+ Managers as Mentors 14 Navigating Times of Transition 24 Nontraditional Career Paths 20
ELEVATING
Cody Brem Consultant, Matrix Consulting Group Former City Clerk, Wahoo, Nebraska U.S. Army Reserve Officer Read more on page 5
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JANUARY 2022 VOL. 104 NO. 1
F E AT U R E S
CONTENTS
14
14 The Man, The Manager, The Mentor A conversation with Bobby Green, a beloved mentor to many, on the importance of identifying and developing the next generation of local government leaders Randall Reid
20 The Road Less Traveled: Nontraditional Career Paths in Local Government Programs for recruitment, training, and retention of talent can help you strengthen your workforce and plan for the future Benjamin M. Effinger
24 Preparing for the Ups, Downs, and Detours of Your Local Government Career Times of career transition are challenging, but it’s better to be prepared for them than to be surprised Charlene Stevens and Eric Norenberg
40
34
30 Extreme Ownership for Local Government The principle that all responsibility for both success and failure rests with the leader can be applied in local government. Weston Davis
34 Igniting the Spark A tribute to one man’s inspirational legacy of mentorship, igniting the local government spark in his students and interns Ian M. Coyle, ICMA-CM
40
D E PA R T M E N T S 2 Ethics Matter! Want to Elevate your Career? Nurture Your Reputation
Navigating a Career in Local Government
5 Women in Leadership
Public management is a changing landscape, but these leaders offer a few things to keep in mind along the way. Michael Huling
6 Letter from the Executive Director
International City/County Management Association
LETTERS TO THE EDITOR Share your thoughts on PM magazine by emailing us at pm@icma.org. Submit an article proposal to pm@icma.org or learn more at icma.org/writeforus.
An Amazing Mentor Makes All the Difference
Mentorship: A Powerful Way to Honor the Profession of Local Government Management
44 Assistants and Deputies How Do You Know When You’re Ready to be an ACAO?
46 Inclusion, Diversity, Equity, Accessibility, Leadership, and Social Justice (IDEALS) Stepping Outside Your Comfort Zone
SPECIAL SECTION:
8 The Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act— First Things First Techniques for getting the most from this “once-in-a-generation” funding as even the most basic approaches can be transformational Randall Reid
47 Professional Services Directory JANUARY 2022 | PUBLIC MANAGEMENT | 1
ETHICS MATTER!
Want to Elevate your Career? Nurture Your Reputation Follow this advice to build and sustain a good reputation on your professional journey What an exhilarating time to elevate your
MARTHA PEREGO, ICMA-CM, is director of member services and ethics director, ICMA, Washington, D.C. (mperego@icma.org).
career. While the “great resignation” captured everyone’s attention last year, 2022 will be the “great opportunity” for those seeking to advance their career. The job market is hot and competitive. Local governments are searching for talent from all sectors and career paths. As our more seasoned colleagues move on to their encore careers, the sheer volume and variety of organizations seeking senior-level leaders has not been this vibrant in decades. Everyone vying for these positions will bring talent, skills, credentials, and experience to the table. All those attributes are critical for career success. So, too, is a commitment to a high ethical standard that is foundational to building a credible and enduring reputation. At times, integrity and high standards may not seem to be valued by decision makers. Taking the long-term perspective on a career in the public sector though, the reputation you build by your commitment to integrity, honesty, and the profession’s standards will serve you well as you advance in your career. The stories shared in this edition of PM reinforce the importance of anchoring your professional aspirations and your work in a core set of ethical values.
BY MARTHA PEREGO, ICMA-CM
As you contemplate the opportunity on your horizon, here is some advice designed to ensure that you nurture and sustain a good reputation on your lifelong journey: Personal and professional are inseparable.
Probably one of the most challenging aspects of public service is that you do relinquish some of your privacy. What you do and say in your personal sphere may have relevancy and impact on your reputation and ability to serve the public. Indeed, the ICMA Code of Ethics in defining integrity calls us to demonstrate by word and action the highest standards of ethical conduct and integrity in all public, professional, and personal relationships in order to merit the trust and respect of others. To that end, it’s wise to think about your presence on social media—what you post, say, and endorse. Fairly or not, someone looking at the content will make judgments about you and your character. Facts are facts. When the details about credentials, education, and experience are not factual, that raises a red flag about your honesty. Future employers and the executive search firms they hire will now be focused on your credibility rather than your suitability for the position. At best, it’s just sloppy to get details wrong. At worse, it’s dishonest. To avoid any issue, double check to ensure that your resume, LinkedIn profile, and other public
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.
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January 2022
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ICMA Creating and Supporting Thriving Communities 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 12,000 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. Public Management (PM) aims to inspire innovation, inform decision making, connect leading-edge thinking to everyday challenges, and serve ICMA members and local governments in creating and sustaining thriving communities throughout the world.
manager’s role? Did you agree to stay for a tenure to ensure that the organization met another goal? Your word to fulfill that obligation means something. Work the network in your job search.
presentations are accurate and factual. If you had a short tenure because you just took a position in the wrong organization, you are best positioned to include it on your resume and explain why it didn’t work out. If you omit it, it might seem like you were hiding something that is unflattering. To be clear, if you let your ICMA Credential lapse, take it off your resume and online presence until you can reinstate. Commitment matters. For the appointed manager, the ICMA Code of Ethics sets a standard for a two-year tenure. To effectuate change, provide leadership to the organization, or even get a budget in place, that is the bare minimum on the commitment spectrum. There are, of course, times when for personal or organizational reasons, a manager should leave before serving two years. The objective, though, is that a professional will fully commit to the position to provide steady leadership that advances the organization’s efforts. Not in the
The reputation you build by your commitment to integrity, honesty, and the profession’s standards will serve you well as you advance in your career.
2021–2022 ICMA Executive Board
Scott W. Colby Jr. Assistant Town Manager Windsor, Connecticut
PRESIDENT
Troy Brown, ICMA-CM City Manager Moorpark, California PRESIDENT-ELECT
Jeffrey Towery, ICMA-CM City Manager McMinnville, Oregon PAST PRESIDENT
James Malloy, ICMA-CM Town Manager Lexington, Massachusetts VICE PRESIDENTS
International Region
Robert Kristof City Manager Timisoara, Romania Chris MacPherson Chief Administrative Officer Fredericton, New Brunswick, Canada Rebecca Ryan General Manager Blayney Shire Council, New South Wales, Australia
Midwest Region
Molly Mehner, ICMA-CM Assistant City Manager Cape Girardeau, Missouri Victor Cardenas, ICMA-CM Assistant City Manager Novi, Michigan Corri Spiegel, ICMA-CM City Administrator Davenport, Iowa Mountain Plains Region
Raymond Gonzales Jr. County Manager Adams County, Colorado Diane Stoddard, ICMA-CM Assistant City Manager Lawrence, Kansas Kenneth Williams* City Manager Buda, Texas Northeast Region
Teresa Tieman, ICMA-CM Manager in Transition Dover, Delaware William Fraser, ICMA-CM City Manager Montpelier, Vermont
Assuming you met any commitments you made to your current organization or the two-year tenure guideline if you are a manager, now may be a fortuitous time to make the next big career move. Testing the market may be in order if you haven’t been out there in a while. But be intentional and strategic. Don’t waste a future employer’s time with an interview if you don’t really want the position or are using it as leverage to get more compensation back home. Before accepting a position do your homework to ensure that it will be a good fit for you professionally and personally. Leverage the network. I promise that if you “cold call” a colleague who works or worked for an organization that you are interested in, they will not only take that call but generously take the time to provide their perspective. You don’t have to make the leap into some great unknown. Respect your competitors. Stay in this business long enough and you will experience the thrill of being the finalist and the disappointment one day of not being that person. Along the way you might even become friends with a competitor. The point is that the one who succeeded in getting the position is not your enemy. Be gracious in defeat and kind in victory as we will all see each other down the road at some point. And remember, never enter a recruitment process if no official action has been taken with regard to the incumbent manager.
Southeast Region
Michael Kaigler, ICMA-CM Assistant County Manager Chatham County, Georgia
ICMA CEO/Executive Director
Marc Ott
Nate Pagan, ICMA-CM City Manager Owensboro, Kentucky
Director, Equity & Social Justice and Membership Marketing
Lynne Scott lscott@icma.org
Valmarie Turner, ICMA-CM Assistant County Administrator Loudoun County, Virginia
Managing Editor
Kerry Hansen khansen@icma.org
Newsletter Editor
Kathleen Karas kkaras@icma.org
West Coast Region
Graphics Manager
Delia Jones djones@icma.org
Peter Troedsson, ICMA-CM City Manager Albany, Oregon
Design & Production
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Roxanne Murphy Assistant City Manager Valdez, Alaska Pamela Antil, ICMA-CM City Manager Encinitas, California * ICMA-CM Candidate
Our ethical journey in the profession is akin to hiking in the wilderness. Just as you would never hike alone, it’s wise to bring along on this professional journey that ethically grounded friend with whom you can have an honest and direct conversation.
Keep your word. If you accept a position, consider that a binding commitment on your end. You can vie for and consider other offers. But once you say yes and give your word that you will take the position, it’s a huge ethical ding on your reputation if you then renege. Consider that your decision may affect other potential offers. An organization interested in you may be turned off to hear that you renege on your commitment. Bring a friend along for the journey. In a talk with
Women Leading Government in Colorado a few years ago, I referred to our ethical journey in the profession being akin to hiking in the wilderness. Just as you would never hike alone, it’s wise to find and bring along on this professional journey that ethically grounded friend or colleague with whom you can have an honest and direct conversation. The person who is so grounded that they will tell you “no” even when you want to hear “yes.” We all need wise counsel. The wise counsel I heard that day was that many of these women do indeed hike in the wildness alone. They are experienced, confident in their skills, and far braver than I! Who is your mentor? Whom do you mentor? Bobby Green’s work to mentor and support others to choose this profession is an inspiring story told in this edition. As Bobby notes in the article on page 14, the single greatest motivation for considering a career in public service is the exposure to a nurturing professional manager. Mentoring doesn’t have a prescribed hierarchy or approach. Each of us, perched from our spot, can reach out to engage, support, and encourage all who are in the profession. Consider the Five Leading Principles. Bob McEvoy, whose story on page 34 is told through the perspective of those he mentored, served a long tenure as a county manager in New York. Given the politics and culture, that was not easy sailing. Bob then supported the profession by teaching the next cohort of managers. Here are Bob’s five leading principles which are enduring. 1. Be ethical. 2. Give to the profession that gives to you. 3. Pay it forward. 4. Serve as a mentor. 5. Build community. On your professional journey, wherever it may take you, nothing is more important than anchoring your professional aspirations and your work in a core set of ethical values.
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UPCOMING ICMA EVENTS icma.org/events ICMA Code of Ethics Review: ICMA Members, We Want to Hear from You Plan to attend any of the three virtual meetings open to all members to share feedback on how to better integrate the profession’s commitment to equity and social justice in the Code. Sessions limited to 100 participants. January 7 (session full)
February 25 April 29 12-1:00 pm U.S. Eastern More information, including meeting registration details, is available at icma.org/ethics-dei.
January 3: ICMA Voluntary Credentialing Deadline January 13: Webinar: Planning for Economic Recovery January 26: Webinar: Delivering Productive Performance Evaluations January 26: Webinar: Exploring Local Government Career Opportunities for Transitioning Servicemembers, Veterans, and Military Spouses January 31: Deadline to Apply for the Harvard Senior Executive Program Courageous Conversations
Recordings can be viewed at icma.org/living-history • Equity Officers in Local Government • Native and Indigenous Leaders Leading in Local Government • A Life in Public Service: Three stories of the transition from the military to local government • Creating a Truly Inclusive Culture • LGBTQIA+ Experience in Local Government • Asian American Experience in Local Government Part 2: Trailblazers in our Hometowns (Asian-Pacific Heritage Month) • Coming Out of the Darkness: Mental Health and Suicide Prevention • Asian-American Experience in Local Government • Women Pioneer Managers in the Profession • A Conversation with Marc Ott, ICMA’s First Black Executive Director, and Sy Murray, ICMA’s First Black President
Apply now for the 2022-22 ICMA Leadership Institute on Race, Equity, and Inclusion icma.org/leadership-institute-race-equity-and-inclusion
February 25: Applications due to ICMA by close of business.
WOMEN IN LEADERSHIP
An Amazing Mentor Makes All the Difference BY CODY BREM
A moment of gratitude for the city manager and other women who helped me get my start in local government After college graduation, I was attending a community college fire-academy, working to begin a career as a first responder—something I had always wanted to do. The academy training was on Monday, Wednesday, and Friday, but I needed to make money on my days off. As a recent graduate with a bachelor’s degree in political science, I figured I could fill a role within our town’s local government (a field I had never thought of or had any idea about). The city manager immediately put me to work as an intern, assisting her with special projects. The city City Manager Judy Gilleland I worked in was relatively small (pop. 6,500), but she had previously managed a city I owe my of more than 50,000. She had years of experience passion for local and a great passion for the role of the professional government city manager. I thoroughly enjoyed showing up to work at city hall. The manager gave me more and management to more responsibility and my relationship with local City Manager Judy government administration started to grow. I became Gilleland and the very involved in the position and the career field. I started to find out all I could about city group of ladies managers, how they operated, what they did to I worked with get there, how cities were organized, and what in Germantown, education was needed to fill the role. I joined ICMA and investigated what MPA programs were around. Ohio, for my About once a month, the city manager and I met first year in city after work to continue my informal education in government. the career. Master’s degrees can teach you a lot, but getting to pick the brain of an experienced public administrator is a rare opportunity. We discussed various parts of the job, the beginnings of her career, and how most managers get to the chief administrative position. I learned how to navigate situations that she had faced in the past. She gave me several PowerPoint slides and sheets of paper with information that she had referenced throughout her career. She was never too busy for a
question and would stop whatever she was doing to thoroughly explain what was happening—although, there wasn’t always an explanation. She valued the “learn as you go” methodology. Projects that I had no idea how to start—let alone complete—would be given to me without much background information. At the time I thought it was a weird way to delegate tasks, but quickly learned that this was what I needed. This type of experience forced me to get creative, communicate with departments, find subject matter experts, and figure things out for myself. It was a huge confidence booster and a great way to learn. I owe my passion for local government management to City Manager Judy Gilleland and the group of ladies I worked with in Germantown, Ohio, for my first year in city government. I recently worked under another female city administrator and have just as much admiration for the daily efforts she makes to help the residents of her town. I hope that I can be half the manager these women continue to be and I hope they know the impact they have made on me.
