LETTER FROM THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR
A Toast to the 2021 ICMA Award Winners Honoring the inspiring individuals and communities that made a difference BY MARC OTT Each year, for the past five decades,
MARC OTT is executive director of ICMA, Washington, D.C.
ICMA celebrates the value of professional management and the contributions that professional local government leadership make to the quality of life in our communities. It is difficult to believe that already eight years have gone by since I had the honor of receiving the Mark E. Keane Award for Career Excellence. When I was notified, I distinctly remember feeling a bit overwhelmed and humbled to discover that some of my colleagues thought enough of my career to nominate me—especially given that my work was truly a labor of love. It is still one of my
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proudest accomplishments, especially to be counted among the many icons who have been recipients of this award. It was also a thrill for the city of Austin staff when we received a Community Sustainability Award. Getting a shout-out from ICMA for innovation and creativity represents a rare celebration of the value of public service that often goes unnoticed. Since 1968, the ICMA Local Government Excellence Awards (icma.org/2021-local-government-excellenceawards) have recognized individuals for their contributions to the profession. There are also programmatic awards in
