kkaras@icma.org
Graphics Manager Delia Jones djones@icma.org
Design & Production picantecreative.com
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MARCH
AIUIa Global City Summit 2024
March 4 | Maraya مرايا, Al Atheeb | Saudi Arabia
SheLeadsGov Virtual Forum \ Bold Women, Bold Changes
March 6 | Webinar
Modernizing Budgeting: A Transformational Shift to
Priority-Based Budgeting
March 7 | Virtual Workshop/Course
AI in the Public Sector –See It in Action
March 7 | Webinar
Succession Planning: The Time is Right Now!
March 12 | Webinar
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March 13 | ICMA Coaching Webinar
Public Workforce Trends to Watch for in 2024
March 14 | Webinar
Remote Building Inspections: Embracing Emerging Technologies
March 19 | Webinar
Solace Annual Dinner ’24 –50 Years of Solace
March 21 | Banqueting House White Hall, London
Improving Your Jurisdiction’s Development Review Process
March 27 | Webinar
APRIL
FORUM 2024: NFBPA Local Government Conference
April 3 | Baltimore, Maryland
Local Government Reimagined Conferences: Explore the Future of AI in Local Government
April 10 | Boston, Massachusetts
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Elevating Excellence: Effective Community Engagement
April 17 | ICMA Coaching Webinar
Financial Planning Basics: How to Set and Achieve Your Goals
April 9 | Webinar
ICMA recognizes the many achievements of its members to highlight extraordinary accomplishments as well as dedicated service to the profession.
Nominate a colleague who has made a significant difference in your community or to the profession or has implemented an innovative program that addressed a critical community need.
Nominations are open to U.S. and Global peers or programs.
To learn more about the ICMA Local Government Excellence Awards program, visit icma.org/awards.
NOMINATION DEADLINE
Friday, March 29, 2024
icma.org/awards
Advocacy for the Profession Award in Honor of Martha Perego
Career Excellence
Development of New Talent
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Strategic Leadership and Governance
In my time in local government, March meant clearing the winter’s debris from roads, inspecting and repairing parks equipment, and ethics awareness month! The spring season of state association conferences offers the opportunity to meet members where they gather, facilitate presentations on ethics topics, and informally discuss what is occurring in local government organizations.
Common themes of these conversations tend to be roles and responsibilities and sometimes difficult council-manager relations. Borrowing the title of this column from a popular television show, let’s take a closer look at the lanes of local government staff and elected officials. This has been an important issue as evidenced by this idea appearing in the first version of the ICMA Code of Ethics that the membership adopted in 1924. Today, the language in Tenets 5, 6, and 10 has been updated, although the concept is the same—setting the parameters for a successful partnership for the organization and community:
• Tenet 5. Submit policy proposals to elected officials; provide them with facts, and technical and professional advice about policy options; and collaborate with them in setting goals for the community and organization.
BY JESSICA COWLES• Tenet 6. Recognize that elected representatives are accountable to their community for the decisions they make; members are responsible for implementing those decisions.
• Tenet 10. Resist any encroachment on professional responsibilities, believing the member should be free to carry out official policies without interference, and handle each problem without discrimination on the basis of principle and justice.
This is especially true at this juncture in the profession when elected officials are becoming full-time administrators in the organization or former managers may seek an encore career as an elected official. Tenet 5 discusses the appropriate role for professional staff in providing the background information needed for elected officials to render a decision. Although rarely cited in the ethics complaint process, Tenet 10 gives local government managers a clear lane in which to operate. Concluding this circle for the organization is Tenet 6, which delineates the roles of elected officials and local government managers.
Many employment agreements already cite member adherence to the Code, and some include the Code as an attachment to the agreement to be upfront about the
JESSICA COWLES
is ethics director at ICMA (jcowles@icma.org).
profession’s values. If not, this reference to the Code should be included in the next version of the manager’s employment agreement. The following are some recommended best practices and questions to consider.
• What is the form of government?
• To whom or what elected body does this position report?
• What is funded in the operating budget? What about the Capital Improvement Plan?
o Does this point to a decline in revenue? Have meetings been civil as cuts are discussed?
o How might a surplus or future grants be handled?
• Do the organization’s priorities match your management style?
This can be a tough one—assess the organizational culture. (See Camilla Posthill’s blog post, “Organizational Culture and Ethics: Peanut Butter and Jelly or Oil and Water?” summarizing this topic from the ethics session at the February 2024 Cal-Cities conference.)1 What is written versus how the organization functions in reality? What improvements can a manager implement?
Does an elected official wander into the administrator’s lane? Kindly address this through education first and believe positive intent. The elected official may not know how to accomplish their goals
If an elected official wanders into an administrator’s lane, believe positive intent and kindly address it through education.
and aims to be responsive to constituents. If they are already aware of this fact, and the manager has tried unsuccessfully to steer this conversation, or the governing body is not taking sufficient action to curb the behavior, an offsite retreat may be an answer.
Although the manager may have said similar things, it can be beneficial for a neutral third-party, like a consultant, to facilitate this discussion, especially when the situation is heated. This principle is about respect for the law, not power. Elected officials and appointed managers hold a public office. Their duties are outlined in the law, be it a state statute, or a local charter or ordinance. All parties took an oath to uphold the law, and democracy cannot function well when the rule of law gets discarded by those who swore to uphold it.
I look forward to seeing more members at a future state association conference or ICMA’s two Local Government Reimagined (LGR) conferences in April and June. At the LGR conferences, we will discuss the importance of Tenet 10 for the profession which is part of the remaining two principles for the membership to consider in completing this 10-year review cycle. Then, onward to Pittsburgh/Allegheny County for ICMA’s 2024 Annual Conference, where the celebration of the Code’s 100-year milestone continues!
ENDNOTE
1 https://icma.org/blog-posts/organizational-culture-and-ethicspeanut-butter-and-jelly-or-oil-and-water
In honor of the 100th Anniversary of the ICMA Code of Ethics, we spoke to three former members of the Committee on Professional Conduct.
Rod Gould, ICMA-CM (Retired)
ICMA member since 1985
“ICMA’s Code of Ethics is our North Star in guiding city and county professionals in how we are to build community and serve the public interest. Because what is ethically correct can be subjective and gray at times, ICMA spells out the ethical guidelines and interpretations as carefully as possible given the wide range of situations managers and assistants face. Further, those guidelines are regularly updated to reflect changing times and circumstances. Lastly, the Code of Ethics is fairly and openly enforced to have consequences. It sets our profession apart from many others and is both a source of pride and strength.”
Jane Brautigam
ICMA member since 2001
“In a world where public trust in government leaders has often faltered, ICMA members stand out as public servants whose focus is on the needs of people without regard to status or station. The core values of democracy, equity, and fairness embodied in the Code of Ethics ground our work and focus our efforts on service. They serve as a touchstone and an assurance that local government leaders will deliver with respect and with the best interests of the community in mind. They remind each of us that the work we do is honorable even in the most difficult of times, and that we are part of a larger cohort of colleagues dedicated to excellence and to public service.”
ICMA member since 1977
“Public trust is a tremendous responsibility that every local government leader must embrace and strive to enhance. The ICMA Code of Ethics is essential in earning and maintaining that trust. Throughout my career I had a framed copy of the Code in a visible place in my office for me to refer to often. Some may view a professional code of ethics as restrictive. I view the ICMA Code of Ethics and its accompanying guidelines as empowering. It empowers us as leaders to always serve the best interests of the public in an ethical manner.”
Announcing an opportunity to be a featured author in a forthcoming ICMA publication!
ICMA invites ideas for essays on bold and daring visions for the future of local government leadership, management, and service delivery.
Submit your brief idea at icma.org/lgr by April 5, 2024 for consideration.
❋ Ideas will be evaluated based on relevance to our Local Government Reimagined themes and applicability to the local government management profession.
❋ Selected authors will have a month to develop essays and receive a $1,000 honorarium for their contributions.
❋ We welcome submissions from practitioners, academics, researchers, and thought leaders at every career stage.
As new challenges continue to emerge and calls for service evolve and grow, local government leaders, managers, staff, and stakeholders need innovative ideas to meet the needs of today and foresight for those of tomorrow. ICMA’s Local Government Reimagined initiative reflects our long-term commitment to helping public administrators innovate and adapt their leadership practices, management strategies, and operations in the name of more resilient and equitable outcomes for their work and their communities. As part of the initiative, ICMA is issuing this Call for Essays to showcase new innovative efforts that are underway, as well as ideas that may hold great promise for the future.
CARLY LORENTZ is deputy city manager of Golden, Colorado.
One day, you are a deputy city manager of a community, having spent the past four years in the position, and you assume your manager will stick around for another five years or so. The next day, your boss informs you that he has found a new job. From there, you are catapulted into the next year of challenges, successes, opportunity, and so much awkwardness.
I am a thirty-something woman—with a supportive husband and family, and two kids in elementary school— who suddenly had a lot more to think about. Will I be
selected as the interim? Will I need to find a new job? Do I want to be a city manager right now?
Awkward situations bloomed. I was asked several times by many people if I was going to be interim city manager before I knew if I was. I was being asked what I would do differently from my former boss. I was in a public meeting where council discussed deciding on the interim without mentioning me by name.
When I was made the interim, I was relieved and honored. I got to work, keeping things afloat and
Will I be selected as the interim? Will I need to find a new job? Do I want to be a city manager right now?
implementing some of my ideas on how to move the organization forward. The next awkward question was, “Will you apply for the manager position?” I had good relationships with staff, council, and the community, but I knew my uphill battle would be my age/experience level and whether I would be a different enough direction for the city. I was not in a hurry to be a city manager from a career or life standpoint, but I knew I was invested in the city of Golden, and I felt I had a unique perspective to offer. There were two important things I realized at this point: (1) There was only a slim chance I’d be hired; and (2) though I felt ready to be the city manager, I wanted my version to be clear. I didn’t want to sell a version of myself that I didn’t want in the future or try to please people into hiring me. I wanted to share my authentic self, what I would be like as city manager, with honesty and boundaries.
I decided to apply, and instead of focusing on getting the job, I focused on doing a great job as the interim and feeling good about how I was presenting myself during the interview process. I envisioned the moment after an
interview, when I’m in my car driving home, knowing that I had been myself during the interview and that I had shared my vision with council and the community. That was my goal. That focus got me through the next few months of awkwardness, including:
• Three days of public interviews, where anyone is able to submit feedback about you.
• Dinner with council and the other finalists for the position.
• Knowing that people are deciding things about you without truly knowing you.
• Public discussions about how much money you should make.
• Knowing that some people think you are too young, too abrupt, too busy, too “that’s-not-what-a-city-manager-looks-like.”
Through it all, I kept thinking about that moment in my car after the interviews, feeling at peace.
Before I knew it, I was there: six months in as the interim, finished with interviews, and in the car feeling just as I had hoped. I was able to take in many positive moments from staff, some I barely knew, cheering for me and offering emails, kind eyes, and pep talks. Community members reached out in support saying some of the kindest things I’ve ever heard, describing me as just the leader I wanted to be. Council made it clear that I had made significant progress for the city as the interim, and that it was a success.
When I got the call that I didn’t get the job, I was disappointed; no matter how prepared you are, it has to break your heart at least a little. I had to care that much to get that far, but I also felt proud. I was myself, I did a great job, and council hired someone else.
Even after the disappointment, I felt the pride of that moment in the car—so much appreciation for our staff and assurance that council cared deeply for the community. I was still inspired and could still see myself fitting in and making a difference. I felt like I had gotten to see my organization and community from another view, and in turn they got to really see me—and I wasn’t ready to give that up because of disappointment or awkwardness.
With the new city manager’s arrival, I had to transition to being hopeful and supportive. I led with what mattered most, what I thought was best for the community. I briefed our new city manager, Scott Vargo, about all the things I was worried and excited about. I shared all my thoughts and ideas freely because I knew the community would benefit from him being as ready as possible to lead our organization. I happened to have all this information, and he happened to be the one who could use it.
Now over a year later, Scott and I have established a strong working relationship, and I feel empowered to continue to lead in my organization. I know transitions can go all different ways—it will be awkward and scary in the same and different ways than it was for me—but my advice is to take the interim position and apply for the job. Be supportive of the new manager if you don’t get it. No matter what, you will learn a lot about yourself and your community, and those lessons will be valuable. Whether you do it or not, I hope you get to feel how I felt in that moment in the car: proud. It was awkward. It was scary. It was worth it.
The ethics behind keeping your governing body in the know
There is a balancing of interests, obligations, prohibitions, and exceptions involved in determining what local government managers must disclose to their governing board, to whom the disclosure should be made, and even when and where that disclosure should take place.
In the course of processing those choices, it may also help to achieve clarity on why the manager is divulging that information. When discussing ethics and
BY ROBERT J. WOOD AND ALAN BOJORQUEZresponsibilities, we typically focus on and emphasize, rightly so, the duty and importance of informing the governing body. That is the default position, but there are legitimate and even necessary exceptions.
Because of the scope and complexity of managers’ responsibilities and relationships, it is not always obvious whether the manager has a duty to share information. While it might seem easy to adopt a rule of “just tell council everything,” there are sometimes countervailing obligations to be discreet and maintain the confidential nature of the data.
Rather than attempting to provide managers with concrete, all-encompassing answers—an impossible task given the range and variety of situations that managers face—this article offers a process or framework to help managers structure their analysis and formulate their own decisions. We hope that by utilizing a sound procedure, managers will arrive at ethical, defensible conclusions that enable them to disclose when required and maintain confidences when needed— while always maintaining their integrity.
The following story is based on real events. The names and places have been left out in order to protect the innocent— and even the not-so-innocent.
District Attorney
District Attorney (DA): Your mayor is under investigation. You are not allowed to tell anyone about the investigation. If you do, we can charge you with interfering with an investigation.