CODY BREM is a consultant with Matrix Consulting Group.
JANUARY 2022 | PUBLIC MANAGEMENT | 5
LETTER FROM THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR
Mentorship: A Powerful Way to Honor the Profession of Local Government Management
BY MARC OTT
Serving as a mentor has been one of the most profound privileges of my life. One of the most significant responsibilities we
have as an organization and as individual members is to shine a light on the tremendous impact a career in local government management can have in our cities, counties, and towns. It’s especially important because the work of planning and running a well-functioning municipal operation often goes unnoticed. Less than 20 percent of MPA students say they are planning a career in local government. In fact, that was the case for me. I was planning to go to law Mentors not school, but before completing my graduate only teach studies, I needed to do an internship—and that’s when everything changed for me.
the nuts and bolts of city management, but they convey the values that anchor this profession.
MARC OTT is executive director of ICMA, Washington, D.C.
A Meaningful Internship and Mentor
I had the good fortune of serving my internship in the city administrator’s office in Southfield, Michigan, and he assigned me real work. I was researching and responding on his behalf to resident complaints and inquiries, attending meetings, and interacting with a variety of experts in public works, transportation, police, fire, the entire gamut. For the first time in my life, I felt like I was doing what I was meant to be doing. But most importantly, I could see how the work affected the everyday lives of people. At the end of the internship, I put aside law school and went all in with local government management. It was also at that time that I learned the value of great mentors. As I have spoken with many of you about the early stages of your careers, I am struck by two things. First, by how many of us have had mentors, outstanding city leaders who were willing to spend time with us early and even in the later stages of our careers. Second, by the similarity of how we define a great mentor. Mentors not only teach the nuts and bolts of city management, but they convey the values that anchor this profession. They not only guide you on your career journey, but walk with you as you face life’s challenges. They provide a compelling example of how to live life according to this strong set of core values. These are the lessons that stay with you—wherever you go in life. I have been fortunate to have several mentors over the course of my career—that first internship manager, Del
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Borgsdorf, and others who have inspired me, like Robert Bob and Sy Murray. Engaging with Sy and other Black leaders at state conferences, the National Forum of Black Public Administrators (NFBPA), and ICMA meant so much to me and others of my generation. This January 2021 issue of PM features two outstanding mentors who have helped scores of students even as young as high school get started in local government. From the city of Auburndale, Florida, alone, 10 employees went on to become local government managers because of the mentorship of Bobby Green (page 14). And his is just one story. An ICMA member survey indicates that 90 percent of managers say they are willing to become mentors yet only 15 percent of local governments say they have an intern or fellow. ICMA has a number of resources that can help you get an internship program off the ground1 and our Local Government Management Fellowship program has placed over 370 fellows with local governments.2 Or better yet, reach out for advice from one of our past Career Development Award Winners.3 Sam Gaston, ICMA-CM, is the 2021 honoree. The Privilege of Being a Mentor
Serving as a mentor to students entering the profession, as well as mid-career professionals, has been one of the most profound privileges of my life. I am certain I have learned as much from those I have mentored as they have learned from me. They have strengthened my own commitment to leading collaboratively and with integrity, authenticity, and courage. The contribution of your time and talent to mentoring others has an exponential impact on this profession as your mentees go out into the world and touch the lives of so many others. I can think of no better way to honor and sustain the profession than to reach out and empower someone who may become our next extraordinary local government leader. ENDNOTES AND RESOURCES
https://icma.org/sites/default/files/ICMA-Internship-Guide.pdf https://icma.org/blog-posts/local-government-management-fellowshipexperience <?> https://icma.org/2021-award-career-development-memory-lpcookingham 1
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EQUILIBRIUM Restoration tools for the resilient manager LAUNC H SOONING
NEW M EMB BENEFI ER T
Coming soon, an exciting and innovative wellbeing solution that managers, assistants, and members in transition can use every single day! Dealing with a tough issue? Facing a challenge? Access confidential support, resources and services for your mental, physical, social and financial wellbeing, any time, 24/7. Wishing you had a convenient way to access information, updates and tips to support your wellbeing and your success at work? Looking for ways to make your money go further? Equilibrum is all this and more! Stay tuned.
SPECIAL SECTION BY RANDALL REID
The Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act—First Things First Techniques for getting the most from this “once-in-a-generation” funding as even the most basic approaches can be transformational
T
he plight of America’s aging and deteriorating physical infrastructure has been a topic of concern on the nightly news and at conference sessions for the entire careers of many ICMA members. Fortunately, this issue has begun to be addressed by the recent bipartisan passage of the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (IIJA), which was signed into law in November 2021. This new major influx of federal stimulus investments in the IIJA totals $1.2 trillion over 10 years, including $550 billion for new investments from FY 2022 to FY 2026 for all modes of transportation, water, power and energy, environmental remediation, public lands, broad band improvements, and community resilience. This act builds upon the themes of the American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) Fiscal Recovery Funds (FRF) program, which provided $350 billion in aid for state and local government to stimulate post-pandemic economic recovery from the ongoing pandemic. With the potential of even more green energy investment proposed by the Biden Administration in the proposed Build Back Better legislation on the horizon, this is a historic moment to consider our obligations to provide critical community infrastructure. The political rhetoric surrounding passage of multiple “once-in-a-generation” investment packages should be taken seriously by ICMA members due to the immense opportunities this presents for local communities. While there may be potential collateral impacts on the economy from this huge federal investment in infrastructure, it is money that communities can spend wisely. The mere scale of federal dollars being proposed is staggering as are the potential impacts on job creation, a shifting economy, the national debt, and inflationary trends. This article, however, focuses on the positive opportunities to be seized for our communities and leaves it to others to assess the economic impacts and enabled political agendas. In these divisive times, some of our residents may debate these collateral impacts potentially disrupting the local governing process with localized controversy or even diminished appreciation of successful outcomes from increased infrastructure expenditures. We are traversing a new fiscal terrain for most managers and still reassessing true north as the compass needle spins.
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Dollars Dead Ahead
When the Titanic hit the partially concealed iceberg in a vast ocean, it was there on the horizon but unseen in the darkness due to its mass being underwater. Overconfidence of the owners, desire for speed by the captain, and an ill-selected route contributed to the disaster. This analogy is apropos for what to avoid in implementing stimulus projects. While managers are confident in handling most challenges, many managers admit as we begin the year that there are many local governments and community organizations that are ill prepared to receive and manage a massive influx of funds or question how to spend them despite the need for infrastructure maintenance and investment. The stress on managers to identify projects, partner with other governments, and expend funds expeditiously with public and elected official support will be a challenging route. The amounts are historic. Billions of ARPA funds have begun flowing to local governments this year and even more funds are on their way from the IIJA. This infusion of federal funds over the next five or more years will permit major transformational capital improvements projects. The $1.2 trillion bipartisan IIJA legislation includes both competitive grants for local governments, as well as even larger funding that will flow through state governments for transportation-related projects, airports, and port improvements. And still on the horizon are the potentially transformational social funding and green energy programs of the Build Back Better (BBB) initiative, which is unlikely to achieve a bipartisan consensus. The BBB policy intent, programmatic goals, and expenditure guidelines may generate more local political tensions than traditional “not in my backyard” (NIMBY) concerns over construction schedules and infrastructure locational siting decisions. If adopted, the House version of the legislation has been estimated to increase funding for public health, social service, and safety net programming with expenditures of $2.4 trillion, with potential continuing entitlements in future years estimated as much as $4.9 trillion.1 The magnitude of such numbers is hard for even budgetary-oriented managers to comprehend, much less for most citizens. For example, an argument over a billion-dollar component program in a single trillion dollars of federal appropriation is equivalent to arguing over a more understandable $10 expenditure in a $10,000 local
government budget line item, except we know local budgets must be balanced and the federal budget does not and can print money.2
communities and regions will create a modern tale of two cities: those that take the time to plan and use these funds for transformational investments that change the course of their communities; and those that simply fund ICMA and Our Members’ Initial Response additional government expenditures that temporarily A recent ICMA survey of jurisdictions show as of last abate community problems and inequities, or encourage September initial appropriations of the FRF were most entitlements and expenditures that cannot be sustainable commonly intended for the key priorities of infrastructure for future generations of residents. ICMA members investment, replacing lost public sector revenues, and should reflect upon equity concerns and the intergenaddressing negative economic impacts of the pandemic. erational ethical considerations of their decisions as they A significant majority reported prioritizing water and plan for the years ahead. sewer infrastructure, over 50 percent planned to replace Despite varying amounts of stimulus and other lost revenues, and some planned to invest in federal funds coming into different broadband or other capital projects.3 The act sized local jurisdictions, it will certainly The political rhetoric also led to many local governments hiring, be likely that this transfer of federal contracting, or assigning coordinators for fiscal resources will be the largest in surrounding passage planning and management of ARPA funds. most managers’ memory. So, whether of multiple “once-in-aThese FRF dollars continue to be expended a smaller community receives just tens by local governments as many delayed their of thousands of dollars, or a major city generation” stimulus initial expenditures as regulations and receives multiple millions in federal investment packages reporting requirements were clarified. ICMA transfers, these funds present a unique has provided vital information at each step of opportunity requiring their best should be taken seriously stimulus legislation and regulatory rulemaking leadership skills to achieve the optimal by ICMA members to our members throughout 2021, and this outcomes from whatever resources information effort will continue in the coming they receive. There also needs to be a due to the immense year. In December 2021, ICMA began aiding recognition that this influx of funding opportunities this presents these newly identified ARPA coordinators may still not be able to fund the entire through a peer learning network and will reconstruction costs of some critical for local communities. offer specialized training and networking infrastructure projects nor will solve opportunities in the months ahead. all of a community’s capital needs The physical and mental stress on local government so strategic planning is necessary. Likewise, even the managers has been high with our communities still proposed trillions in the Build Back Better legislation fighting COVID strains with vaccination programs, will not completely solve the multiple systemic, wicked adjusting to changes in major societal norms, managing problems some communities face, so wisdom and a sense service delivery in the lingering pandemic, and most of pragmatism is required to address causal issues. recently dealing with supply chain delays or cost increases on public capital projects. These budgetary shocks will Common Leadership Concerns increase this stress and workload next year as managers Three questions are likely keeping many ICMA managers deal with evolving workplace changes, staffing retention increasingly awake at night with these funds on the difficulties, and anxious elected officials advocating horizon, regardless of the size of their communities: for specific stimulus project expenditures. This has • Where do I start? resulted in an increased focus at ICMA conferences • What are the most impactful expenditures or single and for our affiliates on workforce mental health and projects that I can undertake to benefit current and personal resiliency. future residents? • How can I leverage my stimulus allocation to get Ensuring Future Investment more benefit for my residents in the future? It is now necessary that local government professionals These are major questions requiring thought and turn their managerial focus and leadership skills toward reflection, as well as deliberation with our elected officials how they will responsibly invest the additional ARPA and input from the public, to responsibly answer. If and IIJA funds and whatever amounts flow from the managers hope to use these revenues for major transforpotential BBB legislation in their communities. The mation infrastructure investment projects, there is the multiple trillions of potential dollars of federal investlikelihood of some elected officials, community constitument coursing through governments over the next five ent groups, or powerful staff members to advocate for or more years and competition for these funds within narrower projects of special interest for them. Preparing
JANUARY 2022 | PUBLIC MANAGEMENT | 9
SPECIAL SECTION
for this community dynamic is important. Managers are further impacted by the often-inadequate resources of smaller and rural communities where members do not have staff capacity and the large scale of the massive infrastructure and systemic problems in our metropolitan areas. Can any common strategy be appropriate?
