Note from the President

Peter Auger, City Manager
City of Novi

At first, I was in favor of all the civil unrest that was occurring across the country, but when things escalate to looting and violence, that makes me very concerned about our society and the communities we govern.

Ironic that I started writing this, my last president’s message, on December 16th, because as local government leaders I am sure we are all aware of that protest known as The Boston Tea Party, which happened on December 16 in 1773. Can you imagine being a city manager in Boston at that time? Obviously, this was prior to the city manager form of government, but this was a political protest by the Sons of Liberty, and the episode escalated into the American Revolution.

The king was upset and sent his soldiers to your town. For weeks after the Boston Tea Party, the 92,000 pounds of tea dumped into the harbor caused it to smell. Can you imagine the citizen complaints? As a result of the Boston Tea Party, the British shut down Boston Harbor until all of the 340 chests of British East India Company tea were paid for.

Now, fast forward to Ferguson, Missouri. Did you know they have a city manager? His name is John Shaw. He has police officers working with him, just like most of us do. Many events happen one afternoon, traffic crashes, strong arm robbery, and people intoxicated on drugs. Anyone else have those combinations in their town? An event escalates and there is a police shooting. Some of you, like me, have received that phone call. Then we must gather facts.

Come to find out, someone tried to kill one of your employees that day, not once (in his patrol car), but twice. Fortunately your employee lived. Not so fortunate for the criminal, who according to the autopsy was on drugs. An accomplice to the deceased makes up a story about your police officer. He says that the perpetrator was trying to surrender with his hands up, asking the police officer not to shoot. Fortunately there were witnesses, 15 of them that stated that was not true, that the deceased was charging the officer at a high rate of speed.

When I listen to or read the popular news reports I wonder if there are any adults left out there. It seems like if a version of a story provides a “narrative,” people run with it. Even when the information doesn’t fit, people still fall for the narrative. And it’s getting worse, in my humble opinion.

Our federal government is now playing to a narrative – forget about the facts. What if the President and his Attorneys General focused the power of the federal government on your town, convicting your people without knowing the facts or due process, or knowing your training standards, and then incites people to shut your town down?

How do we resolve these issues? What are the answers? What if it was your community?

It is not so farfetched. It will happen again. This is one of the reasons to belong to professional organizations such as MLGMA and ICMA. These organizations and associated conferences are places to learn from each other, listen to issues of the day, and build a network for when the defecation hits the rotating oscillator in a community you run. Unfortunately, there are those who like to divide and fan the flames of hatred.

Words have consequences, and as English philosopher Edmund Burke said:

“Perpetrators, collaborators, bystanders, victims: we can be clear about three of these categories. The bystander, however, is the fulcrum. If there are enough notable exceptions, then protest reaches a critical mass. We don’t usually think of history as being shaped by silence, The only thing necessary for the triumph [of evil] is for good men to do nothing.”

This being my farewell letter as your MLGMA President I want to thank all of you for the opportunity to serve. I believe our board is engaged and making progress on many fronts.

The transition has been made from 13 committees to 5. Committee chairs now have vice chairs for smoother transitions and most committees have an appointed scribe so we can all be informed of what is happening globally in our organization. Our new website is almost up and running, making its debut at the Winter Institute. Speaking of the Winter Institute, this committee has put a great program together. I look forward to seeing you all in NOVI!

Peter Auger,
Out-going MLGMA President
City Manager, Novi

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New Year, New Website!

By Colleen Layton, Director, Policy Development
Michigan Municipal League

It’s a new year, and what better time to reflect, rethink, and in this case, unveil a redesign of MLGMA’s website.

For the past few months, Rob Ferrari and I have been meeting with a small MLGMA committee to discuss ways to reconfigure and improve MLGMA’s website. The goals were to give the site a new updated look, provide a more interactive experience, and improve the overall functionality.

Many thanks to Pete Auger, Nathan Geinzer, Amy Sullivan, Ben Swayze, Joe Gacioch, Rebecca Fleury, and Derrick Kozicki for their invaluable input and support.