Manager: Well, that is a problem because I am required to inform my city council of everything that happens in my city.
DA: I don’t know what to tell you other than—you can’t tell anyone. Do you know what the investigation is about?
Manager: No, but I have narrowed it down to about five possibilities. How many guesses do I get?
DA: Your police chief recorded two conversations with your mayor. You were present, but you are not under investigation. The investigation is for interference with a police investigation. Manager: OK. I’m still going to need five guesses.
The manager knew which conversations the district attorney was referring to, but did not know that they had been recorded by the police chief. The manager’s first thought—what did I say during those conversations?
A councilmember backed out of her driveway into a public street and hit a car driven by a worker doing some sort of job on her street. Within an hour of the accident, the mayor was at city hall to discuss the incident with the police chief and manager, explaining how the councilmember was not at fault for the collision and directing the police chief to make that finding in the investigation. City staff learned much later that the mayor and the councilmember were having an affair. This came out because the councilmember got upset that the mayor was also having an affair with her best friend.
What was recorded? Two different conversations that
involved the mayor, the police chief, and the manager—one was in the chief’s office and one was in the mayor’s office.
As soon as the manager hung up with the DA’s office, he did what any manager should do—he called his city attorney. They discussed the ethical responsibilities that they both had—the city attorney to his “client” (more about that later) and the manager to the city council (governing body). The morning after the call from the DA, the manager visits the police chief in his office:
Manager: Did you maybe record some conversations that I was involved in? Chief: You’re good. I have reviewed them multiple times. You didn’t say anything wrong. In fact, you told the mayor to drop it multiple times. You told him that it was illegal to interfere with an investigation and warned him that he was heading in a really bad direction. You come out looking great.
Then the manager had a conversation with the police chief about recording their conversations (that was likely recorded). The manager called the ICMA’s ethics advisor to discuss the matter and also called the chair of his state association’s ethics committee.
After the conversations with the city attorney, ICMA ethics advisor, and the ethics committee chair, the manager concluded that if a councilmember were under investigation, and he (the manager) was not able to tell the full council, he would tell the mayor—to fulfill his
ethical duty and so that he could not later be accused of hiding something from the council. In this case, since he could not tell the mayor, he should inform the vice mayor. He fully informed the vice mayor of the facts of the investigation and the reasons that he could not share all of the information with the remaining members of the council. We will come back to that later.
The mayor was investigated. It appeared that the DA’s office concluded that there was enough evidence to pursue prosecution because the DA told the mayor that if he withdrew from the next election (which was a few months away and he had already signed up to run), they would drop the case. If he stayed in the race, they would prosecute. The mayor agreed to the deal, but missed the deadline to remove his name from the ballot by 15 minutes. Was that intentional? Of course, he wanted the city clerk to overlook that and remove his name. The clerk, the attorney, the manager, and even the state’s election oversight agency all agreed that the city could not remove the mayor’s name from the ballot since he had missed the deadline. The mayor ended up campaigning for another candidate. A local television station even did a news story complete with video of him knocking on doors saying that you will see his name on the ballot, but you should vote for this other person instead.
At a regular, properly-noticed meeting of the council, the manager informed councilmembers of the investigation (which was now mostly closed and the mayor
was already aware) in closed session. The mayor lashed out at the manager and city attorney for not informing him of the investigation earlier on. The promayor faction on the council (including the councilmember whose car accident started the police investigation and who was “involved” with the mayor) was also unhappy with the manager and attorney. The antimayor faction of the council was overjoyed to learn of the mayor’s predicament, but mad that the manager and attorney did not tell them. They, of course, wanted to beat the mayor over the head with it to score political points. In order to make it clear that he had fulfilled his ethical obligations, the manager shared with council that he had fully informed the vice mayor— grateful that he had taken that step early on. However, the vice mayor stated that she had no memory of such a conversation. Of course, there was no way for the manager to prove that he had that conversation, so the conflict just sort of faded away. There was no real resolution or hashing out of the issues. The mayor lost the election and left office shortly thereafter.
Let’s look at the important elements of the ethical responsibilities of both the manager and city attorney in all situations where informing the governing body may be required. Are they the same? Are they in conflict?
The following are useful questions to ask when you find yourself in a complex situation involving competing demands—ethical, legal, professional, practical, political, etc.
Unique challenges arise when wrestling with whether you have a duty to inform the governing body of instances in which a mayor or Councilmember:
• Is under investigation.
• Is an opposing party to the city in a court case (civil/criminal).
• Is the subject of an ethics complaint.
• Has interests adverse to the city.
• Is taking actions contrary to the city.
• Did something personal that has official implications.
Who do you work for?
Attaining a sense of clarity on your relationship to the other parties can help you assess the situation properly.
• Is the mayor or councilmember your direct supervisor with routine oversight or management responsibilities?
• Or, are they a member of a board, council, or commission to whom you report?
Often it is useful to temporarily set aside the practical realities of how you have been informally operating recently, and instead go back to the beginning of your time in the position to refresh yourself on the formalities of how the relationship was established. Determine if your reporting relationship or chain of command was set out in one of the following:
• Job posting.
• Job description.
• Employment agreement.
• County/city/town charter.
• Ordinance.
• Personnel policy.
• Organizational chart.
• State law.
Having traced back the roots of the relationship, it is time to reconcile how those instruments relate to the custom, tradition, or culture of your organization. On a daily basis, how have things been done in actuality?
If you decide to maintain the confidentiality of the information, you should have a sense of clarity about your reasons for being discreet. Considering the true story with which we opened this article, there was clearly a legitimate public interest in maintaining the integrity of the law enforcement investigation being conducted into the mayor’s activities. Other potentially valid reasons for withholding information could include:
• Statutory designations of information as confidential.
• An ordinance or local policy creating confidentiality.
• Nondisclosure agreements.
• Preservation of privileges (e.g., attorney-client).
• Pending/anticipated/ ongoing litigation.
• Court orders (gag orders, subpoenas, etc.).
• Pending nature of contract negotiations with another party.
• Ongoing investigations by an oversight agency (e.g., EEOC, USDOJ, EPA, etc.).
• Fear that information will be leaked.
• Spoilation or destruction of evidence.
• Political sensitivity.
• Personal privacy/ embarrassing or salacious matter (romantic/sexual nature).
• Other.
Early in your analysis, you should contemplate the reason(s) for divulging (or not divulging) the information. It might be clear that a mayor or councilmember needs the information in order to perform their required duties. Perhaps they need to be told so that they may avoid doing something that could make the situation worse. In the end, your impetus for sharing the information may simply be satisfying a sense of ethical duty to not keep the matter to yourself.
The ICMA Code of Ethics is one of the most important factors when deciding whether to disclose information and how to go about that sometimes delicate task. This approach is central to the commitment to honesty and integrity as outlined in Tenet 3 and the guideline on public confidence.
Tenet 3. Demonstrate by word and action the highest standards of ethical conduct and integrity in all public, professional, and personal relationships in order that the member may merit the trust and respect of the elected and appointed officials, employees, and the public.
Guideline: Public Confidence. Members should conduct themselves so as to maintain public confidence in their position and profession, the integrity of their local government, and in their responsibility to uphold the public trust.
Tenet 5’s mandate to provide elected officials with facts can be interpreted to create an obligation to share data even when there are valid reasons to maintain confidentiality.
Tenet 5: Submit policy proposals to elected officials; provide them with facts, and technical and professional advice about policy options; and collaborate with them in setting goals for the community and organization.
The guideline for Tenet 10 calls upon ICMA members to openly share data with the council.
Tenet 10: Resist any encroachment on professional responsibilities, believing the member should be free to carry out official policies without interference, and handle each problem without discrimination on the basis of principle and justice.
Guideline:
Information Sharing. The member should openly share information with the governing body while diligently carrying out the member’s responsibilities as set forth in the charter or enabling legislation.
Though the mandate to disclose is strong, it cannot be absolute. No general code of conduct or ethical guidelines should be blindly applied in a vacuum. Thus, when burdened with sensitive data, managers
are encouraged to evaluate the totality of circumstances when choosing a path forward.
Call a Friend?
One benefit of professional development through organizations such as ICMA is the expansive network of colleagues and formal assistance available to members to call upon in times of need. In the course of a manager striving to be a better ethical decision maker, it is often wise to reach out to someone with experience and a willingness to help:
• Trusted managers in other localities.
• Ethics Committee
Chair of your state management association.
• Ethics experts or trainers.
• ICMA Ethics Director Jessica Cowles.
In addition to the resources made available through ICMA, state associations, and colleagues, a manager facing such dilemmas should consider calling upon other individuals who may be in a position to offer guidance, such as:
• A local government attorney.
• An independent counsel or investigator.
• Law enforcement.
Once the manager has determined that they must disclose the information and has decided with whom they should share it, there may arise the question of how much to share. Need they tell all that they know, or might the situation be better served by saying as little as possible?
Uniformity?
Managers must avoid the appearance of “playing games” with information or playing
favorites, as such can raise the question of whether you are applying your duty consistently.
• Are you required to inform the mayor/council on every item?
• Are there council committees or liaisons?
• How soon must you spread the word?
• Are there considerations related to state laws or other laws regarding meetings, public information, freedom of information statutes, etc.?
Once general rules are formulated, possible exceptions could include:
• Political/campaign issues that do not involve city business.
• Salacious stories of romantic or sexual entanglements.
• Civil/criminal/ethical matters of personal business where there is not a clear duty to inform an individual— and there may even be a prohibition.
• Litigation when a city fears a leak/unauthorized disclosure or interference.
• Personnel/HR matters that involve privacy concerns.
• matter involving the Manager or Attorney?
By What Method? When a manager is ready to provide the information, they must select from a range of options—weighing convenience, formality, custom, statutory requirements and limits, etc.
• Verbal conversation (individual discussion via telephone, videoconference, or in-person).
• Oral briefing during a meeting (public or closed).
• Memorandum.
• Email message.
• Text message.
• Social media.
While these choices are not listed in a hierarchical manner of preference, there are obviously some selections better suited for conveying weighty data— especially when taking into account the impact of public information or freedom of information requirements.
Local government managers are often in a position to discover or otherwise be entrusted with delicate information. Once in possession of sensitive data, managers must determine if they have a duty to share that material with their governing bodies. Often a simple email update, phone call, or briefing is sufficient. But on occasion, managers have a more difficult task of carefully evaluating the complexity of the situation and making strategic decisions that put them in precarious positions. Managers must perform a balancing act beyond simple self-preservation to consider their ethical obligations, legal duties, and responsibilities to the broader community.
ROBERT J. WOOD is town manager of Rocky Mount, Virginia, a position he has held since 2021. He has also served as city administrator of West Lake Hills, Texas, and city manager of Flatonia, Texas.
ALAN BOJORQUEZ
serves as city attorney or special counsel to cities across Texas. He authors the Texas Municipal Law & Procedural Manual (7th Ed.).
As city, town, and county managers, we work hard to earn positions in communities where we can successively obtain better, more challenging positions as our careers progress. It can be disappointing and frustrating when we start a new position in what we believe is an ideal community only to discover underlying issues that weren’t apparent when we accepted the position.
The length of service guideline under Tenet 3 of the ICMA Code of Ethics establishes that a minimum of two years of service is necessary in order to render professional service to the local government. But after that, when is the right time to consider leaving a position? When is resignation the best course of action? What should we do when elected officials create a hostile work environment? How do we address personal attacks disguised as political arguments?
I considered these questions after reading a Boston Globe article in January of this year with the headline, “Littleton NH Town Manager Resigns over Select Board’s AntiLGBTQ+ Comments,” and reflected on my own decisions over the course of my career.
Jim Gleason, the town manager in Littleton, New Hampshire, resigned due to a toxic work environment created by one of his elected officials, as well as some local activists, over public art that had proLGBTQ+ messages. The article indicated that Gleason’s son, who was gay, died from cancer several years earlier and that
months of controversy took a personal and professional toll on him that had become so painful that he made the decision to move on.
Resigning is a significant decision, and there is no onesize-fits-all approach to figuring out when to do so. However, there are some key indicators that may signal that it is time to consider leaving your position and/or community:
If you are either an assistant or a manager and there are limited opportunities for career advancement or skill development, it may be time to consider seeking another position to advance your career. This can also be true for long-term managers in communities where transitional changes have occurred. The manager may feel as though they have accomplished all that they can in that community and that someone else with a new vision should have the opportunity to continue to move the community forward. If you’re an assistant, this can be an ideal opportunity to move up to a manager’s position, or for managers to move to larger, more complex communities with larger organizations and new challenges.
A toxic workplace culture where you may have serious conflicts with colleagues or your elected officials, similar to that experienced by the Littleton town manager, can raise stress levels beyond the
normal, day-to-day stress that local government managers face. Other times there may be persistent stress points in the community that are outside the manager’s control that negatively impact your career or well-being, creating an unhealthy work environment. In Littleton, hateful comments from people in the community, including one of his elected officials, combined with his own family situation, created a toxic workplace in which the manager was better off leaving that position in a professional manner and seeking opportunities elsewhere.
3. Mismatch of Values
Misalignment with your elected officials’ values, or ethical concerns you may have with actions they take, can lead to both dissatisfaction and discomfort. Tenet 6 of the ICMA Code of Ethics establishes that we need to recognize that our elected officials are accountable to the community for the decisions they make, and our role is to be responsible for implementing those decisions. At times, these decisions may not align with our own values, beliefs, or professional opinions, but we must implement those decisions just the same. However, a sustained period of misaligned values creates additional stress, and potentially ethical issues, for us as managers. It can indicate that it’s time to begin seeking a position in a community with values more closely aligned with our own.