Collaboration to Maximize Resources
There are also stimulus requirements that encourage the benefit of regional planning and collaboration on regional issues, which often cannot be addressed in a single jurisdiction. This is an opportunity to develop regional agreements and accords to solve problems by maximizing the leverage of available funding from First Things First multiple jurisdictions through combining stimulus to The answer to this may lie in the long-standing time laser-focus a regional effort on a significant regional management phrase “first things first,” popularized by need, such as restoration of environmental bioregional Stephen Covey. Managers need to take the time to reflect systems, or for small jurisdictions, simply a joint-use and plan strategically to identify the urgent actions to park or athletic facilities between local entities. Four take first with the most benefit or maximum utility smaller municipalities in Texas are combining some of achievable with stimulus proceeds distributed within their ARPA resources to invest in a regional broadband their community. initiative.4 Similarly local governments can In recent roundtable discussions around partner with economic development and this ARPA stimulus topic at the 2021 private business entities for infrastructures We are traversing a ICMA Annual Conference in Portland that promote new developments in aging new fiscal terrain for and at state association gatherings, most downtowns and industrial parks to expand managers now increasingly recognize there jobs and job training. most managers and is time available within implementation still reassessing true processes to reflect and appropriately plan Strategic Planning Is Key how to best expend these revenues. Many Managers with existing strategic plans north as the compass managers have indicated that their elected have expressed that they found the ARPA needle spins. officials and organizations understand that funds easier to expend on projects already unlike the initial perceived rush to expend within existing strategic plans approved Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic by their local officials. Strategic planning Security (CARES) Act dollars and some literal fear of will continue to aid expenditure decisions related to IIJA accepting the funds due to reporting requirements. There aligned with community vision. For managers without a is now more time to plan strategically on what specific strategic plan, this is an excellent opportunity with ARPA capital investments are needed to be the focus of IIJA (FRF) funding to gain support for the use of consultants funds and for any Build Back Better social equity and (or at least goal-setting sessions with department heads human service program funding coming down the road. and local elected officials) designed to identify their There is also time to fiscally plan to utilize all fund prioritized projects and expenditures in new strategic sources for their optimal and legal usage. The technique planning efforts. A similar opportunity exists to develop of allocating local discretionary funds or general bond a comprehensive plan for community growth or transproceeds legally toward project components ineligible portation mobility plan documents with funded capital for restricted stimulus funding may allow funding to improvements and financing elements. At a minimum, accomplish a greater variety of needed projects or even managers in our smallest communities can use this underfunded capital improvement plan (CIP) programs opportunity to discuss and implement a more meaningful with these federally proscribed funds. This “bucket apfive-year capital improvement program in their upcoming proach” provides for more local flexibility while meeting annual budget as real funding is on the horizon. regulations. Optimizing the use of local discretionary funds and restricted stimulus revenues can better fund Threefold Benefits of Civic Engagement some programs addressing inequities among marginalMeaningful opportunities for civic engagement encourized populations. It also allows more tailored attention aged by federal regulations have a three-fold benefit when on underserved geographically defined areas or “deserts” it comes to problem solving with major investments. having long-term deficits or historic neglect of commuFirst, it may improve decision making and identification nity facilities. For example, discretionary funding might of alternative solutions acceptable to residents. Second, be used for publicly subsidized groceries in public-private it can help legitimize the decision-making process by the partnerships, community facilities that have partnered edification of citizens on community issues and goverwith religious facilities, or supplementary construction nance processes while incorporating their viewpoints in grants in non-blighted minority neighborhoods ineligible planned outcomes. Third, it provides resident support for community development block grants. for the longer-term transformational undertakings
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and improvements that might go beyond the tenure of individual managers and councilmembers. In conservative regions, the size of these investment packages, and particularly the Build Back Better social transformational programs or safety net programs, may be controversial within some communities, as could competition for funding even among progressive groups operating programs. Managers in some locales have already observed that new civic groups and issue-oriented community and union alliances are being formed with the expectation of getting a share of local stimulus funding from these same pieces of legislation or advocate for certain projects based on proximity, historic inequities, or neglect. These jurisdictions are suggesting that they are early on addressing formal policies on how to fund diverse service providers and nonprofits who will seek funding for service contracts. Reporting and performance metrics are also necessary to hold subordinate contractors accountable. This must be done before distribution of revenues if the BBB Act is implemented in early 2022. Recognizing that the best laid plans need to have public support, it is important that inclusive civic engagement processes are engaged in the formulation of any plans on how these funds will be used—and upon which projects— before funds are committed. Early civic engagement is better than later in any processes, and transparent progress
updates or dashboards of timelines and progress are advisable. Managers should consider that any mid-course changes of ill-advised plans in the face of political opposition after expenditures are committed (or after reporting to federal agencies has begun) can be cause for additional administrative headaches, fiscal audits, and lost opportunities or costly delays in completing projects. Likewise, equity concerns require intentional outreach and invitations to marginalized communities who systematically may not have been involved in historic decisions on infrastructure placement or previous community needs assessments or studies. In some places, this is a glaring condition resulting in systemic racism impacting neighborhoods and urban infrastructure or quality of facilities, while other deficits are caused due to insufficient funding and simply by benign neglect. ICMA managers have an obligation to give voice to those suffering from such inequities in public services. Pragmatic Transformation Practices
Communities of any size may have several significant infrastructure needs in competition for federal funding, and the costs for infrastructure construction (and future social programs) are substantial and rising. It’s important to recognize that even with these massive injections into local economies, revenues may not be enough to complete revitalization of some communities as global trends,
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SPECIAL SECTION
First Things First: Pragmatic Ideas for Transformative Investments • Conduct a community visioning or strategic planning process to develop stimulus project priorities through meaningful and inclusive civic engagement. • Develop master park and trail plans to preserve open space, protect natural systems, and rectify inequities in quality of facilities. • Acquire properties for economic development and installation of public infrastructure for industrial parks and downtown revitalization projects. • Conduct utility system assessments for leakage, equipment and pump/lift station replacement, and capacity/pressurization assessments. • Conduct neighborhood improvements such as replacing lead pipes in waterlines or replacing dangerous sidewalks. • Improve efficiency of sanitary sewer systems through infiltration studies, reducing septic systems, or increasing plant treatment levels. • Develop broadband community availability and cable networks for electronic data transfer for economic development, smart community systems, and reducing the digital divide. • Acquire innovative temporary structures or older hotels for housing facilities for those experiencing homelessness. • Implement energy conservation assessments or alternative green energy technology for structures and residents. • Create training for the unemployed in construction skills to refurbish community deteriorated housing. • Fund infrastructure for affordable housing projects and co-generational housing. • Promote multimodal transportation, bike lanes, and safe street improvements. • Conduct response time studies to expand or locate new fire/rescue facilities and enlarge the living space at those facilities. • Implement stormwater management programs, retrofit wet and dry retention areas, or create natural swales or artificial wetlands. • Address deficiencies, officer/citizen safety, and alternative service delivery in public safety/ criminal justice and enhance technology utilization. • Improve transportation systems with electronic monitoring, road and bridge repair, traffic flow, and calming infrastructure. • Expand facilities or construct libraries, indoor recreation facilities, senior centers, public health/social service centers to provide better service delivery, community well-being, and multiuse utilizations for job training, economic development, or incubators for small business. • Plan and implement downtown renovation and development studies for public improvements and parking. • Modernize the interoperational connectivity of public communication systems and broadband capacity in underserved areas in your jurisdictions, particularly to allow transition to online services and virtual meetings. • Assemble property for future projects or right-away acquisition for infrastructure and land assembly for economic development. • Share revenue with other public recipients, such as counties or school districts, to expand or build joint-use athletic facilities, fairgrounds, performing arts centers, or parking complexes. • Acquire environmentally sensitive lands or wildlife corridors, install coastal protection, or conduct dune restoration.
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political policies, and new technologies negatively impact local jobs and economies. Some key pragmatic considerations may be necessary to determine the best steps that can be accomplished with funds available that fall short of complete replacement of critical infrastructure. Managers must determine the best use of limited stimulus funding to leverage future government grants, build public confidence to support referendums for additional local resources, or establish the governance structures to pool funding with other local governments on collaborative regional solutions. Here are eight “first things first” principles for identifying and sustaining transformational efforts that are scalable for all communities: 1. Create strategic plans with civic engagement that can be used to unify communities around a community vision and develop incremental action plans to solve community problems and encourage additional funding partners. 2. Create master plans for future investments, such as parks and open space, or industrial parks that are transformational for the community wellbeing. Rectify historic inequities or create employment centers and identify incremental components. 3. Use funding insufficient to solve problems to inventory the conditions or locations of community assets needing maintenance or replacement to document actual needs to leverage and obtain additional funding. 4. Plan for major projects to be accomplished in phase-able capital investments or geographic-based improvements. Implement pilot programs to begin solutions to complex problems. 5. Investigate innovative capital improvements with technologies that have lower “lifetime” operational costs and finance with them with realized savings. 6. Build organizational capacity by using consultants for complex or one-time projects, and build staff capacity for ongoing transformational programming efforts.
7. Incorporate job creation goals into publicly financed projects and public-private partnerships for residents and investments toward job training and apprentice programs. 8. Make the optimal use of restricted and unrestricted— and reoccurring and non-reoccurring—revenues sources to maximize impacts and flexibility on design and construction projects. As a young Wyoming city manager working in an oil and mineral boomtown during the 1980s energy crisis, I often saw a humorous yet poignant bumper sticker that said, “God grant me another oil boom and I swear I won’t waste this one.” As ICMA professionals, regardless of opinions on the appropriateness or size of the federal stimulus, let’s not ever look back on our actions over the next few years with the perspective of that bumper sticker. Let’s recognize the circumstances of the era we govern in as nonpartisan professionals and deal with this once-in-a-generation opportunity for the well-being of both our current and future residents. We are guided in this by our historic values of effectiveness, efficiency, and equity, and with an ethical sense of accountability for the whole community at the forefront of our thoughts. ICMA members, particularly city and county managers in local government, have a unique privilege of occasionally guiding communities through locally unique responses to
historical and increasingly worldwide events. The recent global pandemic and this historic series of federal legislation intended to secure economic recovery and reinvestment in America’s public infrastructure is an example of such an event unlikely to reoccur again at this scale during our careers. Anything less than a making a conscious commitment to a significant transformational community effort with this historic stimulus funding is an unconscious commitment to being professionally insignificant at a historical moment for our communities. ENDNOTES AND RESOURCES
“Build Back Better Costs Would Double with Extensions” Committee for A Responsible Federal Budget, Newsletter Analysis, November 15, 2021. 2 “Millions, Billions, Trillions: How to Make Sense of Numbers in the News”, PBS News Hour Website, Andrew Hwang, The Conversation, November 17, 2017. 3 “ICMA Survey Research: American Rescue Plan Act Local Fiscal Recovery Fund Spending Priorities,” https://icma.org/documents/icma-survey-researchamerican-rescue-plan-act-local-fiscal-recovery-fund-spending-priorities. 4 “Local Leaders Identify Top Priorities and Processes for Rescue Plan Funds,” https://icma.org/articles/article/local-leaders-identify-top-priorities-andprocesses-rescue-plan-funds. 1
RANDALL REID is southeast regional director for ICMA, Washington, D.C.
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THE MAN,
THE MANAGER, THE MENTOR A conversation with Bobby Green, a beloved mentor to many, on the importance of identifying and developing the next generation of local government leaders BY RANDALL REID 14 | PUBLIC MANAGEMENT | JANUARY 2022
The development of next generation professionals is an obligation every ICMA manager should consider seriously. Successful ICMA professionals are frequently recognized during their careers for the legacy of talent they mentor over decades. As the premier association for appointed public leadership, ICMA has developed a suite of outstanding programs and opportunities to assist in the identification and development of next generation leaders through 130 ICMA Student Chapters, ICMA fellowships, and by offering a variety of professional development activities and entry-level cohorts for aspiring professionals.
focused professions must systematically develop and instruct new practitioners in their professional culture and values. ICMA professionals
must invest time to reproduce their best selves and nurture younger professionals with public service values for future continuity in this way.
In June 2021, the Florida City and County Management Association (FCCMA), an affiliate of ICMA, gave retiring Auburndale, Florida, city manager Robert “Bobby” Green the FCCMA Lifetime Achievement Award. Named in honor of Richard Simmons, who served in numerous communities in Florida, and as an early ICMA senior advisor in a standard setting distinguished career. Like recipient Bobby Green, he was known for developing many young managers over his career. Knowing Bobby Green for years in my role as southeast regional director for ICMA, I thought PM readers might benefit from hearing some of his thoughts on mentoring of next generation members. Recently I was able to speak with him while attending the ICMA Annual Conference in Portland. Bobby, you have enjoyed a very distinguished career, so looking back, what attracted you to public service?
Photo courtesy of City of Auburndale
These notable ICMA programs, while vitally important, do not negate the fact that our association recognizes that the single greatest single motivation for considering a career in public service is the exposure to a nurturing professional manager. The opportunity for an initial working internship, receiving an introduction to career options, and personal career mentoring by a senior professional can be career-altering to young people leaving home or academic security. Concerned managers may recognize their youthful promising talent often before these individuals do themselves. Similarly, a common surprise to many managers late in their career is looking back on the fact these early relationships continued through a lifetime. A wise servant leader once counseled his followers that for a fulfilling life and career one must have an older person as a mentor, a trusted peer on the life-long journey, and a younger person to inspire and invest themselves in as a legacy. Healthy organizations and particularly ethically
The single greatest motivation for considering a career in public service is the exposure to a nurturing professional manager.
I guess you could say I was always civic minded. As a kid I would race to the fire station on my bike when I heard the volunteer siren sound. After playing in my youth baseball and football games, I was the kid that stayed around to work the concessions or in the press box. I even had my own tee-ball team as a junior in high school. I graduated from Auburndale Senior High School in 1976, the bicentennial year of the United States. I was extremely involved as a student in numerous clubs and organizations, including serving as class president. It
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was a very patriotic time in our country. Auburndale, Florida, was no exception. All our community events had an extra patriotic flair. At the high school, flags and bunting were everywhere, the music was patriotic, morning announcements included a bicentennial moment, and even though our school colors were blue and gold, the cover of my senior yearbook and graduating tassel were red, white, and blue. It was no surprise that four years after graduating high school, I found myself on the Auburndale City Commission. How did being an elected official assist you in your city management career and what perspectives carry over from an elected position to being a professional appointed official?
I served two three-year terms on the Auburndale City Commission, and three of those years as mayor. I have often credited my success as a manager to having first
Managers never stand so tall as when we reach down and help pull someone up the professional development ladder. served as an elected official. I can attest that I received far more phone calls as an elected official than I ever did as a city manager. One can truly understand the “fine line” between elected and appointed officials having served on both sides. There have been numerous times that I would make a managerial decision based on my experience as a past elected official. I remember wanting to be totally informed on matters as a commissioner, and especially as mayor. As manager, I probably overdid
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it when providing back up material and communication that would keep the elected officials informed on city matters. How many employees or assistants did you attract to the profession?
During my tenure as city manager, the city of Auburndale helped in the professional development of 10 employees that went on to be city managers, seven of which had served as an Auburndale assistant city manager. Eight of the 10 are still in the profession today. Any advice on how to best identify employees who have a potential future as a local government manager?
In hiring assistants that I would later encourage to become managers on their own, I would look for someone that showed the same interest and love for local government that I have. I would always
ask, “So you want to be a city manager?” Each one would bring something different to the job and would come from various backgrounds within the public and private sectors. The expectation was laid out from the beginning that at some point you will be ready to advance in the profession with your education and experience. They also knew that their current job was safe, until they landed that first manager’s position. How did you coach or mentor these individuals?