On the new home page, there will be a monthly community profile, manager profile, and weekly blog. We will be looking to all of you to volunteer to keep these updated, so expect to hear from us! As the association continues to grow and enhance educational programming, internship opportunities, and mentoring and coaching assistance, the site will also reflect a strong professional development component, as well.

We look forward to unveiling the new site at the Winter Institute, January 27-30. However, it will continue to be a work in progress for the next several months, as additional information and categories are added, and tweaks are made based on user feedback.

Check it out at www.mme.org after the conference and let us know what you think!

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Kathie Grinzinger: MLGMA’s 2014 “Patriarche Award” Recipient Talks Shop

Retired from Mt. Pleasant, Kathie Grinzinger has held almost every local government management post there is — including a year as MLGMA’s president. She now leads the Michigan Municipal League’s Executive Search Service. Kathie spoke with “The Manager” newsletter about her three-decades of service and how it feels to be honored with MLGMA’s “2014 John M. Patriarche Distinguished Service Award.”

You spent three decades serving the same community, Mt. Pleasant. Why did you stick around?

I considered moving from Mt. Pleasant on a number of occasions. I was recruited and tested the waters in other communities throughout my career.  But, I was given such wonderful opportunities for growth and flexibility that there was always another expected challenge in Mt. Pleasant. I started as Public Information Director and Community Development Coordinator. I became the Human Resources and Labor Relations

Director. I absorbed emergency management and crisis communication. As Community Services Division Chief I got to work with the Departments of Parks, Recreation, Building, Zoning, Planning, and Economic Development. As Assistant City Manager I got to play in all those sandboxes. I often tell people I had the great, good fortune to hold nearly every job in local government except those that required driving a big yellow truck or carrying a weapon.

As City Manager of Mt. Pleasant I was able to make use of that history in a community I was personally dedicated to, with a group of people I had hired and came to hold in the greatest regard. Big achievements in government sometimes take years.

There are so many moving parts — funding restraints, changes in political direction, forging agreements among residents and partners — that we, as managers, don’t always get to see our toughest or loftiest ambitions become reality. Being in one community for an extended time gave me the uncommon chance to move ideas through every facet of implementation.

What was your proudest accomplishment as City Manager of Mt. Pleasant?

As a group we changed the nature of government work to a corporate culture of team-based process improvement; entrepreneurial creativity and stakeholder-driven decision-making. Implicit with that philosophy, we moved to goal-based budgeting with continuous progress measurement and reporting that, in the best of circumstances, keeps all employees, Council, and an informed citizenry on the same page going in the same future-based direction.

Every downtown or commercial district renovation, historic reuse project, land acquisition, creative infrastructure development, planning revolution, or voter achievement comes from the trust that develops when great employees do good work and truth is told. I continue to be very proud of the people I worked with and the work we did on behalf of our residents.

You are leading the League’s Executive Search Service now. Why is that work important?

Working with MML allows me to continue to have the smallest impact on the League’s greatest mission, building a better Michigan through the success of our communities. By working with elected officials and municipal organizations to find the best fit in executive managers, we can assist in putting together effective and successful leadership teams. This work allows me to continue to play a minor role in feeding my passion for community building.

What was your reaction when you found out you were an MLGMA “Patriarche Award” winner?

When Pete Auger called, I assumed he wanted to touch base about a city manager recruitment, because I work with the League’s Executive Search Services. Never did I guess I would, or could, be added to a list of truly remarkable representatives of our profession. I was shocked and, unusual for me, likely speechless. I can only hope after 30 years in the public forum I was able to maintain my composure and keep the hitch out of my voice.

I can think of no greater gift than to be recognized by a group of individuals I consider to be the ultimate example of professionalism, service, and dedication to a mission greater than ourselves; that of good governance and community building. I have looked at the list of past recipients of the “Patriarche Award” and am overwhelmed to be included in this company. I am very, very grateful.

This means so much to me. MLGMA has been a touchstone in my life for nearly three decades. I learned my most valuable professional lessons here. I collected advice, counsel, example, and opportunity from the association. Most importantly, its members were my most trusted friends throughout my career. I owe much more to my manager colleagues than can be repaid.