Many communities have the pedal to the metal when it comes to taking on too many challenges all at once. If you consistently feel overwhelmed, exhausted, and unable to maintain a healthy work-life balance, it might be a sign of burnout. This can ultimately begin affecting your work performance, professionalism, health, and ability to juggle the multiple priorities that need your attention. Unfortunately, this is sometimes an issue recognized by our colleagues or families before we even recognize it ourselves. There is value in a regular check-in with yourself. Take a minute to determine whether you need to make changes at work. Add staff (if possible) to spread the workload, or work with your elected officials to establish more realistic goals that are within the organization’s capacity to attain. If this isn’t possible, it may be appropriate to seek a different position in another community that provides greater support to the staff and/or establishes realistic goals for the organization.
The time to establish your salary is when you are negotiating your initial contract--before the hard work even begins. After that initial contract, you can use established salary surveys conducted by your state association (if they do an annual survey) or undertake your own survey of comparable communities when you are renegotiating your contract.
This should be done regularly to ensure you continue to be paid fairly based on the comparable communities in your area.
At some point, you may find that you’re no longer being compensated fairly compared to other similar communities within your area or statewide standards for managers. This can be due to changes in market conditions, rapid turnover in your area, or other factors. You should meet with your elected officials and review the information you’ve developed to discuss your salary. While never an easy discussion to have, in the long run, it’s better for the community and for you. If your elected officials are unwilling to increase your compensation to an equitable, competitive wage based on the size, budget, and complexity of the community (or if the
community does not have the capacity to do so), it may be time to seek a position with another community that will consider your professional experience and will compensate you for that value.
6. Lack of
Sometimes it’s not compensation, stress, unhealthy work environments, community values, or any other reason other than the effort you and your team put forth is simply not appreciated. Our elected officials sometimes fail to recognize the motivational power of acknowledging the efforts that we and our staffs make every day, year after year. Feeling unappreciated or undervalued for your hard work and achievements can be demotivating, and it may
be a sign for you to consider a change in position in favor of a community that recognizes, encourages, and values staff for continuously providing high-quality services to the community.
7.
A lack of training, mentorship, or support for your personal and professional development can limit your career growth. This is particularly true for assistants in our field, but is also true for managers. We work in a dynamic profession where we constantly need to evolve our skills and knowledge of best practices. If the community that you are working for has high expectations, but does not support continued professional development, then it may be time to consider a
career change to a community that will provide the level of support for professional development opportunities to ensure that you can continue to develop your skills in all areas of municipal management.
8.
If your day-to-day tasks don’t align with your interests and skills, it can lead to boredom or frustration. This can be an issue related to the legal authority under which each of us works. That authority may be granted by a state law, local charter, or special act. In some cases, the only legal authority may be granted through a job description, which may be changed at any time by the elected officials in the community. Often,
the manager is given tasks to undertake and staff to supervise, but the manager may not be granted the authority to effectively manage tasks, have decision-making authority, or the ability to reorganize the organization to provide services more effectively. In other cases, the manager may not be the appointing authority or have supervisory authority over staff, which can create a situation where there are expectations that cannot be fulfilled because the manager is burdened with staff that may have been hired on a political basis rather than for the skills necessary for the position. This can be frustrating professionally, and if the community is not willing or interested in addressing this type of issue through establishing adequate legal authority for the manager, then it’s likely a good time to begin seeking a new position.
If the community is facing financial difficulties, it can create a multitude of issues, but also opportunities. This is not necessarily a reason to seek a new position. However, it can create a stressful situation, particularly if it requires service cuts, staff layoffs, operational changes, or a need to realign budgets. Depending on how a community reacts, this can be good because it gives you the opportunity to reestablish realistic operational levels and reimagine services. Alternatively, it can turn out bad, as the manager may be blamed for taking the necessary steps and recommending solutions that the elected officials
It’s essential to carefully evaluate these factors and consider whether they are temporary challenges or persistent issues.
do not support. There are also situations where the manager may be making recommendations to correct the financial situation, and the elected officials do not follow through to approve the changes, so the manager is left with a budgetary situation that may not be balanced and could eventually result in negative long-term financial consequences, such as bond rating downgrades, audit issues, and potentially even legal issues. Depending on how the elected officials, staff, and community react, this may be a time when a manager needs to consider leaving a position to protect their mental health, reputation, and career.
Let’s face it, being a local government manager can be a demanding lifestyle. You will have long days, multiple deadlines to meet, multiple elected officials that
you need to satisfy, multiple changing priorities, staff issues, legal issues, labor issues, community demands, and financial management challenges. All of this in addition to unplanned crises that can occur and can derail your well-planned, wellorganized schedule. This can lead to massive amounts of stress, and if you don’t have a healthy way to offset that stress, it can lead to physical or mental health conditions. Other times, a manager may have a health condition that prevents them from fulfilling their obligations. If your position is negatively impacting your physical or mental health, or if you have a health condition that requires more of your time than is allowed, this may be a time to consider a change.
Looking back at my own career, some of these same factors led to my careerchanging decisions. My first position was as a county manager, and I was already considering making the move into municipal government. When one of the county commissioners I worked for became difficult, I decided to let the board know that my current contract would be my last, and this encouraged me to get serious about making the change.
My second position was as a village manager in a community where the majority of the elected officials were removed from office for corruption. This included the mayor, who was then subsequently re-elected in a special election. His first day back in office, he dropped by to let me know as soon as he
had three votes I would be fired for not supporting him during his trial. Supporting him would have equated to me perjuring myself. Instead, I upheld ICMA’s ethical standards for managers, and as a result I was terminated. I was in my third position for the next 15 years, and toward the end I simply felt that I had accomplished all I could in a community of that size. I decided to move on and took the opportunity to serve a larger community as their first-ever town manager. Nearly a decade later, I left that position because again I had a single board member that became too difficult to work with, and an opportunity opened in the community where I currently work. In this community, I am planning to stay until the ultimate career change—retirement.
It’s essential to carefully evaluate these factors and consider whether they are temporary challenges or persistent issues. Sometimes addressing concerns with your elected officials can be difficult conversations to have, but can lead to long-term improvements in job satisfaction, which in turn can lead to positive improvements for the community. But, if changes cannot be made to address concerns and specific situations, then ultimately, the decision to leave a job should align with your long-term career goals and personal well-being.
JAMES
MALLOY,ICMA-CM, is town manager of Lexington, Massachusetts and served as the 2020–2021 ICMA president.
We must all take action to preserve our democratic institutions, public processes, and the council-manager form of government.BY DR. FRANK BENEST, ICMA-CM (RETIRED), CHANTAL COTTON GAINES, AND ROD GOULD, ICMA-CM
American democracy at the local level is increasingly under attack. These attacks vary but all threaten the ability of our local governments to continue the daily work of serving our communities.
City and county managers and assistants must be staunch defenders of local representative democracy and the council-manager form of government—on top of all of our numerous and at times overwhelming duties and challenges.
At a well-attended session at the 2023 ICMA Annual Conference in Austin, Texas, participants from across the globe explored a sampling of six typical scenarios that undercut our local government democratic institutions:
Scenario #1: Angry crowds disrupting governing board meetings and not allowing the people’s business to occur. Example: An organized opposition group to a housing proposal swarms the council meeting, chanting and making noise and loudly booing anyone who attempts to speak for the project.
Scenario #2: Use of hate speech in public meetings and social media. Example: A self-styled community influencer uses social media to spread racist, homophobic, antisemitic, and sexist slurs against members of the city council and staff and “zoombombs” a governing board meeting with other extremists to repeat his hate speech, including calls for violence.
Scenario #3: Physical threats against elected and appointed officials and their families. Example: Because the county election official validated election results, she receives death threats on social media from election deniers, and her family home is picketed.
Scenario #4:
Unwillingness of some elected officials to make a decision about a controversial issue that needs to be addressed. Example: Because of conflicts among interest groups, the council does not take action on how to address a significant homelessness problem confronting the community, or elected officials do not make compromises to move forward on any actions.
Scenario #5: Board member interference in administration of agency. Example: The mayor tells the city manager to move ahead with a park project that did not make the CIP list because she promised it during her campaign, warning the city manager that he could count on two other votes to fire him at any time.
Scenario #6: Avoiding or distorting issues through manipulation of agendas, staff reports or ballot language. Example: The county board chair opposes the desire of two supervisors to rename a park in honor of a slain civil rights leader and directs the county manager to not agendize the matter until after an election.
Democracy at the local level is founded in part on several premises:
• Citizens in the local jurisdiction vote to elect their representatives.
• These elected officials represent the community’s ideas and concerns in the local government.
• Policy decisions are made by elected representatives of the people.
• Democracy rests upon the principles of majority rule and the protection of individual rights.
• Government is conducted by the rule of law.
• There is give-and-take and compromise in response to the big needs of the population.
• Given the intergovernmental system, local government decisions and actions are sometimes constrained by state and federal regulatory agencies.
• There is an independent judiciary that settles disputes.
The council-manager form of government has long supported local democracy. The form features the following characteristics:
• Local government elections are often nonpartisan.
• Elected officials represent the needs and interests of the entire community.
• There is a policy/ administration divide, with policy decisions made by elected officials in consultation with professional staff who carry out the decisions.
• Top management is often bound by a professional code of ethics.
• Local affairs are shaped by robust participation by community members and varied business, neighborhood, and other stakeholder groups.
If a jurisdiction historically excludes certain groups or the local government is not working
to intentionally include all segments of the community in addressing a contentious issue (such as homeless encampments or police mistreatment of certain groups), people may storm the governing board meeting and demand action. It may be disruptive and ugly, but sometimes these disruptive displays force local government agencies to pause, reevaluate, and take more inclusive action.
Participants in the ICMA Annual Conference session recognized that there were no simple solutions to the kinds of threats to local democracy that have unfortunately become all too common. However, they did recognize that city and county executives and other senior managers have a critical role to play in defending the democratic institutions at the local level. In doing so, we must partner with those elected officials who support democratic norms and traditions.
As part of the interactive conference session, participants discussed a number of partial responses to the threats to democracy:
1. Promote the ICMA Code of Ethics.
Because some elected officials, other political players, and/ or monied interests may try to pressure you to take unethical actions undercutting local democracy, promote the ICMA Code of Ethics, post the Code in your office (so you can refer to it during conversations), and reference the Code in your employment agreement. During discussions with governing board members, reinforce that
you serve the whole board, share information with all, and execute the decisions of the board majority.
2. Help the governing board develop a code of conduct for the governing board members and those attending governing board meetings. Support the governing board in developing a code of respectful conduct by board members and protocols for public input at board meetings. Start meetings with the presiding officer expressing the standards and expectations for respectful input at the meeting. ICMA, National League of Cities, and state municipal leagues have sample codes and other resources to develop codes of conduct. In the case of disrespectful or hateful speech, help the presiding official provide a response indicating that the governing board does not condone hurtful speech.
3. Help the governing board develop strategic priorities and adopt an organizational work plan for the coming year. Help the governing board identify its big-picture priorities for the upcoming one- or twoyear work cycle. Recommend a one- or two-year list of key projects for the governing board to adopt. If an elected official or other powerful individuals or groups pressure you to take unauthorized action, return to the governing board to get direction.
4. Understand the limits of public hearings to address controversial issues.
Public hearings at governing board meetings are the worst forums for addressing controversial adaptive challenges facing local communities (e.g., concerns related to the unhoused community, climate change actions, affordable housing projects, etc.). Either in advance of the public hearing (the better option) or in response to a contentious public hearing, design and offer a facilitated meeting or series of meetings in a neutral space away from city hall involving the stakeholders or other affected participants. Go beyond the usual stakeholders to ensure more representative input.
(See Endnote #1 to learn more about this in the article, “Career Compass No.15: Dealing with Angry Crowds.”)1
5. Develop relationships with key stakeholder groups in advance of confronting contentious challenges.
Relationships must precede problem-solving. Ensure that local government staff develop relationships with key stakeholder representatives in advance of controversy and conflict. With a solid relationship, you may not be able to resolve a conflict, but you can work together to minimize conflict and acrimony that can tear apart the community.
6. Ensure all voices are heard.
Oftentimes, well-organized business or homeowner groups dominate a discussion at governing board meetings with little input from marginalized groups (such as renters, at-risk youth, new immigrant groups). To ensure that all voices are considered by elected officials, develop outreach plans to engage marginalized groups. In addition to providing hard
data to the governing board and other interested groups, incorporate “soft data” (for example, testimonials and stories) to make the hard data come alive. This soft data can include the lived experiences of any marginalized individuals or groups. (See Endnote #2 to learn more about this in the article, “Career Compass No. 50: Storytelling: A Powerful Way to Lead and Communicate.”)2
7. Anticipate disruption and develop a plan.
Work with the mayor or chair of the board, city attorney or county counsel, city clerk or clerk of the board, and police chief or sheriff to anticipate Zoom bombs, hate speech, and angry groups that could potentially disrupt governing board meetings. Identify what actions that elected officials, appointed officials, and public safety officers will take to minimize the disruptions. Provide de-escalation training for elected and appointed officials in charge of the meeting, as well as any attending public safety staff. Assign a police officer to be visible at the meeting. Experiment and refine the plan based on your experience. (See Endnote #3 to learn more about this in the article, “Managing Angry Mobs Disrupting Governing Board Meetings.”3)
As is the case of California, elected officials may wish to work with their state municipal league to pass new state legislation clarifying when hate speech becomes disruptive behavior and thereby allows law enforcement officers to remove a disruptive individual from a governing board meeting.4
8. Protect public officials under attack.
Governing board members, city and county executives, election
officials, public health officers, and other public officials are under attack for doing their jobs. To make matters worse, family members are now being threatened. It is our duty to protect public officials and their family members with adequate law enforcement resources at work—and at their homes, if necessary—so officials can safely do their work. Secure restraining orders if needed.
9. Provide mental health and peer support. When officials and family members are threatened, it is often traumatic. Therefore, we need to provide peer support and mental health resources, as well as law enforcement protection. Mental health resources can be provided by your agency’s employee assistance program (EAP) or the organization may partner with county agencies or community mental health organizations.
