Voices in Local Government

Part one begins with Desiree and Chris providing insight for CAOs and department/team leaders to understand what aspects or benefits is most important to their job satisfaction. With many of the nine categories scoring a four or five, there's a follow up blog post with a ranked order.

The hiring process is discussed, with common frustrations and ideas on new approaches that can help local government win the passionate and talented early career professionals that are in such high demand.

Part one concludes with thoughts on how early career professionals can best contribute and add value to their local governments right away, while each side can be intentional for further development.

Then, listen to part two.

Resources

ICMA Local Government Management Fellowship. Applications open September, 2022.

Fellows | Host Organizations

Sponsored by CivicPlus Municipal Websites

Part two picks up with Desiree and Chris answering questions ICMA CAOs and department/team leaders want to know (but can't always directly ask) of early career professionals. Then concludes with questions the guests have for local government leaders.
 

Resources

ICMA Local Government Management Fellowship. Applications open September, 2022.

Fellows | Host Organizations

Sponsored by CivicOptimize. Workflows and automations from CivicPlus

Claudia Arriaga of OpenGov guest hosts this episode of Voices in Local Government to interview Boulder, CO. city manager, Nuria Rivera-Vandermyde on why and how to use data to manage change in local government.

1. How data helped allocate budget and justify adjusting charges to create a focused approach to solve specific, repeated challenges and community complaints.
2. What tools and systems can be implemented to collect, organize, and understand quantitative and qualitative data to make informed decisions.
3. How to make government spending more transparent, including internally for better staff communication.
4. How Boulder went back to the basics with strategic initiatives around:
   • Retention and recruitment
   • Data on diversity, equity, and inclusion
   • Housing affordability and homelessness
   • Climate change
   • Change management

Resources:

Download the Free EBook: Measure What Matters: Tips for Aligned Strategic Priorities  and watch the video on How Minneapolis Prepares for the Future with Strategic Budgeting

If you missed part one, listen here to learn how to recognize the value retirees and other older adults have and the positive impact they can have on our communities, including municipal boards and commissions and special projects that fill service gaps.

Greg and Cora return for part two to dive into the details of what it takes to launch the Give 5 Civic Matchmaking Program, including: 

1. An overview on how to identify the community challenges that Give 5ers could help address.
2. How Give 5 can get started in your own communities: general operational needs and requirements and an estimated launch plan and budget.
3. Instructions on what it takes financially and operationally to launch a program in the Give 5 network.
4. Answering questions about community engagement, volunteerism and increasing levels of social capital to build unity and trust in local government.

Visit give5program.org or Email Greg and Cora directly at: give5@uwozarks.org

Sponsored by Smarsh

Sarah Peck, director of United on Guns answers questions on what city and county managers must do to lead through tragedy.

Key takeaways:

1. Schedule a tabletop exercise annually, inviting the highest elected official, the police chief or sheriff, the local FBI, a Public Information Officer, and other key staff.
2. Security solutions should be analyzed thoroughly and emotion must be removed from purchasing decisions.
3. Don’t do overly realistic drills, especially for young children.
4. Despite demoralizing frustration, there are steps local government leaders can and must take now to plan, respond, and recover.

Get the Mass Shooting Protocol - First 24 Hours | FREE Download

Get the Mass Shooting Playbook | FREE Download

Download the free tabletop exercise pilot template from Orlando, Fl.

Mara Mintzer, Co-Founder and Executive Director of Growing Up Boulder, and Sarah Huntley, Director of Communication and Engagement, City of Boulder Colorado discuss how ideas from kids can help local government design better cities and develop engaged citizens.

• Why the effort is worth it.
• How the work is done.
• Examples of sample projects that were approved and completed, including transportation planning and an organized response to a mass-shooting.

Resources:

Through June 30, 2022, use code ICMA25 for 25% of Placemaking with Children and Youth

Mara Mintzer's TedTalk

Growing Up Boulder

Sponsored by Smarsh

Massive wildfires and other challenges large and small over a few years created a difficult working environment in Butte County, CA. Their director of public works, Joshua Pack joins the show to explain how an employee survey based on a genuine desire to listen and improve went a long way to gather honest feedback and respond with employee-driven changes. 