The manager’s position is such a generalist role. It is important that the assistants and those looking to advance get exposed to all aspects of the job. One of the best training initiatives was to allow the assistant city managers to also serve as the director of the Community Redevelopment Agency (CRA). This allowed them to work with the elected officials that also served as the CRA Board, prepare budgets, and
gain knowledge of construction management. It is vital to offer the assistants as much participation in utility projects and growth management decisions as possible. These are definitely some experiences they will find necessary and helpful in managing other cities. I know you led your state association in next generation leadership activities while serving as FCCMA president. Why did you feel that was important?
As a young Baby Boomer, I have seen firsthand the “graying of the profession,” including myself. From conference to conference, I would notice that more and more managers were retiring and creating opportunities for younger Gen-Xers and Millennials. I had also noticed younger assistants playing the waiting game for their manager to retire. That plan does not always work out, and I saw assistants were
missing out on so many greater opportunities. I did not want any of my assistants waiting on me. They were wasting their time and would have a long wait. During my year as FCCMA president in 2016–2017, we launched a year-long theme, “Preparing the Next Generation.” We focused on issues such as implementing effective succession plans, employing and utilizing interns, engaging ICMA Student Chapters, participating in the ICMA Local Government Management Fellowship Program, and being mentors and coaches. During the year we sent out a monthly “call to action” focusing on simple tools such as meeting with summer help to encourage talent development and introduce them to local government. In addition, managers were encouraged to tell their personal stories to whatever younger group would listen.
These efforts can make such a positive impact on someone interested in pursuing a career in public management. As stated during my swearing-in ceremony, “Managers never stand so tall as when we reach down and help pull someone up the professional development ladder.” I challenge our profession to “stand tall.” Most ICMA programs focus on college students, but Auburndale High School, despite its small student body, may have produced more city managers over the years than any single high school in the United States. How do you enable a small Florida high school and community to produce so many city managers and how did you encourage young high school graduates for greater academic preparation?
Auburndale has a current population of just over 17,000 residents with an estimated 20,000 living just outside the city limits. The city is located along Interstate 4, midway between Tampa and Orlando. It is a place where the citizens appreciate the small-town atmosphere. It is easy to fall in love with a place that cares for its youth, has many employment opportunities, beautiful lakes and served by just one high school, Auburndale High School (AHS). In 1991, I was selected as Auburndale city manager, only the fourth city manager since 1949, and Auburndale was recognized as an ICMA council-manager government. Since 1991, five other AHS graduates have become city managers in neighboring Polk County municipalities. They are Janice Shockley (Whitney) ‘65, Lake Alfred; Shawn Sherrouse ‘89, Lakeland; Ryan Taylor ‘92, Davenport; Andy Stewart ‘98, Dundee; and Jeff Tillman ‘03, Auburndale. The first city manager to graduate from AHS was Edwin (Shorty) Glasscock in 1943. He served as city manager in Stuart, Florida. He was also my uncle. I was pleased and honored to see these other AHS alumni professionally advance into city management. We all stay in touch and have helped each other out on countless occasions. There is a story that you once saw a young high school employee stop a lawn mower to pay respect to a passing funeral procession. Impressed by that respectful act you invited him into your
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Young people cannot know that they might want to pursue city management as a career path unless they learn that the profession exists and what one can accomplish in it. We need very much for the next generation to be attracted to local government. office to meet him and eventually discussed his future and introduced him to the profession. That employee, who thought he was in trouble when was called to your office, did not even know what a city manager was at the time. Are there other such examples of how you identify potential?
Yes, that young seasonal recreation employee, Jeffery Tillman, is now the current city manager of Auburndale. I have always looked for talent. A more recent example occurred following a recent Black Lives Matter event in a city park, when a young man who was a recent AHS graduate appeared before the city commission to request body cameras be used in our police department. He made an outstanding presentation. After the meeting I inquired as his plans in the future. He was not sure, so I offered him duties as summer help in the city manager’s office, and he
started attending commission meetings. He is now attending the University of South Florida and was recently elected vice president of the ICMA Student Chapter. He is the most recent example of a young person that knew nothing about city government, and even less about what a city manager does, and now he may be on his way to becoming another Auburndale bloodhound (school mascot) to become a city manager. Several former assistants recounted how you persuaded them to go to college, or obtain their MPA at USF, even personally introducing them to graduate professors, and that you sponsored an ICMA Student Chapter.
In 1988, I obtained my master of public administration (MPA) degree from the University of South Florida (USF) in Tampa. I enjoy visiting the campus and speaking to new MPA students as often as possible. I have
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encouraged all seeking assistants and managers to secure their MPA degree. It is a requirement coming in the door and shows your commitment to the rigors of obtaining higher education. I am very proud to be one of the founding supporters of the ICMA Student Chapter at USF. The USF chapter was Florida’s first when chartered in 2013. It remains one of the top honors in my career that the chapter bears my name. In addition to my personal contributions to the USF Foundation, the city of Auburndale has allocated $1,000 annually since 2013. Upon my recent retirement, the city pledged to continue the donation for an additional 10 years. How do you continue these mentoring relationships with these folks now in manager positions?
I find it so rewarding to connect with former employees, assistants, and students. I encourage them to keep me on speed dial. This is a
profession that in many ways proves the adage that it can be “lonely at the top.” However, you can also find camaraderie and friendships among your colleagues. I have been blessed and fortunate to benefit from the latter. l especially look forward to the conferences and events that allow us all to get together. Now that you’ve retired, what are you doing for younger professionals as an encore?
In April 2021, finishing 30 years as city manager, I retired from the city of Auburndale. I continue to serve in several capacities that allow for encouragement of the next generation. I routinely visit with the USF ICMA Student Chapter and serve as chairman of the USF MPA Advisory Board. It is so important that academia teaches the needs of the profession, and vitally important that the profession communicate its needs to academia.
Jeffrey Brown City Clerk/Special Projects Director Auburndale, Florida What do you remember about how you first encountered Bobby? I first met Bobby when I interviewed with him for the assistant to the city manager position. I was scared to death. Up to that point in my career, generally if I was in the manager’s office, it was to explain my interpretation of the land development regulations because someone wasn’t pleased with it. However, once we got into the interview, Bobby’s easygoing personality put me at ease, and it became more of a conversation. What techniques did Bobby use to inspire or guide your career development? Bobby assigned me to be part of projects that would expand my knowledge base. For example, while I worked for Auburndale, the city constructed a softball complex. The city acted as the contractor and purchased the materials for the project. I had to learn how to write specifications for materials and how to write requests for proposals for subcontractors. I had to call other purchasing directors in the area to get some assistance, seeing as how I had never done anything of that magnitude. Bobby always allowed me to be part of discussions and issues, even if just as an observer. Then we would discuss my perspective on the issue, and he would share his perspective as well. What was the chief thing you learned from him that you use in your career today? Bobby taught me to trust staff but verify. Staff to this day will joke about how many questions I ask them.
Jeff Tillman City Manager Auburndale, Florida How did Bobby show he was interested in your professional development as more than a just a boss? From the first time I met Mr. Green, I could genuinely tell he was more concerned about me as a person than being my boss. He never missed an opportunity to ask me if I ever thought about getting my college education, possibly in Public Administration, or if I could see myself
as a city manager one day. Over the years, that grew into his assistance in my professional development and navigating opportunities in local government management. How did Bobby inspire or guide your career development? I never felt pressure from Mr. Green to choose city management as a profession. He most certainly tried to show me the opportunities that were available in the arena, but he lets you make your own decision and is truly there for anything you need. If there is any possible way for him to help someone, I have witnessed him do everything in his power on a number of occasions with multiple mentees. Mr. Green has written numerous letters of recommendation and made more phone calls on my behalf professionally than you could imagine, but personally he has done even more. What was the chief thing you learned from him you use in your career today? Compassion. For everyone he comes into contact with. He always tried to see the issue from the resident’s perspective and tried to do what he could. Sometimes he had to have that tough discussion with someone, but it was always after he exhausted every avenue to see if he could make it work. Bobby is also probably one of the best communicators I’ve ever had the pleasure to meet, and he almost always was able to explain to the person why the tough decision was made, but they also knew he looked under every rock. Tell us about your ICMA Student Chapter experience. I had the fortunate opportunity to be a founding student member of the Robert R. Green ICMA Student Chapter at USF, along with fellow Mr. Green alum Shawn Sherrouse. The ICMA Student Chapter was most certainly a wonderful experience and really opened some doors for my professional advancement. I’ve continued to stay involved with the chapter and currently serve as their chapter mentor, and was very pleased that they had a number of student members in Portland for the ICMA Annual Conference. The only thing that Mr. Green has asked of me in our 20-year mentorship is that I pay it forward and my involvement with the student chapter is just that.
I want to encourage city managers to share their stories with those next generation professionals in the pipeline. Young people cannot know that they might want to pursue city management as an initial career path unless they have been told that the profession exists and what one can accomplish in it. We need very much for the next generation to be attracted to local government. Bobby, I talked to your former assistants about the numerous letters of recommendation you wrote or personal support you gave them in times of uncertainty. They were very complimentary of your tutelage, telling me they learned many useful soft skills specifically by observing you at work. Skills like showing “compassion” for citizens encountering problems, communicating effectively with employees and, even as high school students, “that you cared for them as individuals and their future potential,” whether they chose city management or another career. Any final advice to those managers who desire to maximize their impact on behalf of our next generation managers.
Well, as Benjamin Franklin once said, “Tell me and I forget, teach me and I may remember, involve me and I learn.” That is solid advice for meaningful mentoring, successful internships, and encouraging lifelong professional development.”
RANDALL REID is southeast regional director for ICMA, Washington, D.C.
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The Road Less Traveled:
Nontraditional Career Paths in Local Government Programs for recruitment, training, and retention of talent can help you strengthen your workforce and plan for the future BY BENJAMIN M. EFFINGER
Photos courtesy of the LA County Department of Human Resources
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Careers in local government are rewarding, but often underrated. Many individuals do not consider a career in local government simply because it is not mainstream enough to catch their interest in their formative years, in high school, or during their studies in college.
Even though public service and local government may not be high on the list of trending jobs in 2022, there are many ways to enter into local government other than applying for an entry-level position and working your way up through the ranks. In the past decade, many programs have emerged to highlight nontraditional career paths into local government. Through these programs, specifically internships and fellowships, municipal organizations have embraced and focused on recruiting through these channels to bolster their succession planning, add depth to their ranks, and find and attract individuals with qualified
education and experience to fill local government positions. Los Angeles County is one such municipal government agency that has leaned into this trend of creating, marketing, and promoting nontraditional career paths into local government. This process has been successful in attracting, retaining, and promoting talented individuals to fill critical projected vacancies and fill talent gaps in a multigenerational workforce without having critical institutional knowledge loss. This knowledge gap is amplified by retirements and departures of mid-, senior, and executive-level managers throughout the county. Through the promotion of
My experience as a leader in the armed forces served me well in leading and managing teams in local government and provided the springboard for my county career. these programs, backed by the support and funding of the Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors, the county has been successful in meeting the needs of a fluid and transitioning workforce, providing service delivery to the more than 10 million residents that call Los Angeles County home. By creating an alternate pipeline to attract and select candidates with high potential into the workforce, Los Angeles County has created a blueprint that can be functional and successful for years to come. Also, by bridging the gap in the current transitioning workforce and creating a mechanism to effectively and efficiently capture and retain institutional knowledge, the county is saving critical information from extinction. The county can concentrate on improving service delivery through adding high-potential individuals geared toward creating change and improving the customer experience for residents interacting with local government agencies. As a veteran, I personally discovered that nontraditional career paths into local government are a way to prove that veterans bring an
immense amount of experience, leadership, and discipline to the table, making them excellent candidates to participate in these programs. Also, through the civil service process that many agencies employ, veterans are considered for hiring preference and awarded additional points toward their composite score, which affords them the opportunity for higher banding and selection preference over those with lower composite scores. Programs for Recruitment, Training, and Retention of Talent
Across Los Angeles County, there are several programs, at various levels, to infuse talent into the county workforce through nontraditional career paths. These programs aid the recruiting, training, and retaining of talent for the next generation of local government leaders. The following are programs that the county has developed, and a summary of how each program positions the county effectively in both their succession and strategic planning for workforce development: Student Professional Workers
Individuals selected for this program gain on-the-jobtraining and experience in local government offices, which they can use to qualify for entrylevel government positions when completing high school, community college, or technical training in their preferred field. Student workers gain valuable experience, build professional networks, and gain real-world experience for application in their course of study.
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my county colleagues have affectionately branded the “wormhole.” I completed my military service in 2010, and immediately opened my Montgomery GI Bill to further my education and obtain my master’s degree in public administration (MPA). Upon completing my MPA in 2013, I began looking for a way to continue to serve my community after separating from military service, which is when I saw the advertisement for the Inaugural Los Angeles County Management Fellow Program. In March 2013, I Career Development/ Veteran Internship
Individuals chosen for these internships are typically qualifying transition aged youths and/or U.S. Armed Forces veterans who have completed their military obligation serving their country. This internship provides these populations with onthe-job-training and a path to compete for permanent government employment upon completion of their internship requirements. Administrative Intern Program
This program attracts individuals with a fouryear degree to learn county operations first-hand and receive specialized training throughout the course of the Intern Program. At the completion of the program, these individuals are appointed to analyst-level positions in the county to perform a wide variety of centralized departmental operations, such as human resources, budgets, administration, and contract management.