10. Know your ethical boundaries. Our professional and ethical reputation is our one key asset. And many chief executives have a severance clause as part of their employment agreements. Therefore, if you are being threatened with termination if you do not take an action that in your view is illegal or unethical, or in some other way seriously undercuts your core values, you must know your boundaries, resist, and deal with the consequences (even if it is termination of your employment).
We in local government have recently been overwhelmed with attacks on democracy. While there are no magic solutions in responding to these threats, we must all take
action to preserve our democratic institutions, and public processes. This takes guts and comes with some risk. Yet, it is now required of us, and we must rise to meet the challenge.
1 “Career Compass No. 15: Dealing with Angry Crowds,” ICMA Coaching Program, December 10, 2010, https:// icma.org/articles/article/careercompass-no-15-dealing-angry-crowds.
2 “Career Compass No. 50: Storytelling: A Powerful Way to Lead and Communicate,” ICMA Coaching Program, June 1, 2016, https://www. icma.org/articles/article/careercompass-no-50-storytelling-powerfulway-lead-and-communicate-0.
3 “Managing Angry Mobs Disrupting Governing Board Meetings,” Dr. Frank Benest et al, Institute for Local Government, March 2022, https:// www.ca-ilg.org/sites/main/files/ilg_ managing_angry_mobs_ver4.pdf.
4 “Bill to address public meeting disruptions signed into law,” https://www.calcities.org/news/ post/2022/08/24/bill-to-addresspublic-meeting-disruptions-signedinto-law
DR. FRANK BENEST, ICMA-CM (RETIRED), is the former city manager of Palo Alto, California. He is a recipient of the ICMA Distinguished Service Award, and currently serves as ICMA liaison for Next Gen initiatives.
GAINES is the deputy city manager of Palo Alto, California, and a board member and advisor to the YMCA Youth and Government Program.
ROD GOULD, ICMA-CM, is the former city manager of Santa Monica, California. He is a former ICMA Executive Board member and an ICMA Distinguished Service Award recipient.
Ethical fairness involves different conceptions of need, deservingness, and entitlement, and is at the heart of public action.
ICMA’s director of ethics, Jessica Cowles, wrote in the January issue of PM magazine about the arc of ambition that ICMA has followed in updating and developing its approach to ethics, from the Code’s inception in 1924, through the ever-widening circle of equality it has encompassed, to our current position in 2024.
Codes of ethics are common globally in government and public service. They start with very broad objectives, but they tend to narrow into considerations of how to avoid corruption or breaches of integrity in public and professional conduct. This is inevitable as codes of ethics tend to set standards of political and professional behavior and the standards required to achieve them. It’s not surprising that ethical issues are often invoked in competing claims about alleged breaches of truth telling, and alleged breaches of standards of conduct among elected and appointed public officials. Truth telling and good conduct are essential, but public ethics is so much more than the conduct of elected and appointed public officials.
Public ethics is at the heart of community governance and public service. This is not only because public ethics tells us what is right and what is wrong, but because it helps to reveal the differences between different people’s views of what is right and wrong. In every local community there are longheld views about “what is unfair around here,” and about the kinds of injustices that remain indelibly present in the fabric of everyday community life.
It is not good enough for the purpose, goals, and mission of your council to be crafted wholly separate from the moral issues that your residents face on a daily basis. And it is not good enough for you and your elected council to decide what is in the “common good” of the residents of your area if that judgment is not connected to the current challenges facing people in your community.
And unfortunately, surveys of public opinion or sentiment don’t quite fill the gap.
Public ethics is not just about what your council does to protect the human rights, property rights, and freedom of your residents and businesses. It’s also about what your council does to mediate between different ideas of fairness and justice, as well as how it operates on a day-to-day basis, deciding how to allocate resources, where to invest in public infrastructure, and how to design inclusive public services.
In their daily consumption of private goods and services, citizens balance quality, reliability, and cost. In their experience of public services, these factors remain crucial— but so does fairness. Fairness in the design and delivery of public infrastructure and services is at the heart of their judgment of what constitutes a good public project or a cost-effective public service. But fairness is not easy to assess. Equality impact assessments help, but they do not come close to addressing issues of unfairness or inequity.
My own experience of handling these challenges in local government stemmed from two events. First, our deliberative discussions with differing communities of interest in London about how we ought dramatically to reduce the cost of services in the aftermath of the global financial crash and its impact on council revenues. And second, from discussing with the bereaved and survivors of an appalling fire tragedy (where 72 people, 18 of them children, lost their lives in a fire in a council-owned residential block in central London) how the council should act ethically and fairly to address their immediate
and practical challenges, as well as their future needs and requirements.
Consider this: is it in the “common good” for a muchloved but dilapidated local landmark to be demolished and replaced by affordable housing, or should it be restored at public expense as a community asset? Who knows? It all depends—on the specifics of the situation, the context of community values and aspirations, the appetite of the local development market, and the availability of public funds. This is why so many arguments for public initiatives that seek to promote the “common good” and “public betterment” are best decided locally. For it is at the local level that pragmatism is best grounded—where people discuss among themselves what’s just and what’s fair. Not in theory but in real world circumstances where those who will gain get to meet those who will lose.
Amartya Sen, who won the Nobel Prize in Economics in 1988 for his work on welfare economics, illustrates the ethical challenge of delivering justice with a short thought experiment. Imagine three children arguing about who should have a flute. Anne says the flute should go to her because she is the only one who knows how to play it. Bob says the flute should go to him because he lives in a very poor family and has no toys or musical instruments to play with. Carla says the flute should be hers because she made it. Sen argues that who gets the flute depends on your philosophy of justice. Bob, the poorest, will be supported by the economic egalitarian. The libertarian would argue for Carla. The utilitarian will
argue for Anne because she will get the most pleasure, since she can actually play the instrument. Sen suggests that these are incommensurable claims that cannot be resolved in a universally acceptable and fair way.
Generative AI cannot resolve incommensurable claims or incompatible values, so we need elected politicians and professional city/ county managers to reconcile differences and enable ethically informed compromises. In a crowded future of increasing social diversity and competing claims on public resources, the demands of public ethics will be at the forefront of governance challenges.
Ethical fairness is about more than “treating everyone equally” or simply being “consistent.” Ethical fairness is about different conceptions of need, deservingness, and entitlement. Fairness is at the heart of politics and at the heart of public action. It will therefore be a central requirement for the skills and abilities of future public leaders.
General and abstract principles can help, but they need to be situated in the practical considerations that public leaders face, in discouraging harmful conduct and encouraging kind and thoughtful conduct. Toward the end of the last century, Judith Shklar wrote of the five ordinary vices that are present in human affairs and which we must act to restrain. These vices are cruelty, hypocrisy, snobbery, betrayal, and misanthropy. She argues that the vice that produces the greatest evil is cruelty, and community action should seek to restrain this vice.
Some 30 years later, Michael Ignatieff wrote about the importance of four ordinary
virtues needed to help communities in our increasingly divided and disordered world. Based on face-to-face discussions with diverse communities around the world, he examined what ordinary people from different cultures and belief systems do when they confront each other on specific issues of moral principle. They rarely start by hammering out a set of shared values based on some universalist principles. Commonly, they work out practical ways of accommodating aspects of each other’s lifestyles and perspectives so that they are able to tolerably live together in the same community.
Ignatieff’s four ordinary virtues are tolerance, forgiveness, trust, and resilience. He stresses the importance of these ordinary virtues in leading communities of strangers to live together in harmony. Importantly for councils, these ordinary virtues privilege the local over the universal, and are essential for creating a moral order in localities in the context of a noisy and divided world.
Shklar J (1984) The Ordinary Vices, Belknap Harvard University Press, https://www.hup.harvard.edu/ books/9780674641761.
Ignatieff M (2017) The Ordinary Virtues, Harvard University Press, https://www. hup.harvard.edu/books/9780674237490.
DR. BARRY QUIRK
is a life member of ICMA. He worked for 45 years in London’s local government until the end of 2022. He was a chief executive at Lewisham, as well as at Kensington and Chelsea. He is a strategic advisor to the Local Government Association in the UK.
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Furthering ethics training and promoting ICMA’s mission of professional and ethical public administration in the learning opportunity of a lifetime as an ICMA Tranter-Leong fellow.BY ANA ELIZÁRRAGA
During a visit to Mexico in the 1940s, one of the world’s most eccentric surrealist painters, Salvador Dalí, was quoted as saying, “Under no circumstances will I return to Mexico, as I cannot stand being in a country that is more surreal than my paintings.” A bold statement from a bold artist. But what could be more surrealist than melting clocks in a desolate landscape, such as those seen in his most famous painting, “The Persistence of Memory”? What could evoke both terror and beauty more than “The Metamorphosis of Narcissus”? The idea of Mexico being fantastical is not novel. Its history is filled with intricate juxtapositions of darkness and light that surpass even the wildest fantasies of Dalí, Breton, or Magritte. I was born in this wondrous place. I grew accustomed to various
moments of cognitive dissonance and developed the very Mexican attitude of turning hardships into learning opportunities, much like the alchemist turns lead into nuggets of gold.
This surreal essence extends far and wide into all aspects of society, and public administration is no exception. It is widely known from news articles and historical facts that Mexican public administration is closely knit with politics and corruption. In Mexico, the politicsadministration dichotomy does not exist, and the strong mayor form of government is the rule of the land. Under this form of government, public administrators navigate the murky waters of rapid policy shifts, organizational ambiguity, and challenges to longterm planning. This has created ethical implications so ingrained in
the socio-political and cultural landscape that they are often overlooked by Mexicans as “just the way things are.”
So, how can there exist a municipality that pushes for the professional and ethical administration of the public good? Enter the Corregidora Municipality in the state of Querétaro, population 210,000. Corregidora is adjacent to the city of Querétaro, which
Ethical implications so ingrained in the socio-political and cultural landscape of Mexico that they are often overlooked by Mexicans as “just the way things are.”
is the capital of the state. In recent times, it has experienced high economic growth and prosperity derived from the United StatesMexico-Canada Agreement (USMCA) (formerly NAFTA) and its strategic location in the Guanajuato – Querétaro industrial and economic hub. Its slogan: El Orgullo de Querétaro, the pride of Querétaro. Its mission: to provide best-in-class services. Its most valuable assets: the accountable, dedicated, and tireless public servants. This is the story of my experience during
my service in Corregidora as an ICMA Tranter-Leong fellow.
As a public administrator, I carry the notion that we are all part of something much larger than ourselves, and if we can change the way in which we serve the public—without preconceived notions and with a sociological perspective—we will make public service decisions that benefit the whole. With this in mind, I made the decision to apply to the Tranter-Leong Fellowship, which gives ICMA members the opportunity to experience local governance in a different country while promoting ICMA’s mission of professional and ethical public administration.
I was put in contact with Salvador Torres Davalos, executive director of ICMAMéxico/Latinoamérica (ICMA). Maestro Salvador, as I formally address him in Spanish, met with me to talk about ICMA’s efforts in different Mexican municipalities. For the past 32 years, ICMA has played an
In my training, I shared the perspective that performance metrics are an opportunity not only for growth, but for legacy as well.
important role in promoting public trust and combating corruption in Mexico. In 2001, the then-mayor of Corregidora, Antonio Zapata Guerrero, participated in the development of the Sistema de Indicadores de Desempeño (SINDES) Program, an ICMA initiative funded by the United States Agency for International Development focused on measuring and comparing the performance metrics in comparable municipalities of Mexico. Projects between Corregidora and ICMA were suspended with subsequent municipal governments, and it was not until 2012 that efforts were reactivated. In that year, Mayor Zapata was again elected as mayor of the municipality. Since then, mayors Mauricio Kuri (today governor of the state of Querétaro) and Roberto Sosa (current mayor) have also sought out ICMA to develop projects such as the Results-Based Budget, training in new management models, and the creation of comprehensive plans.
Maestro Salvador mentioned the work currently being done by Nelly Patricia Sosa
González, coordinator for the Unidad Municipal del Sistema de Evaluación del Desempeño (UMSED), the performance metrics division of the Corregidora finance department. González’s goal was to provide a “why” behind what most believe to be burdensome data mining; she wanted others in the municipality to gain a new point of view on the importance of ethical performance metrics. I was immediately interested! Not only because I discovered that we shared the same vision for sustainable and ethical service provision, but also because I was born in the state of Querétaro before coming to the United States at the age of four.
I developed a training, “Ethics Applied to Performance Metrics,” that presented the philosophical study of ethics:
1. The first part of the training explored how ethics is defined through the following principles:
• The Socratic principles of continuous improvement and life-long learning.
• Kantian deontology, which focuses on treating others and processes as ends in themselves and not merely as means.
• Aristotle’s virtue ethics, which stresses the importance of embodying the virtues we’d like to see in the world.
• Ethical egoism, the concept of finding self-interest in doing the right thing.
2. The second part applied these systems to decision-making in data-driven management and performance measurement in local government based on:
• Transparency and responsibility.
• Respect for the democratic process.
• Evidence-based decision making.
• Continuous improvement.
3. Lastly, I delineated the benefits of having ethical performance metrics systems in place as a way to protect the people we serve. The training also used more contemporary literature such as The Leadership Challenge by Barry Posner and James Kouzes to explain the benefits of ethical leadership.
After presenting my Ethics Applied to Performance Metrics project to ICMA, I was granted the fellowship in October 2023. One month later, I was on a plane headed for Querétaro to serve for two weeks.
The first week consisted of 16 Ethics Applied to Performance Metrics training sessions, three per day for all secretarias (departments), and one governance training for the UMSED staff. My service at Corregidora was organized by González and her team of two performance metrics analysts, Vianney Perea and Karen Fernandez. All three quickly and graciously onboarded me and helped with logistics.