Episode one in a two-part series uncovers the power of tapping into baby boomers for communities interested in improving community engagement and helping government and nonprofits address the growing workforce crunch. The Give 5 Civic Matchmaking program was started in Springfield, Missouri to address social isolation among retirees, while plugging the highly skilled boomers into the community for meaningful projects. It has grown into an initiative filling service gaps and improving trust in local government.

In Part One, Listeners Will:

1. Learn how to recognize the value retirees and other older adults have and the positive impact they can have on our communities, including municipal boards and commissions and special projects that fill service gaps.
2. Understand the detrimental impact that the growing (and "silent") challenge of social isolation is having on our communities and identify at least one strategy to combat it.
3. Hear how the Give 5 program provides "fuel" to volunteer efforts that can address their community's most critical issue(s).
4. Learn how to leverage the support of volunteers to improve civic engagement across the entire community during a time when all communities need enhanced dialogue.

Part 2 will provide specific details about how communities can partner with them to launch the program in their home cities. 

This episode begins with a short excerpt from Cyber Mayday and the Day After on a real ransomware negotiation with cyber-criminals. Then Nancy Rainosek, chief information security officer of Texas, and Dan Lohrmann, field CISO of Presidio speak on how local government can better plan, respond, and recover from ransomware attacks, as well as how to best coordinate with state or regional-level resources. Then we answer audience questions, including:

1. If it happens, should we pay or not?
2. What do the stats say on release rates?
3. Our city manager is non-technical and IT is limited, who should be in charge of cybersecurity?
4. What are best practices for involving law enforcement? And does it even help?
5. When a serious attack is reported, should we power off all devices? (Spoiler: No. But disconnect from the internet, WiFi, and Bluetooth.)

This episode is brought to you by our sponsor, OpenGov.

Resources:

Download free e-books from OpenGov: The Strategic Planning Guide for Local Government and 10 Tips for Success with ARPA Reporting.

Dan Dowell of ABM shares long-term investment ideas local governments can make for their economies and quality of life. Plus bonus content: Victor Cardenas, ICMA-CM, assistant city manager, Novi, Michigan and Midwest VP, shares on the pulse of the region.

Dan Dowell discusses how recent local government funding can go beyond immediate fixes to focus on sustainable long-term investments, including: 

1. Economic development
2. Infrastructure
3. K-12 support (other than teacher pay and curriculum debates)
4. Savings and sustainability through electric fleets and buildings

 Then, Victor Cardenas gives the pulse of ICMA's Midwest region ahead of in-person regional events. (22:03).

This episode is brought to you by our sponsor, ABM.

Resources:

Download ABM's Stimulus Solutions Guide

ICMA Economic Development

Troy Brown, ICMA-CM, city manager of Moorpark, CA, and ICMA President, discusses:

1. Changes in dues structure that makes membership more accessible.
2. Priorities, challenges and opportunities city managers and their staff are taking on in 2022.
3. How Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) is different than Social Justice and why it matters. Plus ICMA’s current position on addressing each and how leadership is open to feedback directly from members.

This episode is brought to you by our sponsor Smarsh Inc. – a leader in Enterprise Information Archiving

View Smarsh's Government Solutions

Resources:

Read Smarsh's Professional Archive for Government Datasheet

ICMA 2022 Regionals: Build Your Resilience

Odie Donald joins the show to discuss how local government can improve its accessibility and service delivery through three specific examples of citizen engagement.

1. The advantages and challenges of open budgeting, and how ARPA funding fits in.
2. How outdated 311 systems can transform into improved services through better technology.
3. How a “Mayors Walk” can also be an opportunity for non-elected professionals to meet people who are not as engaged in their local government and win them over with real-time fixes.