County Management Fellow (CMF) Program
The CMF program attracts individuals with a graduate degree or terminal degree into a two-year fellowship to participate in operational management or special projects or programs oversight, with the goal of competing for high-level analyst or entry level management positions within county departments. This program was modeled after the Presidential Management Fellow Program and is one of the keystone succession
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planning tools that the county employs. The inaugural cohort for this program was brought into the county in 2013. My Journey from the Military to LA County
There are many success stories of how Los Angeles County has used these nontraditional career paths to infuse the county with talent and work toward their goal of succession planning. My story is not unique, as many of my peers have been successful by utilizing these same opportunities, which
applied to the program and after several rounds of tests, panel interviews, and other exam elements, I was offered an opportunity to join Los Angeles County with the Treasurer and Tax Collector (TTC). I wondered how my background as a military police officer and higher education law enforcement professional would be beneficial to a department that was responsible for billing and collecting property taxes and safeguarding public funds. Little did I know, the
department was looking for a capable and competent individual to operate in the Public Service Division, which required immaculate customer service skills, communication skills, and a toolkit full of deescalation tactics. I had these skills, so I finally understood why I was an attractive candidate for them to pursue. The inaugural cohort of the Los Angeles County Management Fellow program in 2013 had 42 members and many of us have gone on to stellar careers in public service. The majority of us have stayed and progressed with the county, some of us have left for opportunities with other municipalities, and some have gone back to the private sector. My two years in the program were challenging yet rewarding. I learned about the county as an organization, with more than 110,000 employees in 38 individual departments, serving a constituent population of more than 10 million residents. While learning about and training for my core functions in TTC, I was provided exposure to senior and executive leaders in Los Angeles County. These candid and intimate conversations helped to identify the intrinsic rewards of working in local government that will drive us in our delivery of public service. In addition, the county provided more than 80 hours of formal training and opportunities to be part of the Los Angeles County Management Council, which afforded us opportunities to network and identify mentors from all across the county, aiding us in finding what motivates us most about working in local government. Upon successful completion
of the program, our cohort was acknowledged as the first County Management Fellows to complete the program and transition to permanent county management positions. My path with the TTC has been an exciting journey, as I did not know anything about property taxes in California when I joined the department. It is important to note that I had only moved to California in 2012 and had owned a property less than one year in a state with a very complex secured and unsecured property tax system. Upon completing the County Management Fellow Program, I competed for and was promoted to the position of chief of Tax Services. This position was a section manager who directly oversaw the operations of the Public Service Division Call Center, One-Stop Public Counter, and eCommunications Unit, which is responsible for email communication and ecommerce transactions related to secured property tax payments. After two years as the chief of Tax Services, I successfully competed again for promotion to assistant operations chief. This position was the assistant division manager, with responsibility and oversight of day-to-day operations for the 50 staff members of the Public Service Division. After a year and a half in this role, I competed for my most recent position of operations chief of the Public Service Division. As the division manager, I am responsible for the strategic planning and oversight of the operations of the Public Service Division, executed through subordinate supervisors and managers.
Bringing New Talent to Your Organization
Although most smaller organizations do not have the budget or resources to operate this level of nontraditional career paths to bring talent into their organizations, that is where ICMA can help. ICMA sponsors two different fellowship programs that operate very similarly to the County Management Fellow Program and provide opportunities for individuals to learn, train, and gain experience in local government, while actively looking for placement into their next career in local government. These two programs are the Local Government Management Fellowship (LGMF) and the Veterans Local Government Management Fellowship (VLGMF). The LGMF (icma. org/lgmf) is open to recent MPA and master of public policy (MPP) graduates as a career development opportunity focused on lining up these individuals with management-track employment within local government. The VLGMF (icma.org/vlgmf) is different in that it affords veterans the opportunity to apply for 12-, 16-, or 20-week programs to work in local government as part of their transition from active-duty service. The Department of Defense approves the participation in this program and the military
members still receive their military pay and benefits while participating in the VLGMF program. To learn more about ICMA’s resources for veterans, visit icma.org/veterans/ resources. Conclusion
None of the opportunities I’ve mentioned would have been afforded to me had I not entertained entering local government service through a nontraditional career path. The County Management Fellow Program paved the way for me to learn, train, be coached and mentored, and successfully complete the program requirements to assist the county in achieving its goal of succession planning and recruiting talent for a transitioning workforce. My experience as a leader in the armed forces served me well in leading and managing teams in local government and provided the springboard for my county career.
BENJAMIN M. EFFINGER is operations chief of the Public Service Division of the Los Angeles County Treasurer and Tax Collector. He serves as the chair of the Communications Team of the ICMA Veteran’s Advisory Committee and is currently pursuing his doctorate in public administration from the University of La Verne.
JANUARY 2022 | PUBLIC MANAGEMENT | 23
Preparing for the Ups, Downs, and Detours
Along Your Career Path Times of career transition are challenging, but it’s better to be prepared for them than to be surprised. BY CHARLENE STEVENS AND ERIC NORENBERG
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In fall of 2020, ICMA convened the Task Force on Members in Transition, and we had the privilege of leading that group over the past year. The charge to the task force was to assess ICMA’s offerings for members in transition (MITs)— those who have been fired, forced
to resign, or otherwise involuntarily separated from local government service—and recommend ways to strengthen those offerings. Many of the members of the task force, including us, have been in transition during our careers. There is a kinship and
empathy that comes from being a member in transition. Many, ourselves included, learn that being in transition is a humbling and challenging time and that the support we thought we were providing to colleagues when they were in transition was perhaps not nearly adequate. For these reasons, we and the task force members enthusiastically embraced the purpose of improving support for managers in transition. We took on the challenge of updating the publication, Notes for Beachcombers: A Survivor’s Manual for Local Government Managers and Spouses, which had become outdated. The result was a
new publication, Survivor’s Guide for a Career that has Its Ups, Downs and Detours. A subcommittee of the task force reviewed and assessed best practices of state associations and ICMA senior advisors. We wanted to destigmatize being in transition, so we developed and presented a well-received session, “It Can Happen to You and it HAS Happened to Your Colleague,” at all five of the 2021 ICMA Regional Conferences. We also developed two sessions for the 2021 ICMA Annual Conference in Portland. So, why is this important and what can you do? You can be prepared. Just as this is a rewarding profession, it
At any given time, approximately 200 members of ICMA are “in transition.” is also a volatile profession. Most have heard the statistic that the average tenure of a local government manager is seven years. At any given time, approximately 200 members of ICMA are “in transition.” Preparation and resiliency were key guiding principles for the task force, and those who have experienced transition will tell you that being prepared was better than being surprised. Look through
the guide and learn ways to prepare and perhaps prevent being in transition or learn the warning signs. Discover ways to prepare your partner or family for the possibility of a career transition. The impact of transition is not just on the manager—it is felt by partners and children, too. Review the “Preparation and Resiliency” sidebar, taken from the updated Survivor’s Guide, on page 26. If you are a local government manager facing termination and about to be in transition, make every effort to leave on the best possible terms with your governing body. Perhaps the most important element
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Preparation and Resiliency Accept Any Job with Eyes Wide Open. Whether you’re currently employed or in transition, you can take some steps to guard against termination in your next position. First and foremost, when you’re looking to move to another position, do your best to find out what you’re getting into. Negotiate a Strong Employment Agreement. Local government managers are in a unique position as employees. They often work for a group that has a limited understanding of what managers do and the laws, ordinances, ethical tenets, and other constraints that guide and sometimes limit how managers do their jobs. This can lead to unrealistic expectations and occasional conflict. An employment agreement can provide both parties with a fuller understanding of their mutual expectations regarding the manager’s duties. Embrace Lifelong Learning. The most innovative and resilient local government managers tend to frequently engage in learning/mastering new skills. Cultivate a Robust Professional Network. Develop a strong network of positive relationships. Don’t wait until you face a crisis but start now to methodically extend your circle. Actively Manage Your Career. No one is better positioned to manage your career than you. Take charge of your career trajectory by first reflecting on your strengths, development opportunities, past experiences, and current role. Look Toward the Future. The most resilient local government managers don’t get mired in the past; rather, they look forward to the future. We are professional troubleshooters, so try to view each challenge you face as an opportunity for growth and improvement. Stay optimistic, tuned in, and ready to embrace potential opportunities as they arise. Get in Shape. Your career is influenced by everything you do to stay in shape—financially, physically, emotionally, and spiritually. Make Sure Your Personal Finances Are in Order. Because of the possibility of sudden termination, it’s very important to be financially secure. Don’t bank on a severance check to keep you afloat while you’re in transition. Keep Your Resume and References Updated. The last time you looked at your resume was probably when you were applying for your current position. Yet, your resume is the first tool you’ll need when you look for your next job. Because you never know when you’ll need it, keep it up to date.
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of navigating a transition successfully is your public reaction. How you respond will set the tone for your personal reputation, your legacy in the community, and your prospects for future employment. The way you exit creates a lasting impression and reflects on how you value your work and your colleagues. Are you enjoying a long, happy, and tenured career? Is this guide really for you? Yes! You can and should actively support a colleague in transition. If you are not sure how to support a colleague who is in transition, check out the recommendations on “Providing Peer Support.” Former MITs will all recount how the texts, calls, and emails flooded in during the first few days after separation and then disappeared into silence as the transition entered its third or fourth month. Being in transition can be a lonely time. We both remember and value the colleagues who reached out not just once, but throughout our time in transition to just check in or offer encouragement. If you have been an MIT and are not yet in Coach Connect, please consider volunteering as a coach. Learn more at icma. org/icma-coaching-program. When registering, use “MIT” and “transition” as keywords so those who are in transition can find coaches who have been where they are. We can and should do better by our colleagues. Additionally, focus on your personal and professional
resilience. Being open to new opportunities, as well as taking care of your own physical, financial, and mental well-being, are all important and necessary steps for resiliency. Both of us chose slightly different career paths following our time in transition and we both agree that being open to reinventing ourselves led us to positions that we now enjoy. We can also both testify to the importance of taking walks with the family dog as a way to clear our minds. Please be alert to additional resources for MITs that will be available in the coming year. The task force prepared a series of recommendations that will be reviewed and considered in early 2022. We hope everyone will periodically check out the MIT resources on the ICMA website at icma.org/ members-transition-program. As resources are added and updated, it will be beneficial to be aware of them—whether you need them for yourself or to help a colleague. Here are just a few resources available to active members in transition: • Complimentary registration for the ICMA Annual Conference. • Complimentary, unlimited access to ICMA University webinars. • Regular MIT calls with others in transition. • ICMA dues are waived. • Reputation management services. And you will find the new Survivor’s Guide for a Career that has Its Ups, Downs, and Detours at that website as well. We are in a rewarding, but challenging profession. While we have supportive family, friends, and coworkers, they may not understand and
appreciate the challenges of managing an organization while answering to elected officials. As a result, it may seem that we are alone on the frontline. In reality, our colleagues, senior advisors, state associations, and ICMA are with us on our journey. We do have resources to guide us, colleagues who can lend an understanding ear, and senior advisors who have been through similar challenges to turn to for advice.
The authors greatly appreciate the hard work and contributions by their fellow task force members, who helped write the new guide, give conference presentations, and develop the task force recommendations. John Drago, Apopka, Florida Veronica Ferguson, County Administrator, Sonoma County, California (Retired) James Fisher, Brenham, Texas Kellie Hebert, Town Administrator, Sterling, Massachusetts David Hodgkins, Town Manager, Farmville, North Carolina William E. Johnson lll, City Manager, Emporia, Virginia Brenda Miller-Fergerson, Director Human Resources, Webster, Texas Cole O’Donnell, City Administrator, Keokuk, Iowa James Proce, City Manager, Anna, Texas
CHARLENE STEVENS is Senior Vice President of GovHR USA. ERIC NORENBERG, ICMA-CM, is executive director of the Centre Region Council of Government.
Tim Rundel, City Manager, Weed, Oklahoma De’Carlon Seewood, Deputy City Manager, Columbia, Missouri Cathy Swanson-Rivenbark, Coral Gables, Florida Jeffrey Weldon, Senior Advisor James Wheeler, City Manager, Poquoson, Virginia Mark Wollenweber, Senior Advisor
PROFILES OF
LEADERSHIP AND MANAGEMENT IN ACTION “As the world is continually evolving, it requires leaders that continue to learn and evolve with it. I am grateful to ICMA for the standards of the credentialing program and the valuable learning opportunities they provide. I am also thankful to the El Paso County Commissioners Court which supports my credentialing and encourages my continued professional growth.” Betsy C. Keller Chief Administrator County of El Paso, TX Credentialed since August 2016
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
View a list of credentialed managers and candidates at icma.org/credentialed
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ICMA Members in Transition Program Benefits
How ICMA Can Help When a manager or assistant manager is fired, forced to resign, or otherwise involuntarily separated from local government service, ICMA provides an array of support: On a personal level. ICMA provides access to support services from organizational leadership, senior management staff, senior advisors, and other members. On a financial level. ICMA waives dues payments for up to three years. To facilitate networking with fellow managers and to promote professional development while in transition, the registration fees for specific professional and leadership development programs are also waived. Want to support a colleague in transition? Stay connected with your colleagues in transition. Consider members in transition for short-term and interim assignments in your community too!
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ICMA dues waived for up to three years.
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Bi-monthly conference calls: featuring subject matter experts and, access to their online resources and tools.
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Job opportunity notifications, ICMA career resources and job center.
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Credentialed Manager status maintained.
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Connect to a network of seasoned professionals offering personal and professional support.
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Professional and leadership development.
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Reputation management services.
Complimentary registrations for ICMA professional and leadership development programs •
ICMA Annual Conference and welcome reception tickets for member and partner; plus travel and lodging stipend for the member (icma.org/ conference)
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Gettysburg Leadership Institute (icma.org/ Gettysburg)
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Williamsburg Leadership Institute (icma.org/ Williamsburg)
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ICMA Regional Conferences (icma.org/regionalconferences)
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Virtual conference archives (icma.org/virtual)
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All webinars priced at $149 (icma.org/webinars)
icma.org/MIT
ICMA is here to support you The career transition process that local government managers experience can be difficult and stressful. Immediate actions that can be taken when faced with a career transition: ➤
Remember, you are not alone.
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Participate in our bi-monthly conference calls for MIT’s.
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Stay engaged with ICMA and the ICMA member network at large.
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Maximize your job search with the ICMA job board, and other resources.