In my training, I focused on equipping the departments with the ethical toolbox necessary to view themselves as ethical leaders, and shared the perspective that performance metrics are an opportunity not only for growth, but for legacy as well. The strong mayor form of government carries the potential for patronage, where individuals are rewarded for their political loyalty rather than their qualifications or tenure. Some of the employees shared that their contracts might not be renewed due to reelection. I asked González how employees navigated working toward goals that they might not get to see come to fruition. She stated that while it was uncertain that their positions would be renewed come election time, it was their duty to leave a track record of policies, procedures, and key performance indicators for the next administration, should they not be asked to come back. While researching performance metrics programs in other Querétaro and Guanajuato municipalities, I was surprised to find that Corregidora was the only entity that had a dedicated unit for keeping a record of municipal performance. Others had incomplete or no performance metrics reports.
The second week I spent shadowing González, Perea, and Fernandez as they held workshops with each department to discuss new key performance indicators or modify current ones depending on data availability or the needs of each department. While at the workshops, I learned about the “veda politica” or the prohibition of delivering non-critical public services during the political campaigns before the election day (usually three months). Employees at the workshops were all expecting KPIs to drop during this time—through no fault of their own—and had to be cautious of avoiding non-critical provision during the political ban. All directors, leads, and analysts in charge of performance metrics cared deeply for the residents that would go without. Such is the case of the Sistema Municipal de
Desarrollo Integral de la Familia (SMDIF or Family Services) and the Secretaría de la Mujer (Women’s Department). Both entities provide much-needed social programs and services to underserved and low-income communities. SMDIF has seen an uptick of child abuse cases related to the migrant crisis affecting cities across the Mexican republic. The halt or dwindling of social services due to the political ban on services inhibits progress in these areas and puts lives at risk. Nonetheless, González, Perea, Fernandez, and the whole UMSED team are tireless in their promotion of excellence in service. They follow up with directors and performance metrics departmental leads to make sure all data is counted and complete. Their efforts are a testament to accountability and righteousness in the face of ambiguity.
During my stay, I couldn’t help but think of how different the life of a public administrator is under the council-manager form of government. The separation between politics and public administration provides a sense of security and continuity for the administrator and the people they serve. It ensures quality in programs and services, reducing ambiguity and unethical behaviors. While it is true that there are many organizational issues affecting municipalities across the United States, such as the lack of DEI initiatives, the silver tsunami, or the exodus of administrators to the private sector, we can work without the fear that our job and livelihood will be uprooted every two to three years. We can see projects from inception to completion, and are able to leave a lasting impact on those we serve. During my visit, I gained immense respect for the Mexican public administrator. Corregidora’s UMSED is proof that municipalities can do good work in spite of systemic obstacles. They are highly dedicated, adaptable, and emotionally intelligent. They navigate an intricate form of government that has been imposed on the nation for hundreds of years with integrity and savoir-faire.
While there, I took many walks around town and admired the beautiful El Cerrito Pyramid overlooking the town square. The pyramid served as a political and ceremonial center for the Toltec, Chichimeca, and Otomi empires dating from 300 BCE until the late 15th century. Immediately west of the pyramid is the Shrine of Our Lady of Pueblito, patron saint of Corregidora and one of the first virgin saints of color. Having pre-Columbian rituals and Catholic rites coexisting in a less-than-a-mile radius was not far off from a Dali painting. Corregidora’s people were warm and welcoming; I could not walk a block without someone greeting me with a “buenos dias!” I saw children enjoying the holiday decorations put on by the municipality, playing about the square as their mothers looked on. I saw elders drinking their coffee, sitting in the park. I realized then that public service transcends borders, languages, religions, and political ideologies. Beyond our surreal existence, we are all looking for a safe place to call home.
You’re researching roles for your first city/county/ town manager job! As the initial thrill subsides and you gear up to take the reins, it’s understandable if anxiety starts to creep in. With resources like ICMA, there’s no shortage of advice for first-time managers from seasoned professionals, all valuable in their own right. My insights are drawn from my personal experiences and observations and are intended to complement other articles on this topic. By drawing from not only my successes but my mistakes, I hope my thoughts will provide a fresh perspective that paves the way for a successful career.
Choose Wisely
Research your potential location. Some individuals thrive in challenging environments, while others are consumed by them. My experiences have offered me
a glimpse of both scenarios.
I once found myself as the sixth manager in a single year in a particularly demanding town. In another, I was the fifth manager over a span of six years. In two separate instances, I succeeded local legends, who were unceremoniously ousted despite their two decades of service. Sometimes, these transitions were successful; other times, they were nothing short of disastrous. It’s essential to understand the dynamics of the situation you’re stepping into and never hesitate to withdraw from the recruitment process if your intuition signals potential trouble.
Despite the originator’s objectionable views on issues related to race, this dichotomy forms the bedrock of the council-manager form of government that persists today.
Opinions on this dichotomy can vary slightly, but one aspect remains constant: managers must uphold political neutrality and steer clear of decisionmaking swayed by politics. This, however, doesn’t mean you should have a hostile view toward politics or total neglect of the local political landscape. Being cognizant of your community’s political dynamics and their bearing on decisionmaking doesn’t undermine this dichotomy. Managers must realize that politics are very much a part of their daily existence. Author Richard Stillman noted that “the acid test of survival for managers is their ability to come to grips with the complex political realities of the communities in which they operate.”1
Your ultimate decisions should never be based on these political dynamics, but the manner in which they are administered could be modified. For example, changing the timing of a decision or proactively informing and educating key stakeholders about impending policy changes affecting government operations. As it relates to personnel, in one instance, I faced considerable backlash for a personnel decision that affected a long-standing employee and resident. Upon reflection, while I would have stood by the decision, my approach could have been different given the political climate I had overlooked.
Bear in mind that we aren’t policymakers. We recommend and execute the ultimate policy of the governing body. There will be instances where their viewpoint is in contrast to
Remaining neutral and implementing majority policy with a healthy respect for the governing minority will help navigate the choppy waters of local government.
what we believe to be the best course of action. Occasionally, we might even question the rationale behind a decision and the motives fueling it. You’ve fulfilled your role as long as you’ve respectfully voiced your opinion and highlighted potential outcomes if alternate paths are pursued. They might be contemplating political alternatives you’re unaware of. This isn’t inherently negative; ultimately, they’re the politicians with the prerogative to do so, provided their viewpoint is rooted in ethics and legality. Avoid taking offense and pushing your perspective to a point where it becomes offensive because, in the end, it can negatively impact your performance and manifest itself in other areas.
Every community has them— some have more than others, some exuding a fervor that can raise your pulse to what seem like unhealthy levels. Maintaining calm in these situations is imperative, a feat I recognize is sometimes easier said than accomplished. I confess that in the early stages of my career, I occasionally fell victim to temptation and lost my own temper. Later in my career, I kept calm in the face of a hostile resident and eventually came to have a cordial relationship with them. I urge you to lend an ear to diverse perspectives, even those stemming from those with what seems like persistent antagonism. Those who seem perpetually combative, often the most demanding community members, can also impart valuable insights and valid points. Refrain from disregarding a proposition merely because of its source.
Emergencies are an inevitable part of the life of a city manager, often resulting in long workdays and late-night phone calls. However, it’s important to have boundaries and a reasonable view of what constitutes an emergency and what does not. One strategy I have employed to maintain this balance involves distancing myself from emails during evenings and weekends. It’s a boundary I have set with past governing bodies, emphasizing that I avoid checking and responding to emails during those hours. In exchange, I’m always ready to respond to texts or calls, assuring them they should not hesitate to contact me if
they encounter a problem or have questions during non-traditional business hours. This didn’t mean I never checked emails outside of work hours, but I didn’t want to set the expectation of receiving a substantive reply off hours if it wasn’t necessary.
This approach has resulted in fewer calls, but the ones I receive outside regular working hours tended to be productive. I don’t restrict these interactions to emergencies only. For instance, I’ve encouraged elected officials to text me if they’re attending a weekend event and encounter a question from a resident they can’t answer, promising
to provide the information they need. This level of transparency has made them less concerned about my email detachment outside of normal work hours.
While there is no silver bullet on what does and does not work in this regard, it is critical to find work-life balances that work for you. Maintaining productivity in both your home and work environments can be challenging if stress from occupational concerns is continually at your doorstep.
In city/county management, it’s natural to encounter
Change is the only constant in this field.
divisions within governing bodies, whether along party lines or nonpartisan factions. It’s important to remember that, despite these divides, the ultimate role of the manager is to work in service of the majority’s policy decisions. However, this doesn’t diminish the significance of the minority’s role in governance.
In the face of any disagreement or split vote, two principles should guide your actions. Firstly, it’s your duty to execute the majority policy with utmost professionalism, regardless of your personal leanings. The politicsadministration dichotomy is clear on this: the ability to steer
clear from personal preferences and adhere to the mandate of the majority is paramount.
Secondly, don’t ignore the insights of the governing minority. Even if their opinion didn’t prevail, they remain an integral part of the legislative process, and it’s imperative that any disagreements among factions do not cloud your judgment of their intentions.
Aligning with the majority based on their approved vision does not warrant any animosity toward the rest of the group.
You may feel pressure to deviate from the majority view, especially if you’re often inclined to agree with the minority, but a gentle reminder that your role is to implement the approved policy can help maintain your course. That said, just because they voiced dissent doesn’t
mean they should be kept out of the loop. Regular consultation and communication, inclusive of important updates on projects or policies, are essential.
Change is the only constant in this field. The dynamics of a governing body can shift rapidly, with majorities flipping in a year due to resignations or elections. A 5-2 majority swinging one way today could easily tip in the opposite direction tomorrow following an election. Don’t let your support for one side cause you to be worried about your job every election cycle.
Remaining neutral and implementing majority policy with a healthy respect for the governing minority will help navigate the choppy waters of local government and foster an environment of inclusivity and transparency.
Being a first-time city manager can be both exciting and challenging, but for most, it ends up being a rewarding career. My advice comes from years of experience and, most importantly, lessons learned from my own mistakes. I hope it provides a foundation for your executive career in the public sector. From understanding the importance of political neutrality and maintaining a balanced approach to work-life dynamics to navigating the complexities of challenging residents and politically divisive communities, your success depends on your ability to adapt and grow in the face of a constantly changing environment.
Being a first-time manager, despite its potential challenges, is always an exciting opportunity to embrace and focus on your personal and professional growth. Experience is always the best teacher, and you may learn even from the inevitable mistakes. Embrace change, maintain your ethics, and always strive for balance. This is the key to thriving as a municipal executive.
ENDNOTE
1 Watson, D. J., & Hassett, W. L. (2003). Long-Serving City Managers: Why Do They Stay? Public Administration Review, 63(1), 71–78. http://www.jstor.org/ stable/977522
JERRY GIAIMIS, ICMA-CM, is northeast regional director of ICMA.
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The ICMA Code of Ethics was adopted by the ICMA membership in 1924, and most recently amended by the membership in April 2023. The Guidelines for the Code were adopted by the ICMA Executive Board in 1972, and most recently revised in June 2023.
The mission of ICMA is to advance professional local government through leadership, management, innovation, and ethics. To further this mission, certain principles, as enforced by the Rules of Procedure, shall govern the conduct of every member of ICMA, who shall:
Tenet 1. We believe professional management is essential to effective, efficient, equitable, and democratic local government.
Tenet 2. Affirm the dignity and worth of local government services and maintain a deep sense of social responsibility as a trusted public servant.
Advice to Officials of Other Local Governments. When members advise and respond to inquiries from elected or appointed officials of other local governments, they should inform the administrators of those communities in order to uphold local government professionalism.
Tenet 3. Demonstrate by word and action the highest standards of ethical conduct and integrity in all public, professional, and personal relationships in order that the member may merit the trust and respect of the elected and appointed officials, employees, and the public.
Public Confidence. Members should conduct themselves so as to maintain public confidence in their position and profession, the integrity of their local
government, and in their responsibility to uphold the public trust.
Length of Service. For chief administrative/executive officers appointed by a governing body or elected official, a minimum of two years is considered necessary to render a professional service to the local government. In limited circumstances, it may be in the best interests of the local government and the member to separate before serving two years. Some examples include refusal of the appointing authority to honor commitments concerning conditions of employment, a vote of no confidence in the member, or significant personal issues. It is the responsibility of an applicant for a position to understand conditions of employment, including expectations of service. Not understanding the terms of employment prior to accepting does not justify premature separation. For all members a short tenure should be the exception rather than a recurring experience, and members are expected to honor all conditions of employment with the organization.
Appointment Commitment. Members who accept an appointment to a position should report to that position. This does not preclude the possibility of a member considering several offers or seeking several positions at the same time. However, once a member has accepted a formal offer of employment, that commitment is considered binding unless the employer makes fundamental changes in the negotiated terms of employment.
Credentials. A member’s resume for employment or application for ICMA’s Voluntary Credentialing Program shall completely and accurately reflect the member’s education, work experience, and personal history. Omissions and inaccuracies must be avoided.
Professional Respect. Members seeking a position should show professional respect for persons formerly holding the position,
successors holding the position, or for others who might be applying for the same position. Professional respect does not preclude honest differences of opinion; it does preclude attacking a person’s motives or integrity.
Reporting Ethics Violations. When becoming aware of a possible violation of the ICMA Code of Ethics, members are encouraged to report possible violations to ICMA. In reporting the possible violation, members may choose to go on record as the complainant or report the matter on a confidential basis.
Confidentiality. Members shall not discuss or divulge information with anyone about pending or completed ethics cases, except as specifically authorized by the Rules of Procedure for Enforcement of the Code of Ethics.