Then Kenneth Williams gives the pulse of ICMA's Mountain Plains ahead of in-person regional events.

Resources:

ICMA Community Engagement

Janice Allen Jackson, city manager of Stonecrest, Georgia, discusses the expected and unexpected challenges when undertaking the immense task of starting a new city.

We dive into the reasoning and context on why and when a location may want to break off an existing city or county jurisdiction to create their own city, how to overcome the many challenges–like logistics to gaining and keeping community support–and how the form of government makes a huge difference.

This episode is brought to you by our sponsor ABM.

Download ABM's Stimulus Solutions Guide

Resources:

Visit the Stonecrest, GA Government website

David Street, chief of staff of Loudoun County, Virginia, joins us for a follow up episode to talk about professional development and optimizing your time and energy to maximize ROI.

Discussed in this episode:

• How to blend professional, educational, and personal development into an overall growth mindset.
• When is saying yes to almost everything good approach?
• What criteria is used to better prioritize time and energy?
• How to measure impact and progress to short or long-term goals.

Resources:

EP08 Two-way Relationship for Mentors and Mentees

Learn more about the National Mentoring Month campaign

Learn more about the free ICMA Coaching Program for local government professionals

Get more information about ICMA's 12-month Local Government Management Fellowship (LGMF) | Host a fellow or Become a fellow

Read David Street's professional development series on the ICMA Blog:

• Professional Development Plan Year-end Review
• Professional Development Goals in DEI
• Professional Development Plan Mid-Year Check-in
• What Is Your Professional Development Plan for 2021?

Every January 1st, marks the beginning of National Mentoring Month, the month-long celebration of mentoring that focuses national attention on the need for mentors. Mary Furtado, deputy county manager of Catawba County, North Carolina, David Street, chief of staff of Loudoun County, Virginia, and Rob Carty, director of career services at ICMA, know first-hand the positive impact effective mentoring can have on your career and organization. They all agree that the best mentors listen more than lecture, and the best mentees learn to solve problems rather than expect answers. They join Joe Supervielle, host of the Voices in Local Government podcast and content marketing manager at ICMA, to share and explore what elements are essential to finding the right balance for professional and personal success in a mentoring relationship–for mentors and mentees.

Discussed in this episode:

• Favorite fictional mentor-mentee pairs
• Avoiding unrealistic expectations
• Best methods to find, form, and develop mentor relationships
• Desired mentoring outcomes

Resources:

Learn more about the National Mentoring Month campaign

Learn more about the free ICMA Coaching Program for local government professionals

Get more information about ICMA's 12-month Local Government Management Fellowship (LGMF) | Host a fellow or Become a fellow

Read David Street's professional development series on the ICMA Blog:

• Professional Development Plan Year-end Review
• Professional Development Goals in DEI
• Professional Development Plan Mid-Year Check-in
• What Is Your Professional Development Plan for 2021?

Parham Eftekhari, Executive Director at the Cybersecurity Collaborative, and Hemant Desai, Chief Information Officer at the International City/County Management Association (ICMA), discuss the universal threat of cyber-attacks and the unique challenges local governments face as high-profile targets, including:

• What are best practices?
• What do we prioritize?
• How can we train a reluctant staff?
• How to translate between a city manager and the CTO role?
• How can we demonstrate urgency to gain more resources?
• What are realistic and measurable goals beyond did we suffer a major attack or not?

Resources:

ICMA Cybersecurity Leadership Academy

Cybersecurity Collaborative

Cybersecurity Infrastructure Security Agency

Cybersecurity Considerations to Implement IoT
 

Sarah Peck, director of UnitedOnGuns, and Emily Nink, policy associate at the Public Health Advocacy Institute, join us in an episode that bypasses partisan gun control arguments to focus on the near-impossible responsibility local government officials face after a mass-casualty event. Researched by the Public Health Advocacy Institute and informed by local government leaders who have held their communities together through tragedy, the Mass Shooting Playbook is a vital resource on the work needed to prepare, immediately respond, and continued healing long after the cameras and national news spotlight are gone.