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Take advantage of the ICMA Senior Advisors Program.
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Continue your professional and leadership development.
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Learn from your peers and mentors.
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Keep in touch with your community, seek help if you need it, and remember that ICMA is here to support you. Contact ICMA member services if you are in need of counsel at 800-745-8780/202-9623680, or membership@icma.org.
ICMA now offers Reputation Management Services Tripepi Smith is the preferred provider of online reputation management products and services through the ICMA Members in Transition Program. Contact membership@icma.org for more information, or visit icma.org/MIT
Website: icma.org/MIT
membership@icma.org
EXTREME OWNERSHIP for Local Government
The principle that all responsibility for both success and failure rests with the leader can be applied in local government. BY WESTON DAVIS
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P
eople often ask which leadership book is my favorite. Having read many of the books available on the topic, I have found one that has stood above the rest. Extreme Ownership: How U.S. Navy SEALS Lead and Win, by former U.S. Navy SEAL officers Jocko Willink and Leif Babin, is the single best leadership book I have come upon. Willink and Babin present 12 principles of extreme ownership, how they worked on the battlefield, and how they apply to leadership. The principles are then shown in real-world workplace scenarios that the authors have seen through their consulting work. The principles presented in Extreme Ownership can also apply to local government. The authors state these principles can apply to “any company, team, or organization in which a group of people strives to achieve a goal and accomplish a mission” (Willink). Here local government leaders can use these principles in leading for success. Extreme Ownership Under this principle, “all responsibility for success and failure rests with the leader” (Willink). This means that ultimately whatever happens in the organization is the leader’s responsibility. When the team isn’t performing, the leader of each team is to blame. Each level of leadership in the organization must take ownership of the actions of their subordinates. In local government, ultimate responsibility lies with the city manager or mayor.
Government leaders can only improve the organization by providing development for their team. When the team isn’t performing, the leader must fix the performance issues or remove team members. Example: A street department crew has broken another paver. This is not the fault of the equipment operator, but the fault of the street department crew leader by either failing to properly train the employee or by keeping an employee that isn’t fit for the job. Then we look at the director of the street department who hasn’t ensured that the crew leader is training or removing underperforming employees. Ultimately, it is the city manager’s fault for not ensuring the department head provides appropriate accountability of their supervisors. No Bad Teams, Only Bad Leaders Under this principle the authors describe how bad leaders can negatively affect a team. When there is a bad leader there is no one to hold the team accountable. Teams that are lacking accountability tend to develop negative cultures. A good leader will create a culture of effectiveness on any team. The book points out that a leader accepts mediocrity or drives performance. A poor leader will allow negative behaviors to become the culture and cause poor performance. Example: The fire department has a particular engine company that is consistently not meeting response times. This crew on a particular shift is the only one that isn’t keeping with the standards of the rest of the department. The fire chief decides to make a change and move the captain of the crew to another station. The new captain comes in and almost overnight the crew is now meeting their response time goals. The only difference? The new captain requires his team to follow all the department policies of being response ready. These policies are what allows the crews to make their response time goals. The previous captain was not enforcing the policies. It was not the team that was failing, it was their leader failing them by not holding them accountable.
Believe The primary function of a leader is to inspire others to want to do a job. In order to do this the leader “must believe in the mission” (Willink). If the leader doesn’t understand or know why something is being done, they need to find the answers. These answers may be found by evaluating the situation using critical thinking or by asking questions. The leader may need to ask questions up the chain of command to get the “why” of the mission. If the leader reflects enough or asks enough questions, the true impact of the mission will be found. These findings will allow the leader to find their belief in the mission. Example: The human resources (HR) director doesn’t understand why the HR business partners need to be colocated in other departments throughout the city. This is an inconvenience when she is trying to communicate with her staff and check their progress. She is always complaining to her staff about this and morale is falling. The HR director decides to ask the city manager why her staff is not in a central location. She is told that the HR business partners being colocated with other departments has reduced HR violations by 60 percent, increased usage of the cityoffered benefits, and reduced the total cost of the HR department. Now that the HR director is aware of these benefits and believes in the mission, she is a better leader and morale has improved. Check the Ego As the book mentions, most conflict in organizational teams is caused by ego (Willink). Often it is the ego that pushed the leader to achieve their goals and become the leader. This same ego can cause the leader to fail their team. The leader must be able to overcome their ego and take a retrospective look inside themselves to examine their strengths and weaknesses. An inner look will allow the leader to see where they are failing their team. Example: The police department is having record high turnover. The police chief has decided to take another job in a neighboring city. A new police chief is hired and decides to send out a survey to the department. This survey is intended to find the root cause of the turnover problem. Through the survey the chief finds that the former chief was more interested in gaining certifications
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than he was in running the department. This selfishness of ego clouded the former police chief’s ability to effectively lead the department. An effective leader must put their own ego aside and put their team before themselves.
disrepair. Her plan to prioritize the needed street repairs will get the most pressing issues solved. All of the streets will be repaired in a methodical manner, versus having several competing projects going at the same time.
Cover and Move This is a principle widely used in the military. A coverand-move strategy is used when a soldier has their gun pointed toward the enemy while their teammate moves positions (Willink). In this action your life depends on your team doing their part. In local government it generally isn’t a life-or-death issue, but a question of success and failure. Another way of saying cover and move is calling it teamwork (Willink). Each team member, team, and department must work in conjunction with the entire organization to achieve goals. A unit only looking out for themselves may mean a temporary victory, but will not complete the overall mission. Example: The capital budget process is a great example of this concept. All of the department heads meet with the finance director and the city manager during the budget process. The purpose of this meeting is to select the capital budget items that will get funded in the next fiscal year. Each department has a wish list of capital projects they want to fund during the next budget. The city has effective leadership that has adopted a cover-and-move strategy. Instead of working in silos, each department head knows that they will not get everything they want. Each one of them must listen to the other leaders propose their needs. The department heads
Decentralized Command A leader cannot, and should not, micromanage every aspect of an organization. The leaders of the organization must provide the “why” of what they want done. Willink and Babin call this the “commander’s intent” when the frontline workers understand what the leader needs from them. In order to convey commander’s intent, the leaders must trust their workers and give them “left and right limits” (Willink). Example: City council has set a priority for more people to come and enjoy the city parks. The parks department director has been given approval to beautify all of the city’s parks. The director tells the parks supervisor that the parks need more flowers, landscaping, and water features. He gives the supervisor a budget, several hundred bags of mulch, and five workers dedicated to the project. The parks director shows the supervisor some online photos of parks that could be used as a template for this project. The commander’s intent was showing the supervisor what he had in mind and then gave him limits in the form of staff and supplies to complete the project.
will then take into account the big picture and give up some of their items to make the overall budget work. This give-andtake strategy helps the city as a whole succeed, even if some departments are set back. Simplify When plans and directions are too complex, people tend to not understand them. It is critical for the leader to ensure that their team understands their directions. Each direction must be broken into bite-size consumable elements that the team understands. Complex directions do not hold up well when things go wrong (Willink). Communication needs to ensure that the team understands the mission and how to achieve it. Example: The county’s staff accountant was given directions to review the past purchases of the parks and recreation department for any non-cancelled checks. The staff accountant looked through their electronic system and found no non-cancelled checks and reported this to the finance director. When an audit was performed it showed there were several outstanding checks the accountant missed. When asked about this, the accountant stated they looked through the electronic system for the checks and found none. The finance
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director told the accountant that he should have looked in the paper register, boxes of financial records in storage, and on the laserfiche system. Due to the finance director’s lack of simple directions to her team, the task was not properly completed. The director should have provided all the locations of non-cancelled checks in the directions. Prioritize and Execute “Even the most competent of leaders can be overwhelmed if they try to tackle multiple problems or a number of tasks simultaneously” (Willink). High-performing organizations are prepared for contingencies in planning (Willink). Leaders must develop a plan to evaluate the highest-priority issues and solve them. An organizational unit cannot effectively solve many critical items at once. A major task for every leader is to develop a plan for execution that can solve all the problems in due time. Example: City council has approved the new budget, funding the street department to fix 43 of the city’s streets. The public works director, being a high-performing leader, realizes that all the streets cannot be fixed simultaneously. She works to develop a plan that uses the limited resources to prioritize the streets that are most in
Plan Every mission needs to have a plan. Every local government organization should have plans for what they want to accomplish. The commander’s intent is taken and developed
into a way to accomplish the mission (Willink). Any good plan should be understood by everyone who is providing a part of the plan. The leader should provide the overall direction for the plan and allow their supervisors to develop the fine tuning of the plan (Willink). It is critical to ensure that everyone knows their part in the plan. If someone is not clear on the plan, then things could fall apart and risk having a failed mission. For each mission, the planning process will be different. Example: A captain on a fire engine pulls up to a structure fire. The captain tells her personnel that they will pull a hose line and make an interior attack, then start looking for people trapped in the structure. This is a quick and simple plan used by a few people to accomplish a specific mission. Some plans may be far more complex and have many more players. Another example: The city manager has decided that the city is going to start providing EMS services instead of contracting with a private ambulance service. The city manager will need to plan for hiring personnel, buying equipment, hiring a department head, completing state compliance applications, and planning for a transition. The city manager’s intent is for the city to have its own EMS agency. The rest may be handled by the assistant city manager or by hiring an EMS chief to develop the other major parts of the plan. Leading Up and Down the Chain of Command Leading down the chain of command is where most leaders excel. This is where a leader communicates with
subordinates and provides them the tools to do their jobs. The leader will need to periodically visit the worksite to provide direction and observe what subordinates are doing (Willink). Leading up the chain of command can be a difficult task for many. What should one do when their boss is the problem? A good leader must question if they have provided information and support to their boss. Leading up the chain of command requires much more savvy and skill (Willink). Extreme ownership needs to be used by the subordinate leader to help work with their leader. When orders are given from above, the leader must seek understanding in order to fully execute the orders (Willink). Asking questions and seeking clarification from one’s boss is a great way to find out the “why” for yourself when it isn’t given. Example: The senior planner was continually fielding complaints from the planning staff about the planning director. The planning director would constantly deny requests for changes to the city’s ordinances. The planning staff was in a constant state of frustration because nothing they tried to implement was implemented. The senior planner realized it was their job to lead up the chain of command as well as down the chain. She went to the planning director to show him how the current ordinances were not working. The senior planner provided data to the director that showed the problems and then further explained the need to change the ordinances. She further went on to ask the director what he wanted to see in a proposal. The director had never been asked this before and was happy to provide
input. By leading up the chain of command the senior planner was able to provide leadership to her boss to effect change. Decisiveness Amid Uncertainty Leaders are often presented with situations to make decisions without the benefit of complete information. Leaders must act decisively in times of uncertainty (Willink). In cases where there is incomplete information, the leader uses previous experience and wisdom to make decisions. Example: The IT director received an email from an employee that said they think their computer has a virus. While he was reading this email, another employee called about popup ads on their computer. Meanwhile, an employee in another division in another city building called about their computer having strange popups. It looked to the IT director that the city’s computers were being rapidly affected by a virus. He immediately made the decision to shut down the virtual desktop servers, kicking off all city employees. The IT director did not have the luxury of not being decisive. A lack of decisiveness could have shut down the city’s entire network and paralyzed operations. He took what little information he had and made a decision without certain knowledge. This is when a leader has to make these kinds of definitive decisions. Discipline Equals Freedom On the surface it would appear that discipline and freedom are on opposite ends of a spectrum. The reason for this feeling is that these two
principles are dichotomies, and leaders usually operate in an area of dichotomies (Willink). According to Willink and Babin, some of these dichotomies are that a leader must be: • Confident, but not cocky. • A leader and a follower. • Quiet, but not silent. • Calm, but not robotic. Example: During a meeting with the director of fleet, the assistant city manager asked why progress was not being made with finding vendors to bid for the upcoming budget. She is normally a very hands-off leader that allows department heads to make their own plans. However, in this case the director of fleet was not performing. She made the decision to more closely lead the director and provide him with detailed directions. Some would call this micromanagement, and it is somewhat. A good leader will sometimes need to “micromanage” when a subordinate is not performing. That leader will then go back to providing global direction and not managing the subordinate so closely when their performance improves. This is one of many examples of how a leader will have to enact dichotomies during their time in leadership. For more information on extreme ownership, visit http://jockopodcast.com/. REFERENCE
Willink, Jocko, and Leif Babin. Extreme Ownership: How U.S. Navy SEALs Lead and Win. St. Martin Press, 2015.
WESTON DAVIS is area director of LifeNet EMS in Texarkana, Texas.
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Igniting the
Spark A tribute to one man’s inspirational legacy of mentorship, igniting the local government spark in his students and interns BY IAN M. COYLE, ICMA-CM
It is safe to say that Robert “Bob” McEvoy has left an indelible mark on the profession of local government management. Dozens of village, city, borough, town, and county administrators/managers in the Northeast United States and beyond can trace their first taste of the local government management profession to McEvoy and his lessons in the classroom over many years of adjunct teaching.
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Robert “Bob” McEvoy
A kind man, a wise man, and someone who is so well intentioned and good spirited in all of his affairs, Bob served as a faculty member of the University at Albany – SUNY Rockefeller College of Public Affairs and Policy’s MPA program from 1979 through 2018, retiring as a public service professor. Bob is a 40+ year ICMA member and was a local government manager in New York for over 30 years. He is a former ICMA vice president and received ICMA’s Distinguished Service award in 2004. The McEvoy “management tree” has grown over the years and is a testament to the many years
of mentorship, guidance, and career assistance that Bob has provided so many of us. He had five leading principles that he emphasized in his mentorship that really stood out to me: 1. Be ethical. 2. Give to the profession that gives to you. 3. Pay it forward. 4. Serve as a mentor. 5. Build community. Who is Bob McEvoy?