Seeking Employment. Members should not seek employment for a position that has an incumbent who has not announced his or her separation or been officially informed by the appointive entity that his or her services are to be terminated. Members should not initiate contact with representatives of the appointive entity. Members contacted by representatives of the appointive entity body regarding prospective interest in the position should decline to have a conversation until the incumbent’s separation from employment is publicly known.
Relationships in the Workplace. Members should not engage in an intimate or romantic relationship with any elected official or board appointee, employee they report to, one they appoint and/ or supervise, either directly or indirectly, within the organization.
This guideline does not restrict personal friendships, professional mentoring, or social interactions with employees, elected officials and Board appointees. Influence. Members should conduct their professional and personal affairs
in a manner that demonstrates that they cannot be improperly influenced in the performance of their official duties.
Conflicting Roles. Members who serve multiple roles – either within the local government organization or externally –should avoid participating in matters that create either a conflict of interest or the perception of one. They should disclose any potential conflict to the governing body so that it can be managed appropriately.
Conduct Unbecoming. Members should treat people fairly, with dignity and respect and should not engage in, or condone bullying behavior, harassment, sexual harassment or discrimination on the basis of race, religion, national origin, age, disability, gender, gender identity, or sexual orientation.
Tenet 4. Serve the best interests of all community members.
Effects of Decisions. Members should inform the appropriate elected or appointed official(s) of a decision’s anticipated effects on community members.
Promote Equity. Members should ensure fairness and impartiality in accessing programs and services and in the enforcement of laws and regulations. Members should assess and propose solutions to strive to eliminate disparities.
Tenet 5. Submit policy proposals to elected officials; provide them with facts, and technical and professional advice about policy options; and collaborate with them in setting goals for the community and organization.
Tenet 6. Recognize that elected representatives are accountable to their community for the decisions they make; members are responsible for implementing those decisions.
Tenet 7. Refrain from all political activities which undermine public confidence in professional administrators. Refrain from participation in the election of the members of the employing legislative body.
Elections of the Governing Body. Members should maintain a reputation for serving equally and impartially all members of the governing body of the local government they serve, regardless of party. To this end, they should not participate in an election campaign on behalf of or in opposition to candidates for the governing body.
Elections of Elected Executives. Members shall not participate in the election campaign of any candidate for mayor or elected county executive.
Running for Office. Members shall not run for elected office or become involved in political activities related to running for elected office, or accept appointment to an elected office. They shall not seek political endorsements, financial contributions or engage in other campaign activities.
Elections. Members share with their fellow citizens the right and responsibility to vote. However, in order not to impair their effectiveness on behalf of the local governments they serve, they shall not participate in political activities to support the candidacy of individuals running for any city, county, special district, school, state or federal offices. Specifically, they shall not endorse candidates, make financial contributions, sign or circulate petitions, or participate in fund-raising activities for individuals seeking or holding elected office.
Elections relating to the Form of Government. Members may assist in preparing and presenting materials that explain the form of government to the public prior to a form of government election. If assistance is required by another community, members may respond.
Presentation of Issues. Members may assist their governing body in the presentation of issues involved in referenda such as bond issues, annexations, and other matters that affect the government entity’s operations and/or fiscal capacity.
Personal Advocacy of Issues. Members share with their fellow citizens the right and responsibility to voice their opinion
on public issues. Members may advocate for issues of personal interest only when doing so does not conflict with the performance of their official duties.
Tenet 8. Make it a duty continually to improve the member’s professional ability and to develop the competence of associates in the use of management techniques.
Self-Assessment. Each member should assess his or her professional skills and abilities on a periodic basis.
Professional Development. Each member should commit at least 40 hours per year to professional development activities that are based on the practices identified by the members of ICMA.
Tenet 9. Keep the community informed on local government affairs. Encourage and facilitate active engagement and constructive communication between community members and all local government officials.
Engagement. Members should ensure community members can actively engage with their local government as well as eliminate barriers and support involvement of the community in the governance process.
Tenet 10. Resist any encroachment on professional responsibilities, believing the member should be free to carry out official policies without interference, and handle each problem without discrimination on the basis of principle and justice.
Information Sharing. The member should openly share information with the governing body while diligently carrying out the member’s responsibilities as set forth in the charter or enabling legislation.
Tenet 11. Manage all personnel matters with fairness and impartiality.
Diversity and Inclusion. It is the member’s responsibility to recruit, hire, promote, retain, train, and support a diverse workforce at all levels of the organization.
Tenet 12. Public office is a public trust. A member shall not leverage his or her position for personal gain or benefit.
Gifts. Members shall not directly or indirectly solicit, accept or receive any gift if it could reasonably be perceived or inferred that the gift was intended to influence them in the performance of their official duties; or if the gift was intended to serve as a reward for any official action on their part.
The term “Gift” includes but is not limited to services, travel, meals, gift cards, tickets, or other entertainment or hospitality. Gifts of money or loans from persons other than the local government jurisdiction pursuant to normal employment practices are not acceptable.
Members should not accept any gift that could undermine public confidence. De minimus gifts may be accepted in circumstances that support the execution of the member’s official duties or serve a legitimate public purpose. In those cases, the member should determine a modest maximum dollar value based on guidance from the governing body or any applicable state or local law.
The guideline is not intended to apply to normal social practices, not associated with the member’s official duties, where gifts are exchanged among friends, associates and relatives.
Investments in Conflict with Official Duties. Members should refrain from any investment activity which would compromise the impartial and objective performance of their duties. Members should not invest or hold any investment, directly or indirectly, in any financial business, commercial, or other private transaction that creates a conflict of interest, in fact or appearance, with their official duties.
In the case of real estate, the use of confidential information and knowledge to further a member’s personal interest is not permitted. Purchases and sales which might be interpreted as speculation for quick profit should be avoided (see the guideline on “Confidential Information”). Because personal investments may appear to influence official actions and decisions, or create the appearance of impropriety, members should disclose or dispose of such investments prior to accepting a position in a local government. Should the conflict of interest arise during employment, the member should make full disclosure and/or recuse themselves prior to any official action by the governing body that may affect such investments.
This guideline is not intended to prohibit a member from having or acquiring an interest in or deriving a benefit from any investment when the interest or benefit is due to ownership by the member or the member’s family of a de minimus percentage of a corporation traded on a recognized stock exchange even though the corporation or its subsidiaries may do business with the local government.
Personal Relationships. In any instance where there is a conflict of interest, appearance of a conflict of interest, or personal financial gain of a member by virtue of a relationship with any individual, spouse/partner, group, agency, vendor or other entity, the member shall disclose the relationship to the organization. For example, if the member has a relative that works for a developer doing business with the local government, that fact should be disclosed.
Confidential Information. Members shall not disclose to others, or use to advance their personal interest, intellectual property, confidential information, or information that is not yet public knowledge, that has been acquired by them in the course of their official duties.
Information that may be in the public domain or accessible by means of an open records request, is not confidential.
Private Employment. Members should not engage in, solicit, negotiate for, or promise to accept private employment, nor should they render services for private interests or conduct a private business when such
employment, service, or business creates a conflict with or impairs the proper discharge of their official duties.
Teaching, lecturing, writing, or consulting are typical activities that may not involve conflict of interest, or impair the proper discharge of their official duties. Prior notification of the appointing authority is appropriate in all cases of outside employment.
Representation. Members should not represent any outside interest before any agency, whether public or private, except with the authorization of or at the direction of the appointing authority they serve.
Endorsements. Members should not endorse commercial products or services by agreeing to use their photograph, endorsement, or quotation in paid or other commercial advertisements, marketing materials, social media, or other documents, whether the member is compensated or not for the member’s support. Members may, however, provide verbal professional references as part of the due diligence phase of competitive process or in response to a direct inquiry.
Members may agree to endorse the following, provided they do not receive any compensation: (1) books or other publications; (2) professional development or educational services provided by nonprofit membership organizations or recognized educational institutions; (3) products and/or services in which the local government has a direct economic interest.
Members’ observations, opinions, and analyses of commercial products used or tested by their local governments are appropriate and useful to the profession when included as part of professional articles and reports.
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Women in local government management around the world talk to us about what it takes to succeed, how they manage both work and life, and their advice for the next generation.BY LAURA SAVAGE, JEANETTE GASS, AND JESSI ATCHESON
Around the world, there are extraordinary and successful women local government leaders who are dedicated to improving service delivery and creating diverse and sustainable communities. As a result, the local government management profession has witnessed significant progress toward gender balance over the last few decades.
In 1974, ICMA established the Task Force on Women in the Profession to confront the fact that only one percent of chief administrative officer (CAO) positions in local government in the United States and Canada were filled by women. Ever since, ICMA has continued to champion the inclusion of women in local government administration. Over the past 50 years, we have made significant strides to help increase opportunities for women to serve as CAOs, who now serve in 23% of CAO positions nationwide.
In celebration of International Women’s Day on March 8, 2024, and Women’s History Month in the United States, ICMA interviewed leaders around the world about their experiences in local government and what they see for the future of the profession.
In honor of 100 years of the “I” in ICMA, we interviewed women from around the world about skills needed to be successful in local government. While a wide variety of responses were received, there were many similar themes. One idea that resonates globally is the importance of continually learning and developing soft skills such as open-mindedness, respect, compassion, and humility. Open-mindedness helps with other soft skills, as well as the technical aspects of local government management, while respect, compassion, and humility are important for good public service and personal mental health. Embracing these
qualities can elevate women’s leadership and inspire others to work toward shared goals and contribute positively to their organization’s overall success.
Chelsea Jackson, deputy city manager, Douglasville, Georgia, USA, explains, “The hard skills I possess have allowed for advancement but it’s empathy, customer service, and great communication, among other skills that have allowed me to grow further in my career.” Other respondents agreed and noted that many of the soft skills require continual learning.
“It includes having constant curiosity with an open mind, admitting mistakes and learning from them, and making time to learn,” adds Samantha Tavares,
special projects administrator, Phoenix, Arizona, USA. This learning can come from anyone and anywhere.
As Betsy Keller, ICMA-CM, county administrator, El Paso County, Texas, USA, says, “I am continually trying to cultivate these qualities in myself through watching, listening, and learning from others who have these traits, whether it is attending an ICMA session; learning from other county administrators, department heads, or elected officials; or watching my courageous and kind grandchildren!”
Elaine I-Lan Wang, town manager, Winooski, Vermont, USA, explains how one soft skill might help you with others or with “hard skill” problems. They say,
“If I had to pick one, it would be open mindedness. This shows up in several ways. For example, you can’t predict where a good idea is going to come from. Don’t discount who might come up with one, or where, when, or how. Another way is taking every complaint at face value. Don’t discount the content based on the tone in which it’s delivered, or the history of the person delivering it. For me, open mindedness goes handin-hand with other important qualities for a successful local government leader: respect and compassion for others, humility, flexibility, and scanning for and responding to significant trends. Respect, compassion, and humility aren’t just important for good public service but
also your own personal mental health (which promotes your success). I don’t have to have all the answers because I respect others enough to have them be part of the solution. If I’m humble, I can give and receive compassion. Cultivating the quality of open-mindedness is really about cultivating a habit. Like any habit, I remind myself, practice it, note the positive outcomes when I do it, and don’t beat myself up for when I lapse, but just encourage myself to keep at it.”
Natalia Petrenko, mayor, Shulhynka, Ukraine, says, “The best portrait of a leader is an effective, honest, and fair manager who strives to improve the living conditions of his or her population in his or her territory. It
is very difficult to find the right approach to different segments of the population at the same time. It is a constant way out of the comfort zone. A person must be stress resistant.”
As Shawna Davis, city administrator, Odessa, Missouri, USA, explains, “I strive to instill qualities such as integrity and resilience within the organization’s culture. The staff should know that I will fight for the greater good, no matter the circumstances. We are a team working towards the common goal of providing the best possible services to the community that we love.”
Vicki Mayo, CEO, Local Government Professionals NSW, Australia, adds that a diverse range of skills is needed and highlights the importance of learning from your team. “Local government professionals need both management and leadership skills to be effective in
today’s dynamic work environment. We need to have the strategic and business skills to set plans and policy for growth and sustainability—we need project management skills, facilitation skills, and negotiation skills—but more than ever, we need the ability to lead and manage people in a range of ways and through various circumstances that many of us have not seen before. We need to hone our communication skills, both internally with our teams, and externally with our communities. We need to ensure clear expectations of roles and responsibilities, and we need to prioritize mental health and wellbeing. I am lucky to work with some of the best learning and development professionals in the business, so I learn a lot from them, but I also take time to network with my peers to learn from their lived experiences.”
ICMA-CM, county
Johnson County, Kansas, USA, notes that part of these soft skills may include acceptance of the realities of the field. She explains, “You need to know that many areas in local government, such as leadership, have fewer women so you may have to work extra hard and receive additional scrutiny. Accepting this and knowing that it can make you stronger will serve you well. Be brave and do not underestimate what you contribute in your own unique way. Skills that are needed more than ever are knowing how to navigate in times that are not as civil, having humility, and understanding how to develop an annual budget, the most important policy document of the year.”
Balancing work and personal responsibilities all while maintaining health and wellbeing are crucial to success as a local government leader. However, it is not always easy and requires both personal management and help from your team or other leaders around you to truly achieve success. While many of the women leaders we heard from indicated that they had taken steps toward better work-life integration, many have found that it’s helpful to take a new perspective on the perpetual challenge of balancing one’s personal life and professional life.
For Ma. Veronica C. Hitosis, executive director, League of Cities of the Philippines, “Work and life balance remains an ongoing effort. The key is
having good foundational values and principles: integrity, honesty, grit, and hard work.” Emily Lewis, deputy county administrator, Charlotte County Board of County Commissioners, Florida, USA, adds, “I’ve learned to give myself grace (and permission) to not get it all done every day and to prioritize what is most important to achieve in the limited hours I have in a day. Finally, I’ve come to the realization that it will all be okay in the end and if it’s not ok, it’s not the end.”