The Protocol is a four-page overview of a leader’s role during the first 24 hours after a mass shooting. It highlights the key decisions and includes a checklist highlighting immediate action steps.

The Playbook is a 200-page resource guide informed by the recommendations and experience of mayors and local government leaders who have responded to a mass shooting, including case studies from Orlando, Dayton, El Paso, Pittsburgh, Parkland, and San Bernardino.

It is organized into ten topic areas: communications, emergency management, victims and families, law enforcement, donations, school shootings, community partnerships, legal considerations, commemorations, and mental health. Each chapter includes key takeaways on the actions and training in advance of a mass shooting; actions during the response phase; and guidance for providing services to victims, family members, and the broader community as they recover.

Resources:

Get the Mass Shooting Protocol - First 24 Hours | FREE Download

Get the Mass Shooting Playbook | FREE Download

Read Sarah Peck and Emily Nink's post 'Is Your City Prepared to Respond to a Mass Shooting' on the ICMA Blog

Learn more about the Public Health Advocacy Institute

Tallahassee (FL) City Manager Reese Goad, Chief Transit Officer Angela Baldwin, Director of Growth Management Karen Jumonville, and Director of Fleet Management Jeff Shepard discuss how shifting from siloed departments to a one team identity helped the entire city's workforce and ultimately delivers better service for residents.

Resources:

City of Tallahassee Government Website

About ICMA

ICMA’s vision is to be the leading association of local government professionals dedicated to creating and supporting thriving communities throughout the world. We do this by working with our more than 12, 000 members to identify and speed the adoption of leading local government practices to 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. Find out more about ICMA, and the profession, at our website: http://www.icma.org

Follow us on Social Media!

Twitter: http://twitter.com/icma
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ICMAORG/
LinkedIn: http://www.linkedin.com/company/icma
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/icmaorg/
YouTube: http://www.youtube.com/user/ICMAvideos

Chuck Flacks dispels common myths of “homelessness”, explains the problems with encampments, shares ideas and proven methods for alternatives, and discusses the complex financial and political realities local governments must navigate to help every member of their communities.

Resources:

Learn more about Flacks Seed Consulting

Contact Chuck Flacks

Read Chuck's post 'Ending Homelessness Together' on the ICMA Blog

Learn more about Hunger & Homelessness Awareness Week resources

About ICMA

ICMA’s vision is to be the leading association of local government professionals dedicated to creating and supporting thriving communities throughout the world. We do this by working with our more than 12, 000 members to identify and speed the adoption of leading local government practices to 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. Find out more about ICMA, and the profession, at our website: http://www.icma.org

Follow us on Social Media!

Twitter: http://twitter.com/icma
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ICMAORG/
LinkedIn: http://www.linkedin.com/company/icma
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/icmaorg/
YouTube: http://www.youtube.com/user/ICMAvideos

Melissa Agnes, Founder and CEO of the Crisis Ready Institute, explains how local government can transform from being dependent on static emergency management or disaster recovery plans to become crises ready.

Visit crisisreadyinstitute.com for more information and join a  two-part digital course on November 15 and 17, 2021.

Resources:

Crisis Ready Institute Digital Programs

Developing your Crisis Communication Program

Check out Melissa's book Crisis Ready: Building an Invincible Brand in an Uncertain World

Get more expert insight from Melissa on Twitter, follow @melissa_agnes!

Find the Crisis Ready Institute on Facebook and Instagram.

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About ICMA

ICMA’s vision is to be the leading association of local government professionals dedicated to creating and supporting thriving communities throughout the world. We do this by working with our more than 12, 000 members to identify and speed the adoption of leading local government practices to 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. Find out more about ICMA, and the profession, at our website: http://www.icma.org

Follow us on Social Media!

Twitter: http://twitter.com/icma
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ICMAORG/
LinkedIn: http://www.linkedin.com/company/icma
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/icmaorg/
YouTube: http://www.youtube.com/user/ICMAvideos