Bob McEvoy has instructed, advised, and helped place SUNY Albany’s Rockefeller College students in local
government career positions since 1979. He served as manager of Schenectady County in upstate New York for 22 years. In addition to Albany, he has taught at the Babes-Bolyai University in Cluj, Romania, where he is a distinguished professor. He has been a member of the National Civic League’s Model City and County Charter committees and the Government Accounting Standards Board (GASB) Advisory Council. He has consulted with and addressed
JANUARY 2022 | PUBLIC MANAGEMENT | 35
Robert “Bob” McEvoy
governments from Europe, Asia, Africa, South America, and most recently, members of the Parliament of Kenya. He has assisted with restructuring questions, management personnel, and performance measurement/management in a multitude of New York State communities. He was a member of the GASB Service Efforts and Accomplishments Task Force. Bob is also a credentialed manager and the former executive director of the New York State City/County Management Association. In addition to his county service, he was also a city and village manager throughout New York. He served on the ICMA Government Affairs and Policy Committee, which formulates and prepares national positions for and with the National Association of Counties, National League of Cities, and similar organizations. He was also a member of the ICMA Credentialing Advisory Board, which reviews applications and continuing education plans for professional credentialing. Our Gesture of Gratitude
As a thank-you to Bob, some of those mentees wanted to join together in an article of appreciation. We hope these stories can not only serve as a gesture of gratitude toward the man we have so much respect and admiration for, but also serve as useful guideposts and helpful information to younger professionals and next generation leaders. Lastly, we hope that this article serves as a reminder to the scores of ICMA members and PM magazine readers in the “managers that teach” category that their work is an important service to the profession. There is a pay-off for those long days of “regular” city/county management work followed by
After my first class with Bob, I was hooked and decided that city/county management was the path for me, and I never turned back.
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adjunct teaching and lectures on capital improvement plans and bond ratings to MPA students. That intrinsic benefit is in the legacy of inspiring public sector leaders in the way Bob McEvoy and others like him have done for decades. Ryan Piche County Manager Lewis County, New York
Bob taught me things I didn’t know I would need in this profession until I was in the
trenches. His style was to teach through storytelling. Through his experience, he drilled home the essentials of being a county/city manager. I remember specifically how he would talk about ethics. I have more than once in my career been faced with almost identical scenarios to those which Bob would describe in class: pressure from legislators on hiring/firing decisions, pressure to become involved in party politics, pressure to act based on the will of
a minority of legislators. Because of Bob’s mentorship, I was specifically prepared for these issues and able to stay ahead of the curve as a young manager. To this day there are very specific things Bob taught that I remember and practice. For instance, he would tell us how he always kept a notebook with him because he never knew when someone would say something in which he would need to followup. He told us about letting elected officials, employees, and community members speak first, making sure they “shot all their bullets” before you respond. He talked about being friendly with the press, and how he had dealt with an annoyingly inquisitive reporter by giving him his own desk outside the manager’s suite, and encouraging him to go through any files he thought would help his story. Sure enough, the openness belayed any sense of suspicion, and the reporter didn’t stay long. Bob talked about how he always made time for the governing board; no matter what you have going on, if a legislator comes in for a visit, welcome him or her in, and let them join the conversation. I remember calling Bob after my first week on the job as village administrator in Botkins, Ohio. I had just found out that roughly 50 percent of the job was about infrastructure: water lines, sewer treatment, storm drainage, etc. I remember telling him we didn’t learn ANY of this at Rockefeller and that I felt totally unprepared. He was so kind and confident, and just said, “You have all the knowledge you need to be successful here. Infrastructure
is easy. You’ll pick it up in no time.” Of course, he was right. My favorite saying of his was, “You need to know everything. The answer ‘I don’t know’ doesn’t go over well at a board meeting. You’re responsible, you should know the answer.” Of course, that is an impossibly high bar, but one that I certainly strive for. And another good one: “Remember, it’s a board meeting, not a staff meeting. Make sure you and your department heads know that, and don’t interrupt the elected officials.” Such great advice. The last thing that I will always remember about Bob is that he used to say, “I gave up being angry years ago. I just don’t do it anymore. Not worth the energy.” I always loved that sentiment, and it is something I have tried to adopt in my own life. John Goodwin City Manager Canandaigua, New York
Bob introduced me to this profession and I am forever grateful—at least most days! He has always cared very deeply for this profession and his enthusiasm for it is infectious. I will never forget the “war stories” he would tell during his classes about his time as a manager and how much I learned from him. I remember him calling me up to a white board on the first day of class and asking me to draw a sanitary sewer system from the toilet through sewers to treatment and release back into the environment. I wasn’t prepared for it, and he used that to his advantage. He would say, “In this profession you don’t need to be an expert, but you absolutely
Bob always stressed the communitybuilding aspect of public service. His message to us, college students with varying backgrounds and interests, was that local government is the closest of all public services in terms of its connection to the people. need to know enough about each segment of the services municipalities provide to be good at the job.” If it weren’t for Bob, not only would I not be in this profession, but I would be no good at it.
me to. He explained that the relationship was symbiotic and he was right. Second, and more importantly, he is very fond of his family and spoke of them a lot. I remember him explaining the importance of being involved with your kids’ lives, no matter how busy the job is going. He would work 15-hour days, but always figure out how to get over to his daughter’s cross-country meet. He used to find her and run along the course with her— once in a rainstorm. Today I coach a hockey team and make it to every extracurricular activity possible. He was right again. I was fortunate to spend a good amount of time with Bob in and out of the classroom. I’m grateful to have been his student and his friend.
Andrew White
James Palmer
City Manager Huron, Ohio
Village Administrator Bronxville, New York
I looked up Bob on my first day of orientation after enrolling at Rockefeller. I’m glad to have met him before anyone else. He helped get me an internship in the office of the Schenectady County Manager’s Office after just having retired as county manager. I remember a few things vividly. It was two weeks before September 11, 2001. First, always have an interesting story for the inquisitive press. He explained that he always kept a newsworthy story in his desk, ready to present to a beat reporter needing an article. I’ve been employing this for almost 20 years, and it has always helped. I’ve tried to cultivate positive relationships with the press my whole career, largely because he told
Bob McEvoy was my mentor and the inspiration for my decision to choose professional local government management as my career! As a Schenectady County intern, as well as a Rockefeller College of Public Affairs and Policy student of Bob’s, I had a unique opportunity to experience all aspects of professional management simultaneously—both theoretical and practical— under his leadership. Bob’s tireless dedication to furthering the profession was evident in all that he did. His enthusiasm was infectious and was the ultimate motivator for me in all the projects I worked on as an intern and in my subsequent career path that led to manager positions.
JANUARY 2022 | PUBLIC MANAGEMENT | 37
Bob instilled in me and all his interns and students that our roles in government are considered a privilege, not a right; and that we are to be held accountable to the highest ethical standards in our communities and the elected bodies we serve. Equally as important, Bob always encouraged us as managers to cultivate the future leadership of the profession. That means fostering new internship opportunities for the managers of tomorrow and taking the time to explain to them the lessons we have learned over the years and exposing them to all aspects of our profession—as Bob did for me—from participation in weekend budget meetings to attendance at a variety of community events and business meetings. I recall so many of these opportunities from my years with Bob. Jason Molino Executive Director Livingston County Water/ Sewer Authority
I met Bob McEvoy by mere circumstance. When I enrolled in the MPA program at Rockefeller, I had no real understanding of what I wanted to focus on, nor did I know what route of public administration I wanted to follow. My first class with Bob was Local Government Seminar I. The only reason I picked that class was because it was the only class left that fit in my schedule so I could be a full-time grad student. The class was held in a small, narrow law library-type room with a table or two put together. I think that class had about 7 to 10 students.
He would say, “In this profession you don’t need to be an expert, but you absolutely need to know enough about each segment of the services that municipalities provide to be good at the job.” Knowing nothing about local government at the time, I had no expectations of the class. I can honestly say that taking that class is what pushed me to a career in local government. Bob was the only professor I had at the time that was a practitioner first and professor second. He had just retired from his long-time role as county manager and still had the county cell phone (flip phone, of course) for any last-minute questions. What engaged me so much about Bob, and ultimately local government, was that when explaining local government operations and leadership, he put them in context of actual events and his work. In short, his “sea stories” made local government life real and interesting to me. I remember in one specific lesson he talked about remaining politically neutral in everything we did as local government managers. He explained how he avoided even the slightest perception of favoritism toward one politician or political party over another. If we were viewed as being partial to an elected official or political party, it would compromise
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our ability to do our jobs and the creditability of what we recommended or attempted to accomplish. From that point forward I was always conscious and constantly asking myself if recommendations or conversations could be construed as partial. Our neutrality and impartiality were as important as the integrity of how we did our work. After my first class with Bob, I was hooked and decided that professional government administration and city/county management was the path for me, and I never turned back. And Finally, My Own Story about Bob
Growing up in South Buffalo, New York—home to a strong, political machinetype operation that produced an elected strong mayor and an elected county executive—I never knew what a city manager or county administrator was, let alone if I wanted to aspire to make that my career. Mind you, this was before the TV show, Parks and Recreation, and the introduction to the masses of city management life in Pawnee. Enter Bob McEvoy. I signed up for his class, Local Government Management, and not only got hooked on the profession as a field of study, but immediately said to myself, “This is the career path I want to proceed with.” Fast forward some 20 years later and I am still here, enjoying immensely the work of professional management that Bob so proudly championed to all of us in his classroom lectures.
Bob always stressed the community-building aspect of public service. His messages to us, college students with varying backgrounds and interests, was that local government is the closest of all public services in terms of its connection to the people. He would challenge us to: • Think about the more nuanced aspects of programs and their impact to under-represented populations. • Remember and be the voice for those without voices at the board or council meetings. • Stress the importance of family and of relationships through the brotherhood and sisterhood of the profession. • Always keep a watchful eye on the public checkbook. • To manage yourself and your government with the highest degree of ethical conduct. Bob remained to all of us a sounding board well after graduation. When I talk to Bob, the conversations may vary—sometimes about life and family, sometimes about career challenges, sometimes about ICMA or state association endeavors— always, always the conversation is genuine and rooted in Bob’s generosity of giving and of mentorship. For this, I will always be grateful.
IAN M. COYLE, ICMA-CM, is county administrator of Livingston County, New York.
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NAVIGATING A CAREER BY MICHAEL HULING
in Local Government Public management is a changing landscape, but these leaders offer a few things to keep in mind along the way.
In many ways, beginning and navigating a career in local government is more complex now than ever. Many cities are simultaneously facing staffing shortages and budget constraints, which creates a twofold situation: there is greater pressure and responsibility falling on the shoulders of local officials, and the prospect of entering the local government space appears more intimidating. Given the multifaceted nature of a career in local government, there is no onesize-fits-all path to securing a position in the industry.
Grover Beach, California
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Start Somewhere
“Internships and entry-level positions are great ways to get started with a local government career,” explains Grover Beach City Manager Matt Bronson. “I began my career with internships in two cities while I was in college and then worked in a postgraduate fellowship program in a large city that led to a fulltime position with the agency.” Bronson’s journey may seem fairly standard, and it is to some degree. However, he would be the first to admit that local government employees come from a wide variety of
backgrounds and experiences. Whether it’s through an internship, an educational degree, transitioning from the private sector, or some other foundation, government staffers can be as diverse as our communities. Once established in the local sphere, the ways of advancing one’s career tend to be more conventional and certainly apply to other kinds of work. “One of the best ways to advance is to volunteer for special assignments, take on a project, serve on a citywide committee, or serve in the community,” says Roseville
Riverside, California
Deputy City Manager Megan Scheid. “You’ll get more insight on ways to make things better and you’ll gain the trust of others trying to do the same at all levels of the organization. People who step out stand out.” Davenport Institute Executive Director Maureen Tobin, who previously served as the city of Morgan Hill’s communications and engagement director, echoes
this sentiment. “First, do an excellent job in every role that you have. Be flexible, be creative, and look for solutions outside the box. Take time to understand the workings of the entire organization, not just your specific area.” Expect the Unexpected— Challenges and Opportunities
There is no question that the local government landscape has changed dramatically in the past two years. The pandemic not only created an array of new challenges, but made existing issues all the more difficult. Local governments have always faced financial limitations, public safety concerns, infrastructure needs, staffing issues, and more. These kinds of challenges are “baked in” so to speak, as every community must deal with them in some capacity. The emergence of the pandemic brought serious
The pandemic has really brought community engagement to the forefront, and as a result, we are seeing more and more collaboration between city departments moving forward. — Yvette Sennewald, neighborhood engagement division manager, Riverside, California
medical, economic, and social crises that local leaders had to address on the fly. From monitoring public health and collaborating with local businesses to holding virtual meetings and assisting vulnerable community members—we have seen how crucial effective local leadership is during times of adversity. But with these difficulties have come opportunities that are reshaping the way local governments operate. “Many of our city staff members found themselves tackling assignments and pivoting into roles that were not part of our regular workload,” explains Yvette Sennewald, the city of Riverside’s neighborhood engagement division manager. “The pandemic has really brought community engagement to the forefront, and as a result, we are seeing more and more collaboration between city departments moving forward.” In other words, increased departmental collaboration may not just be a pandemic-induced temporary adjustment, but the expectation for how cities will function in the coming years. Public engagement has also become more of a priority for many cities, which is an encouraging sign for local officials and community members alike. The inclusion of the community not only promotes civic participation and social cohesion, but allows local leaders to better understand the needs of residents and serve them more effectively as a result. Ironically, the desire for improved public engagement
JANUARY 2022 | PUBLIC MANAGEMENT | 41
practices comes at a time when traditional, in-person meetings often are not an option. In another example of a challenge being turned into an opportunity, cities have relied on hybrid and virtual public meetings to inform and engage with residents.1 Some strongly prefer in-person meetings for any number of reasons, but particularly because of the personal connection they offer—and this is true for residents and officials alike. “Being unable to meet in person has negatively impacted the ability to really get out and ‘know’ and be
I believe that remaining dedicated to your community is inherent to growing your career. Look for gaps in service, funding, and perceptions, and see if there are ways to fill them. —Megan Scheid, deputy city manager, Roseville, California
Roseville, California
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with your community,” Tobin explains. “Virtual meetings have definitely helped, but virtual is not the same as in person and continues to exclude many.” Others have emphatically embraced virtual meetings and the convenience they provide, which has allowed some residents to become more informed and involved. Ultimately, local leaders must continue to be responsive to the unique needs and preferences of their communities. “People are looking for different options given today’s environment as some people now prefer virtual engagement,” Bronson notes. “Local government needs to
meet people where they are to carry out genuine engagement on key issues facing the community and have this as an ongoing expectation and culture within the community.”