Other women commented on the term work-life balance itself, which may set unrealistic expectations. Tanya Ange, ICMA-CM, county administrator, Washington County, Oregon, USA, and incoming ICMA president, says, “I’ve grown skeptical of the idea of work-life balance, largely because I’ve never been able to achieve it. I’ve always strived to give more to my organization, more to the community, and more to my family.
A more realistic strategy for me is worklife integration. This approach involves continuous time management. I’m a morning person, so I take time at the beginning of each day for exercise, mindful reflection and focusing on gratitude. Mindfulness is important for resilience, and we need all the resilience we can get in public service.”
Jennifer Prochazka, assistant city manager, College Station, Texas, USA, takes a slightly different angle saying, “I don’t believe in ‘work-life balance’ anymore. For a large part of my career, it was a phrase that made me believe that if I found the perfect spot on the scale, I’d be successful at work and present at home without stress or guilt. But, for me, the focus shifted between home and work when it needed to, and some days were easy, and some were hard. Now, I prefer to think of it all as just ‘life’—your home, partner, children, hobbies, friends… and
Ma. Veronica C. Hitosis
Emily Lewis
Tanya Ange, ICMA-CM
Jennifer Prochazka
work. These pieces combined make up your life, and work shouldn’t be the fourletter word in the mix. Find a career that helps fulfill you—something that you’re good at and that you can be proud of—and then find a place with people that support growth in all aspects of your life.”
Kelly McAdoo, city manager, Hayward, California, USA, adds to the advice about finding a career that supports you, “I have a saying that ‘some weeks I’m a good mom and some weeks I’m a good employee and it all balances out.’ We can’t be all things to everyone and there is no perfect balance. Depending on where you are in your career or your life, you may have to make choices about the positions you accept or the extra activities you take on and that is 100% okay. Only you know what is right for you and if you have to take a small detour for a few years, that is okay as well. Something to consider when you are interviewing for new roles: if you have small kids or elderly parents to care for, make sure your governing body or bosses understand or are comfortable with those commitments. If they aren’t, it probably isn’t the right fit for you right now.”
It’s ideal to have a work environment that fits your life needs. This can include team members that you know you can depend on, a supportive management structure, or even rules or legal
requirements. Situations around the world are different, but there are many examples of both formal rules and informal support structures that have helped along the way.
Pam Davis, assistant city manager, Boulder, Colorado, USA, ICMA vice president, Mountain Plains, explains about a recent experience that led her to seek assistance from those in her community, both at work and at home. While both her experience and seeking assistance were challenging, the outcome was positive. “[A] major and more recent career challenge has been maintaining my professional energy while also becoming a parent, navigating family needs, and trying to prioritize my
mental and physical health. This reached a nearly unmanageable point in early 2023, when the accumulated stress and trauma of the previous three years had me questioning if I could keep going in my career. Digging back out of all I was carrying started by asking for help, first from family and friends, then my doctor and therapist, and ultimately my team at work. While I was afraid to admit that I was struggling, I received compassion and support to take a break from work and invest in myself. Letting go of the fear of being seen as human was the greatest gift— it freed me to spend time clarifying my priorities, adopting new self-care practices, and after several weeks, returning to my job with more gratitude and passion for the work than ever.”
Laura Graham, project manager, Calgary, Alberta, Canada, shared that women (and really all local government professionals) should not be afraid to ask for help. She says, “if you have an immediate family need, worry about yourself and your family first. Your team is there to support you, and the work will get done. This has been a tough lesson for me to learn, but by being vulnerable with my team I have found that people are more willing to support you when you need them most. Trust in your team is everything.”
Dáša Jakubíková, city manager, Partizánske, Slovakia, notes that there is a balance between personal work and having a support system. She reflects, “What I learned about myself is that my working time does not depend on the place where I work, but it is caused by me wanting to accomplish too much in too short of a time. So, work-life balance is something I have to work on intentionally every day, starting with assessing whether the deadlines of tasks and projects are realistic, and whether the team is capable and how to support it, while continuing my daily routines of a healthy diet, regular exercise, enough sleep and relaxation, and of course, having family and friends who support me.”
Many countries around the world offer generous leave policies or other support systems and, while this is not available everywhere, women should take advantage of what is offered and use it in a way that works for them.
Titia Bijma, policy advisor on shared mobility, Nijmegen, The Netherlands,
highlights how she has taken advantage of the leave policies for new parents. “When our son was born 1.5 years ago, I had to figure out my work/personal balance again. If he is sick, for example, my priorities shift toward caring. Luckily, my employer gives me the space to catch up on work tasks at another moment, such as later in the evening. In the Netherlands, you can also take quite some time off when you have children: 16 weeks for maternity leave (six weeks for partners), but also 26 weeks of parental leave for both parents (of which nine weeks are 70% paid). I still use four hours of parental leave every week to be more at home in these first years.”
In Belgium, Cathy Brouckaert, finance director, Bruges, says, “Balancing a career and family, especially with four children, including seven-year-old twins, is a demanding yet rewarding journey. The key to managing this delicate balance lies in organization and strategic planning. Crucially, the exceptional flexibility and support provided by the Bruges municipal administration have been instrumental. The local government, under the leadership of general manager, Colin Beheydt, ICMA vice president, international region, embraces progressive approaches to work organization, empowering women by providing ample flexibility. This forwardthinking mindset within the organization allows women, like me, to thrive in demanding roles without compromising family commitments.
I truly believe that fostering such forward-looking organizational cultures is vital for women to shatter the glass
ceiling and aspire to the same positions as men. Offering flexibility and supportive environments enables women to excel in their careers while fulfilling familial responsibilities. I hope more organizations adopt similar approaches, recognizing that this inclusivity not only benefits women but also contributes to a more diverse and effective workforce.”
Diversity, equity, and inclusion efforts are expressed differently around the world depending on what is important in the cultural context. Despite these differences, the outcomes of increased inclusivity and workforce diversity benefit all local governments and the communities they serve.
Titia Bijma
Hemanthi Goonasekera, executive director, Federation of Sri Lankan Local Government Authorities (FSLGA), explains, “When the services are provided to the communities, they must remind themselves of the importance of equity and equality as the society they serve is very diverse. Local councilors are the first respondents to the local needs; hence they need to know the needs, challenges, and aspirations of their communities. Sometimes local leaders can seek some solutions jointly. People are willing to accept reality if you show your integrity. As the national association, we are very much focused on providing the services needed by our members, the local councils. Their needs are also diverse, and their capacities are also different from one another. We respect the dual language policy, and our services are provided in both Sinhala and Tamil Languages [the two main languages spoken in Sri Lanka]. FSLGA is an equal opportunity employer. I am happy to say that 80% of our staff are female. I respect and accept diversity and believe that it creates a beautiful world.”
Valmarie Turner, ICMA-CM, deputy city manager, Fairfax, Virginia, USA, ICMA vice president, southeast region, notes that local government leaders have a responsibility to make diversity and inclusivity a priority. “We must create an environment and shared spaces where differences are valued, supported, and celebrated. It is important to prepare a diverse group of leaders—including women—within our organizations by equipping them with the skills, opportunities, and confidence to lead.
Intentionality is crucial to moving the needle on gender balance and diversity in leadership positions.”
Despite the progress that has been made by women in the workforce, certain issues still remain. Courageous women are advocating for themselves and others to continue to effect positive change and move the needle on inclusion.
Shelley Bontje, project manager, Dutch Cycling Embassy, Utrecht, The Netherlands, explains. “Sexism is still an important and pressing issue, which needs to be addressed in all kinds of organizations. I am still hopeful that one day everyone will be judged on the merits of their work, not their appearance. I truly believe that a government whose employees represent local communities will result in better policies. In my experience, not all local governments will feel inviting and inclusive to young women from the start. Nevertheless, I would still encourage young women to
pursue a career in local government. It’s unfortunately true that some change needs to come from the inside. We need great minds and likeminded spirits to enable change and create the kind of world that we want to work and live in.”
Jennifer Goodine, executive director, Canadian Association of Municipal Administrators (CAMA), shows how her career flourished despite challenges along the way. “As a woman, the assumption that I may not move up the career ladder, or be considered for promotions, posed a unique set of challenges. Navigating these challenges demanded a strategic, multifaceted approach to breaking gender stereotypes. I committed to consistently showcasing my capabilities through high-quality work, leadership, skill acquisition, and mentorship to challenge preconceived notions. I believe my career trajectory stands as proof that dedication, resilience, and a proactive mindset can break barriers, fostering professional growth and recognition for women in leadership.”
Melissa Wiley, deputy town manager, Erie, Colorado, USA, details her experience in creating an inclusive environment. Unfortunately, there are still negative perceptions of those who look different from others, but perceptions have improved over the last 50 years as people like Melissa continue to advocate for herself and others. She explains, “The biggest challenge in my career has been leading at an executive level as a facially disfigured woman. I was attacked by two dogs as a child and even after over 30 reconstructive surgeries, my scars and disfigurement are still quite noticeable. Up until the 1970s, a series of [U.S.] municipal laws commonly referred to as the ‘ugly laws’ prevented people like me from seeking and securing meaningful employment, let alone leading government. Thanks to the Americans with Disabilities Act (ada.gov), these laws are no longer tolerated but their legacy is powerful. Many people still struggle to see me as a valuable leader or person, despite my education and experience. I am often in a position where I need to win people over before they feel comfortable with me.
I’ve been able to manage this experience by sharing my story openly and leading from a place of authentic strength in my own heart. One of my favorite quotes comes from Anne Lamott: ‘I decided that the most subversive, revolutionary thing I could do was to show up for my life and not be ashamed.’ It’s easy to feel ashamed as a woman who doesn’t measure up to society’s beauty standards, so I’ve created a new definition of beauty for myself. One that’s centered in lifting the light in others and, in a strange way, I think I’m better at
seeing the real beauty in others because I hold a broader and bigger definition of beauty for myself.”
It also takes effort from those who may be in the majority to advocate for those who are not. Rebecca Ryan, general manager, Queanbeyan Palerang Regional Council, NSW, Australia, ICMA vice president, international region, says, “Local governments can better support gender balance and diversity by ensuring we have leaders who are representative of all genders and demonstrating an inclusive and diverse workplace. Being understanding of peoples’ needs and different styles, supporting work/ life balance (e.g., working from home, working away from home at your workplace, being flexible for part time and shorter
weekdays and weeks). Ensuring that we are recruiting and employing people from all backgrounds, ages, genders, religions and removing any form of bias in our recruitment practices. Having recently employed a young man with special needs, who has been on a disability pension since leaving school until now, my mantra especially at the moment is don’t ‘dis’ my ability.”
The face of professional local government management is changing. No longer does the basic career path stem from traditional MPA programs from which individuals move through the pipeline, from intern to chief administrative officer. For some, their career path can be described as organic and sparked out of personal necessity.
“I am an accidental local government employee. I had planned to work for a multi-national company and spend time in Latin America after getting my MBA,” shares Graham, “but the U.S. housing crisis and economic recession of 2007 had other plans for me.”
Others were molded early by passionate family members and public servants. “My father worked for the Provincial Government and since I admire and respect him, I found myself following his path,” reflects Jennifer Lawson, city clerk/assistant director legal, city clerk and human resources, Fredericton, New Brunswick, Canada, “I moved to local government as I found that the work is interesting, the people who work here are passionate about
their city, and you can see the impact you are having.
While no two paths are identical, “There is a place for you in local government to learn, grow and excel as a professional,” shares Turner, “Women bring a unique skillset and perspective to the work environment that is needed and supported. We are smart, capable leaders and it is important for women to be on the team and leading the way.”
“I encourage young women to pursue their passion,” shares Stacy Rodgers, county administrative officer, Baltimore County, Maryland, USA, “and explore a range of opportunities and find that which you feel meets your skills, expertise, and interest. Seek out those individuals who are serving in roles that you are interested in and talk with them about your interest. Conduct informational interviews. Seek out a mentor. Join a professional organization
(mostly men) who were appointed to positions that I was more qualified for, but I didn’t think I had a chance to be selected, so I never applied. Interviewing and not getting a job also builds great skills for the future. I interviewed for 18 city manager positions before I was offered the position in Encinitas. Never. Give. Up.”
manager, Encinitas, California, USA, ICMA
Women in local government are shattering glass ceilings, dismantling stereotypes, and forging a path for the next generation of women in the profession. As Manvita Baradi, founder and director, Urban Management Centre, Ahmedabad, India, shares, “Perseverance and focus are crucial. Pursue your beliefs, and hard work will pay off. Don’t let biases of caste, class, gender, or religion deter you.”
We’re grateful to the women who contributed their experiences to this article, and since we couldn’t include everything they had to say, we plan to share more from them at a later date.
For support, career resources, and a unique networking platform for women in local government management, look to SheLeadsGov (icma.org/sheleadsgov), a global ICMA initiative aiming to promote gender equity. Join us for the free SheLeadsGov Virtual Forum, “Bold Women, Bold Changes,” on March 6, or listen to the recordings after the event. For more information on the work that ICMA is doing with local government professionals around the world, visit icma.org/page/global-future-icma.
Stacy Rodgers Pam Antil, ICMA-CM Manvita Baradi Eunice Segatlhe-Lesejane
ICMA is pleased to award this year’s Local Government Management Fellowship Judy L. Kelsey Scholarship to two current fellows.
ICMA is happy to announce this year’s winners of the Judy L. Kelsey Scholarship. The award was named in honor of Judy Lyn Kelsey, a pioneer in the local government management profession and long-time ICMA member, who generously gifted $109,000 to ICMA in her estate. With her gift, ICMA established the Local Government Management Fellowship Judy L. Kelsey Scholarship in 2019, to assist emerging women leaders who have been accepted into the ICMA Local Government Management Fellowship (LGMF) program, which places a fellow in a manager’s or department head’s office in a council-manager community. This year’s winners of the Judy L. Kelsey Award are fellows Melissa Mata and Kat Consador.