Morgan Hill, California
Personal Career Growth and Community Needs— A Balancing Act
To this point, we have discussed how one can begin and build a career in the local government sphere. We have also seen how the responsibilities and challenges facing cities have evolved in recent years and what the implications are moving
forward. At this juncture, it’s worth asking how one can focus on personal career advancement while still prioritizing the needs of the community they serve? How does one continue to grow privately while remaining dedicated to public service? Beginning a career in local government with the sole motivation of self-advancement is not only insulting to the public, but to those who serve because they care for their community and want to contribute to its improvement. On the other hand, those who routinely dismiss their own needs and goals for the sake of the public may come to resent those they serve, which is also problematic. There is a balance here, however, and it lies in understanding that the best way to progress in local government is to effectively serve the community with compassion, humility, and integrity.
“I believe that remaining dedicated to your community is inherent to growing your career,” says Scheid. “Look for gaps in service, funding, and perceptions, and see if there are ways to fill them.” In the process of finding, understanding, and—to the degree that it’s possible— providing what residents need, staffers can become leaders in their communities. The result is personal and professional growth made possible by embracing a career in public service, rightly understood. Properly understanding what a career in local government looks like is a great place to start. Bronson started with an internship, while Scheid came from a journalism background. Sennewald currently works on neighborhood development and engagement, and Tobin has focused on elevating the communication and outreach efforts of cities.
I started learning about local government by working for the Davenport Institute as a research assistant while pursuing a graduate degree at the Pepperdine University School of Public Policy. During this time, I have been able to develop an understanding of effective public engagement, connect with local government leaders, and meaningfully participate in the conversation. This is my start. Where will you begin? ENDNOTE
https://www.publicceo.com/2021/06/ communication-and-engagement-postcovid-19-the-need-for-both-high-techvirtual-ability-as-well-as-a-revisiting-oftraditional-methods/ 1
MICHAEL HULING is a graduate research assistant at the Davenport Institute and a master’s student at the Pepperdine University School of Public Policy.
JANUARY 2022 | PUBLIC MANAGEMENT | 43
ASSISTANTS AND DEPUTIES
How Do You Know When You’re Ready to be an ACAO? I’ve learned that it’s not about knowing when you’re ready, it’s about being prepared when the opportunity presents itself. BY KRISTEN GORHAM I have known for a long time that one day I
IT’S NOT ABOUT PICKING A PATH, BUT ABOUT FIGURING OUT HOW TO KEEP MOVING FORWARD.
wanted to be a city manager. However, city management is not always a linear path. City/County management as a profession can be complex. Roles and titles can vary by organization, by region, and by state. The specific skills required to be successful in one community may not translate to another, and there are a variety of avenues and career paths that will give you the experiences needed to be successful. I have wondered how early career professionals get their foot in the door. I have tried to understand what combination of experiences, knowledge, skills, and abilities are necessary to do the job. I have asked myself, “Am I stuck in this role? How can I advance?” I kept trying to decide what path to take to get to my goal. But the truth is, it’s not about picking a path, but about figuring out how to keep moving forward. We have all heard of analysis paralysis—the anxiety of trying to predict the next move and proactively set yourself up for success can often result in an inability to take advantage of opportunities when presented. When I was completing my MPA, a graduate of the program was speaking to current students at an event. She told us that her success was because she always said “yes” to opportunity, even if she was not sure she was ready.
KRISTEN GORHAM is assistant city manager of Chamblee, Georgia.
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That advice has resonated with me throughout my career and has guided many of the decisions I’ve made about job opportunities, experiences, and skills that I wanted to obtain. Prior to becoming an ACAO, I served in the finance department in a large organization. It was a good position that gave me the opportunity to hone my technical skills. However, I felt that I needed more diverse experiences, so I took a position in another municipality as a management analyst. It was a newly created position that reported directly to the city manager. While at the time I was unsure how the position would allow me to grow, I knew that it possessed an opportunity to learn as much about the city’s operations as possible. The management analyst position required that I serve as central support staff for multiple departments, giving me the ability to understand the nuances, challenges, and opportunities in each area, and provide strategy and direction on behalf of the city manager. The time spent understanding and navigating each department through several initiatives, projects, and process improvement facilitation resulted in a fundamental understanding of how each department functioned, and how they could innovate, progress, and grow with the organization. At one point, I was asked what I would do to
fix a problem in one of these departments. The city manager liked my suggestions and put me in charge of the associated project. The more this happened, the more my confidence grew in my ability to lead and provide direction rather than just receiving direction. As a result, I had the great fortune of getting promoted into the role of assistant city manager, overseeing the departments I once supported. I won’t lie, I was hesitant when the opportunity was presented. I was doubtful that I was ready or fully capable of handling the responsibility, but I said “yes” in spite of my doubts. I knew that it moved me closer to my goal of being a city manager, even if it did not fit within my preconceived notion of my timeline for career progression. If I did not take it, what would be next? To keep moving forward, there is always risk. It was an opportunity to apply the knowledge and skills that I had developed, so I took it. Unfortunately for me, this also happened at the same time as the COVID-19 pandemic. We were just beginning to navigate the new world of full-time remote work, virtual city council meetings, new state and federal mandates, lockdowns, and quarantines. Our business operations literally changed overnight. It would have been foolish to assume that I was fully prepared to navigate an unprecedented situation, and I certainly did not feel qualified to assume responsibility for several departments
WE EACH MUST DECIDE FOR OURSELVES WHEN WE FEEL LIKE WE ARE READY TO ACCEPT CHANGE AND NEW RESPONSIBILITIES WHEN THE OPPORTUNITY PRESENTS ITSELF. and tackle an executive-level leadership role for the first time in the midst of it all. Nevertheless, I made the decision that it was something that I could do, and that I had the ability to decide how to own the opportunity and make myself successful in the position. Nearly two years later, I am still navigating the ACAO role. It is constantly evolving and requires that I learn and grow with it. That would be the case whether I felt completely ready at the time I accepted it or not. It is the nature of the job. We each must decide for ourselves when we feel like we are ready to take the leap and accept change and new responsibilities when the opportunity presents itself. While I did not expect to be an ACAO at this point in my career, I have come to the conclusion that longevity and years of experience aren’t always what qualify you to do the job. Intentionally seeking opportunities to learn new aspects of this career and proactively seeking different experiences, with or without an associated title, will position you for success. After all, it is not about knowing when you’re ready, it’s about being prepared when the opportunity presents itself.
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Get started with the ICMA Job Center at icma.org/jobcenter | Follow us at @ICMAjobcenter JANUARY 2022 | PUBLIC MANAGEMENT | 45
INCLUSION, DIVERSITY, EQUITY, ACCESSIBILITY, LEADERSHIP, AND SOCIAL JUSTICE (IDEALS)
Stepping Outside Your Comfort Zone BY JEFF WECKBACH
I challenge you to push yourself into environments that make you uncomfortable in order to expand your horizons Life is all about choices. As I navigated Restart, the
JEFF WECKBACH is assistant administrator of Colerain Township, Ohio.
ICMA Annual Conference this past October in Portland, I created a list of sessions that I wanted to attend. Like many of you, at times I found myself in a pickle, wanting to attend more than one session that was scheduled at the same time. That issue presented itself on my calendar on Monday at 10:15 a.m. local time. In that moment, I made a decision to attend a session that forced me outside of my comfort zone and I am glad that I did. As I walked into the “Find Your Power Crew” session, which was part of the SheLeadsGov series, I scanned the room, like I usually do, to see if I recognized any peers. I don’t know what I was expecting when I walked in, but my quick scan revealed that I was one of maybe two or three men in the room of 40 to 50 attendees. I must admit, this was a unique experience for me. In my career, I have often found myself to be the youngest person in the room, but never the only male. I debated leaving, as I truly felt out of place and extremely vulnerable. I didn’t know if I belonged. I didn’t know if I was going to jeopardize a safe space. I didn’t know if my presence was going to make others feel uncomfortable. I didn’t want to be viewed as someone intruding, someone that shouldn’t be in the room. Most importantly, I didn’t want to offend any of my colleagues. To be honest, if a friendly face had not sat next to me and told me that I was welcome, I would have snuck out. I never realized how uncomfortable you can feel just by being you. I’m sure I have inadvertently made others feel this way and I want to apologize for that. I know it’s not anyone’s intention to make others feel unwelcome, and the fact that this is the first time it has happened to me tells me that we all need to do better. Until that moment, I didn’t truly grasp how easy it is to create environments where people don’t feel welcome. After talking to some of the women from the session, I learned that how I felt in that moment is how many of you have felt at different times in your careers. I appreciate having gained that perspective and want to thank you all for allowing me to understand. Even more importantly, I hope that everyone in our profession knows that they are
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welcome and deserving of a seat at any table. The women in that room could have easily excluded me and likely made me feel like I don’t belong, and I am grateful that they didn’t. The presenters made an excellent point early on: women in our profession have been excluded for so long that they often go out of their way to try to make sure everyone feels welcome. This is a trait that can transcend all of our communities as we grapple with complex social issues that require inclusivity. My hope in attending and staying in this session was to learn a little more about the challenges and blind spots in my own experiences and perspectives. To be a true ally and to help bridge the gap that exists in our profession where women and minorities are underrepresented, we all need to reflect on our own blind spots and work to overcome them. I am thankful that I was able to learn more deeply some of the challenges that my tremendous peers face. I want to close this article by issuing a challenge to my colleagues in the profession. If the experience isn’t something you’re familiar with, I challenge you to push yourself into places where you may be the minority and to push yourself into environments that make you uncomfortable. Make the conscious choice to better yourself and our field by expanding your horizons. My hope is that if we can all experience this feeling, even just once, we can better relate to one another and we can learn how to better support one another.
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Budget season is upon us! FACILITATED TEAM RETREATS Need a team meeting to prepare for 2022? We facilitate all types of meetings Board Retreats Strategic Planning High Performing Government Organizational Assessments
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Budgeting is one of the most important responsibilities that local government managers undertake every year. The new book, A Budgeting Guide for Local Government, Fourth Edition, provides new tools and methodologies to produce effective budgets that yield the desired results. Learn more at icma.org/budgetingguide.
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GIVE THE GIFT OF PM Magazine! +
Don’t Fear the Stretch Assignment 8
AN 1919
Y 0 th AR 10NIVERS-2019
Passport to Advancement 20 Recruitment, Retention, and Retirement 28
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A Century of Budgeting Innovation 12 Proactive Planning 20 ting A New Budge 30 Framework
ICMA-CM, Mark Wood, manager, assistant city on his town’s simple yet effective budgeting strategy
Budgeting g and Plannin
Brownfields,
The CAREERS Issue+ : SPECIAL REPORT
LGR: LOCAL GOVERN MENT REVIEW 2020 FEBRUARY /PM ICMA.ORG
What Developers Really Want 12
Economic Development and Sustainability
Developing Brownfield PULL-OUT s INSERT: into Affordable
EXECUTIVE RECRUITMENT DIRECTORY
Housing 22
Techno-Centric Smart City Development 30
JANUARY 2020 ICMA.ORG/PM
ICMA CAREER GUIDES ICMA’s Career Guides are local government professional toolkits to help you thrive, from finding a position to succeeding as a first-time manager, or how to break into the profession from another field, and preparing the next generation through internships and Fellowships.
DECEMBER 2019 ICMA.ORG/PM
icma . org /g i f tof pm 48 | PUBLIC MANAGEMENT | JANUARY 2022
icma.org/careerguides
MEMBER SPOTLIGHT
Charlene Marsh Local Government Management Fellow Decatur, Georgia ICMA Member Since 2020
The Impact of the ICMA Annual Conference The conference was a really great turning point for me this year. There were a couple of projects I was working on pertaining to mental health, public safety, and homelessness. I attended sessions on those topics and met with the presenters. Now I’m constantly in touch with them, getting feedback and insight on program development right here in Decatur.
My Career Is a Jungle Gym, Not a Ladder I’d like to get out of the city manager’s office and get more horizontal experience in other areas, like planning and public works, before eventually becoming a city manager. I’d like to possibly assist in local governance capacity building in Liberia, where my family is from.
Succession Planning Older, more experienced leaders in organizations need to have a deep and nuanced understanding of the needs, strengths, and opportunities for growth that younger employees have in order for organizations to plan effectively for the future.
Being a Mentee One thing I’ve struggled with is fear of taking up too much space, but that is actually something that makes a good mentee. Not being afraid to take up space and knowing there are things that you need and there are people who can help provide them, because that’s what mentors are for. Being confident in what you don’t know by confidently expressing that and asking for help and guidance.
The Value of Mentors Mentors help in navigating different situations. Especially for me, as a Black woman coming into this profession, it’s been extremely valuable to have Black women who are experienced in this field around me to provide identity- and experienceinformed guidance that may not apply to someone else who hasn’t shared the same experiences I have.
JANUARY 2022 | PUBLIC MANAGEMENT | 49
NOMINATIONS OPEN JANUARY 2022 FOR THE ICMA LOCAL GOVERNMENT EXCELLENCE AWARDS NOMINATE Those who have made a significant difference in their community or the profession
Those who have implemented innovative programs that address a critical need
Open to all U.S. and International members and programs
Celebrate Local Government Management Excellence with a Nomination for the Local Government Excellence Awards Nomination Period January 10 – March 11, 2022 Details Visit icma.org/icma-awards Questions? Contact Joyce Lee, jlee@icma.org