Melissa Mata
Currently a fellow with Fort Lauderdale, Florida, Melissa plays a pivotal role in the public affairs division by contributing to content creation, building connections with business owners, representing the city in events, and identifying career-ready strategies for students and re-entry citizens under the Great Jobs, Great Cities program.
She was also assigned to be the equity and engagement lead in the innovation track program of the Bloomberg Harvard City Leadership Initiative. The nine-month program focuses on understanding residents’ perspectives on public safety through innovative techniques and fostering community partnerships.
ERIKA COOPER is senior program manager of career advancement
at ICMA (ecooper@icma.org).
Melissa graduated with her MPA from University of Arizona, where she also served in a leadership role in the ICMA student chapter on campus. She has diverse experiences in public administration, law, and economic development, which help shape her unique perspective as she aims to learn from different cities to understand the complex needs of their constituents.
In Melissa’s essay, she shared, “My journey as a female minority in local government is currently shaped by both triumphs and challenges. As I strive to contribute meaningfully to the fellowship, I am determined to overcome any and all hurdles to continue being an advocate for increased diversity and representation in local governance.”
Melissa is dedicated to the profession and shows commitment to increasing representation in the profession. She plans on using the scholarship to supplement personal costs and savings to remove barriers that will take her career to the next level.
Serving as a fellow in Phoenix, Arizona, Kat has been coordinating council and leadership meetings in the city manager’s office. Previously, she led the strategic planning process for parks and recreation. Kat will conclude her fellowship with a rotation in the office of innovation. She is also engaged in special projects and events for the international relations division of community and economic development. Her diverse fellowship experiences have reinforced her conviction in the transformative impact of effective local government.
Over the past decade, her career has covered various sectors: sales, finance, development, diplomacy, energy, and security. She transitioned from the private sector to pursue her passion for a meaningful career focused on making a positive impact. Kat earned her master’s in global management with a focus on global affairs from Thunderbird School of Global Management.
As she expressed in her essay, “This scholarship represents more than just financial support; it symbolizes an investment in breaking down gender barriers and empowering women in local government management—a cause I am dedicated to championing. Before pivoting to local government, I experienced firsthand the difficulty of dealing with the challenges of being a woman in male-dominated industries. While confronting such obstacles has been difficult, I have chosen to view these encounters as opportunities for growth, empathy, and advocacy, which fuels my commitment to fostering a more inclusive environment.”
Kat is committed to uplifting others and breaking down barriers. She is grateful for the opportunity to use the scholarship toward student loan repayment.
Learn more about ICMA’s Local Government Management Fellowship program at icma.org/lgmf.
In the city of Norfolk, Virginia, economic inclusion sits at the center of our diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) work.
Yes, we examine city policies to identify inequities, we offer implicit bias training, and we’re working on inclusive recruiting and hiring. But in addition to that, working to create economic opportunity for small, women-owned, and minority-owned businesses is essential to our work in the Office of DEI, Norfolk’s newest city department as of fiscal year 2023.
We started our DEI work in April 2019. We followed the best practice of having a DEI officer report to the city manager, and established an interdepartmental core team that met monthly and developed internal DEI strategies. At the recommendation of other cities that were further along in their DEI journey, we identified
BY ALEEA SLAPPY WILSON
four key focus areas: human resources, inclusive economic growth, planning and infrastructure, and community engagement. As we worked to identify the challenges and opportunities, it was clear that inclusive economic growth would be a major component of our work.
In 2020, a year into our DEI efforts, we established an internal economic inclusion working group. During the height of the pandemic, the chief procurement officer, the assistant director of housing and community development, and I met weekly to discuss our plan to recommend city spending goals to city council. We added a city attorney and leadership from economic development and public works to our committee. We used a neighboring city’s disparity study as the basis for the spending goals recommended to city council.
ALEEA SLAPPY
In December 2020, council unanimously approved our economic inclusion plan and procurement policy, which established a 12% spending goal with certified minorityowned businesses and a 13.3% city spending goal with certified women-owned businesses. Establishing the policy was an important step, but it didn’t lead to immediate change. Economic inclusion policies must be supported by standard operating procedures and practices that will ensure the policy is implemented. Working with a consulting firm on a multi-year strategic planning effort, along with joining a cohort of 15 southern cities committed to economic inclusion, has helped us identify practices and opportunities to develop standard operating procedures.
One practice that we applied was contract debundling, in which we review multi-year city contracts before they expire to see if the contract could be deconstructed, allowing for multiple contracts for various businesses. In 2022, our $2.3 million janitorial contract was set to expire. This multi-year agreement presented a great opportunity to implement our economic inclusion policy. In partnership with our purchasing division and the general services department that manages the janitorial contract, we turned the one contract into eight opportunities. Six of the eight new contracts are with African American–owned businesses, several of which had not previously pursued government contracting.
While this is a huge accomplishment worth celebrating, it’s just the beginning.
We increased our outreach and engagement and held multiple pre-bid meetings to guarantee we were reaching a diverse cross-section of companies. Staff in the DEI office met with businesses and answered questions regarding the procurement process.
In 2023, eight firms were awarded components of the newly debundled janitorial contract. This led to Norfolk spending the most to date with minorityowned businesses since city council approved the policy in 2020.
While this is a huge accomplishment worth celebrating, it’s just the beginning. There’s more that we need to do: more trainings, coaching, and technical assistance for small businesses; increased business outreach and engagement events; ongoing strategic planning and the continued practice of reviewing soon-toexpire contracts for future debundling opportunities; and making spending with small, women-owned, and minorityowned businesses a part of everything we do in the city of Norfolk.
This year’s Women’s History Month celebrates women who advocate for equity, diversity, and inclusion. Local government has no shortage of such women, so why stop at celebration? To make government work better for everyone, we can learn from those who are already up to their elbows in this work and apply their lessons to our own roles.
So how do these leaders navigate complex, stubborn bureaucracies to advance equity and maintain their own wellness in the process?
These questions led me to connect with scores of public servants to write Herocrats: A Guide for Government Workers Leading
ALLISON BELL
was a 2005 ICMA Local Government Management
Fellow for San José, California. Since then, she’s worked in local and state government across the country, both as an employee and a consultant. Find out more at Herocrats.com.
Change. My research revealed three common traits that leaders leverage for systems change: courage, connection, and creativity. I call these traits superpowers, and one story shows how I’ve tried—and sometimes failed—to use them in my own work.
When the head of our local transit agency asked me to launch the organization’s first equity program, I almost said no. It was a big job, and I wasn’t sure I was the right person to lead it. So, I took stock of my values and got clear on my expertise, comparing that inner inventory to the needs of the role. Connecting with myself gave me the courage to jump in.
Figuring out where to focus was the next challenge. Which of the many transportation barriers and workplace inclusion issues would we tackle first? I connected with other employees in the organization, setting up one-on-ones with anyone who’d shown interest in equity. I listened to them, documented their ideas, and identified themes.
I knew that any solutions had to center the people we served. Drawing on previous roles in community engagement, I visited community leaders and listened. This grounded my understanding of how far we’d come as an agency, as well as the remaining gaps.
Having learned a lot and surfaced many allies, I sent an agency-wide call to join the equity team. Creative, passionate people responded from all corners of the organization—mechanics, financial analysts, police officers, janitors. We formalized their equity team roles through
Sometimes leadership means working to improve conditions for others before our own conditions have improved.
detailed MOUs with their supervisors. Together, we discovered that advocating for equity is really a big community organizing effort within an agency, and that every connection counts.
Using the depth and strength of these connections, over several years we did more than just raise organizational awareness and inclusion. We also updated and launched policies, including a new low-income fare program and a more humane stroller policy on buses—real wins for our community and tangible steps toward a more equitable system.
As our momentum grew, so did our opposition. Internal hostilities took a heavy toll on me and my team. So, when my request for a short unpaid leave got denied, I made the hard decision to move
on. It takes courage to prioritize self-care, and if you don’t, you risk everything. After a period of rejuvenation, I began a new chapter that has led to more opportunities and greater impact than I’d thought possible.
Let’s face it: leading equity work is often confounding, lonely, and exhausting. Sometimes we’re tempted to delay bold action until we secure more budget, earn that next credential, or develop a big plan.
And as great women have shown us, sometimes leadership means working to improve conditions for others before our own conditions have improved. No matter where you’re at, you have what you need to take the next step. Just draw on your superpowers of courage, connection, and creativity, and keep making history.
““Lifelong learning” is a term I was introduced to early in my schooling—one must be in a learning mode consistently to stay atop of the latest trends and issues to be a well-rounded professional, citizen, and better human being.
The Voluntary Credentialing Program has served as an outstanding tool to demonstrate my commitment to lifelong learning and to be a better person.”
David J. Harris Town ManagerPagosa Springs, CO
Credentialed since September 2009
Demonstrate your commitment to professional development and lifelong learning. Join the growing number of those who have earned the ICMA-CM designation.
ICMA Credentialed Managers are viewed with growing distinction by local governing bodies and progressive, civically engaged communities. For more information, visit icma.org/credentialedmgr
The Voluntary Credentialing Program Celebrates 20 Years! View a list of credentialed managers and candidates at icma.org/credentialed
MARC
PFEIFFER, an ICMA Life Member, is a marginally retired New Jersey town administrator and state agency manager. He is currently a senior policy fellow and assistant director at Bloustein Local, a unit of the Center for Urban Policy Research at Rutgers University. (marc.pfeiffer@ rutgers.edu)
After the last two columns that explored AI, this month’s column returns to tech fitness basics. It focuses on how your municipality manages its technology: networks, security, backups, and identity/access (i.e., who has access and their level of authorization). It discusses basic, key concepts to level-set readers for more detailed, subsequent articles.
There are two general approaches to managing tech infrastructure: doing it yourself using trained employees (common in larger municipalities) or reliance on contractors (more often seen in smaller organizations). There are also hybrid approaches in which the work is split between the two.
Generally, municipalities with a population over 25,000 tend to hire their own technology staff. However, smaller communities may also have full- or part-time staff that meet their needs. The team leader will likely be the technology advisor who is “at the table” when technology management decisions are made. (Tech advisors were discussed in the December 2023 Tech Updates column). That person could have one of a variety of titles, depending on how the municipality is organized. These can include variations of chief information (or technology) officer, IT director, or network manager.
Your employees’ technical competencies are critical. The technology industry offers many training programs that result in professional certifications. These include cybersecurity, networking, specialties within those areas, and product-specific, vendor-provided certifications (e.g., Microsoft, Amazon Web Services, Cisco). There are also more general technology certifications (CompTIA A+) and specialties in areas such as project management.
An agency’s technology expert should assess the professional certification needs for their staff. Your tech expert should have professional certifications that are relevant to your organization. A continuing education program should be developed and funded to ensure that
employees update their credentials and develop deeper skills over time.
Rutgers University,1 University of North Carolina,2 and several state-focused programs (California,3 Florida,4 Georgia,5 Texas6) offer a certified government chief information officer program focusing on management skills as they apply to technology. This is highly recommended for your full-time expert.
Various types of third-party contractors play a critical role in technology management for many municipalities, both large and small.
Managed service providers (MSPs) provide network management, backup, physical and cybersecurity, software patches and upgrades, and support such as a help desk or equipment management services. They are not usually physically located on your property, but usually have direct access to and/or remote control of your network. The MSP, rather than the agency, takes responsibility for the training and education of its staff.
In these cases, the networking equipment may be on your premises, in the cloud, on their premises, or divided among them. Of course, there are situations in which an agency may have control over some resources and a contractor over others. This is often the case with public safety operations given their security requirements and management of criminal justice information that requires specialized handling. MSPs should also employ robust security procedures to protect their network as well as their client’s networks.
On-premises (or on-prem) software is installed and operates on your network. For specialized services (e.g., financial software, police records), the contractor may need periodic access to your network to support and maintain its services. This access needs to be carefully controlled to ensure security. On-premises software can work in a DIY environment or MSPs can offer and support them.
On-prem also refers to software that the municipality licenses and installs on its servers. Until recently, services like Microsoft Office or Exchange (email) were examples of on-prem software. In an on-prem environment, the agency is responsible for managing software maintenance, upgrades, security, backups, and access. Today’s versions of Office and Exchange, known as Microsoft 365 or MS 365, is not on-prem and is a cloud-based subscription (per user) service.
A cloud service provider (CSP) is a software provider whose programs (applications) and data storage sit in the cloud (e.g., Microsoft providing MS 365). The CSP is responsible for security, access controls, upgrades, and backups of the application and data. Cloud applications are becoming more popular today as they often offer better services, and control risks more reliably than on-prem software.
The downside of using cloud-based services is that software costs are paid monthly as an operating cost (as opposed to a capital cost when using your own servers). Charges are based on the number of users, the amount of storage used, and, in some cases, how much processing power and time are consumed. It also requires
more robust internet bandwidth, speed, and possibly connection to more than one internet service provider to ensure service reliability.
Cloud applications are now integral to the delivery of computing services. The decision to run software onprem or in the cloud has become an important decision point in today’s IT environment.
Next: we’ll discuss MSPs and cybersecurity, followed by an in-depth look at cloud services.
An earlier version of this article appeared in New Jersey Municipalities, the magazine of the New Jersey State League of Municipalities.
ENDNOTES AND RESOURCES
1 https://cgs.rutgers.edu/programs/certified-government-chief-informationofficer
2 https://www.sog.unc.edu/courses/national-certified-government-chiefinformation-officer-cgcio
3 https://www.misac.org/page/CGCIO_Course
4 https://iog.fsu.edu/certification-programs
5 https://cviog.uga.edu/training-and-education/leadership-development/ cgcio.html
6 https://www.sog.unc.edu/courses/texas-national-cgcio
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