The Sunday before I was to receive this award, I lost my father. Looking back, now, it seems fitting that this occasion will be forever linked in my mind to the passing of the person who taught me the most about the requirement to serve and the responsibility and joy in volunteering.

What do you hope your legacy will be?

Several of my former student journalism and communication trainees are now writers and public relations professionals around the country. Some of my past interns and employees are public service executives in their own right. Many of the folks I was able to employ have moved up the ranks in our city or others and are doing creative work to empower public servants and grow great communities. I hope my legacy will be evidenced in the values and commitment to excellence of those I served and those I served with. I would be happy to be remembered as an innovative public employee who served with integrity and character while always heading toward tomorrow.

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MLGMA John M. Patriarche Distinguished Service Award The distinguished service award is the highest honor the MLGMA bestows. It honors past members of the Michigan Local Government Management Association who have been members of the association for a significant number of years. Those honored have worked consistently and effectively to foster representative democracy by enhancing the effectiveness of local elected officials through innovative programs, projects, and by consistency in providing excellence in character and professionalism. MLGMA honored Kathie Grinzinger with the prestigious award at the Michigan Municipal League’s 2014 Annual Convention, in October, and she will be recognized again at the MLGMA Winter Institute.

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League Executive Search Service Improvements

By Jessica Reed, Executive Search Coordinator
Michigan Municipal League

An overwhelming majority of the League’s member communities employ professional managers to oversee the complex day-to-day functions of a municipality. The leadership of the professional manager defines a community’s long-term health and success. Therefore, ensuring that each community has a quality individual in the top administrative position is critical to the League’s efforts to improve Michigan communities. At the behest of our members, the League began offering the Executive Search Service, in 1998, to pair our members with the most talented managers available. Throughout the years, the League service has successfully placed leaders and innovators with our members.

The League incorporates member feedback and research on workforce trends into the executive search process, prompting a series of process improvements and new efforts over the past year.  We’d like to take the opportunity to update the MLGMA membership and invite additional feedback. The League structured changes around the goals of reinforcing the quality of the service, while maintaining adaptability to a range of

members, and expanding outreach to potential applicants and communities. This was done in three steps: refine the process, improve communication, and develop a strategic talent attraction strategy.

Refine the process. As most of you have experienced and/or witnessed, it is no longer the norm for a manager to spend her or his career in a single community. We’ve seen a lot more movement from place to place and shorter tenure for managers. The League found in many cases, a manager changed communities in response to the health of the council/manager relationship. Therefore, the League facilitators now put in extra effort with councils and applicants to make sure that the chosen candidate will be the correct fit for the community and increase the likelihood of a long-term placement. This takes the form of extensive stakeholder meetings and reference checking regarding personality attributes. As another process change, the League now offers

to-not-exceed pricing, which ensures the community will know the total cost of the search when the contract is made. The League also takes the responsibility for conducting the background check of the selected candidate prior to the acceptance of the final offer.

Improve communication. The goal to improve communication pertains to both offering a higher quality of promotional materials to a community and increasing the frequency of updates to applicants. The League has redesigned the outreach materials and profiles, thoughtfully expanded advertising venues, and is currently developing a video advertisement. At the same time, we increased interaction with our applicants by giving extra notifications throughout the search and allowing applicants to subscribe to email updates from the League. We are also developing a feedback mechanism to communicate with applicants, placements, and communities after the search process is complete.

Talent attraction strategy. Public sector workforce trends predict an upcoming talent shortfall as experienced professionals retire at a high rate with a smaller talent pool to fill the vacated positions. Mindful of this, the League put together a proactive strategy to recruit and retain talent in the public management field. The League created a LinkedIn group, Michigan Public Professionals, to increase interaction between current and upcoming managers and publicize job opportunities in local government. We also reached out to nine Michigan MPA/MPP programs to help build an engaged talent pool through contacts with professors and students. The League has been working with MLGMA committee members to promote mentorship and entry level opportunities.

Feel free to contact me at (734) 669-6325 or email jreed@mml.org if you are interested in more details about our recent work, would like to join in on outreach efforts, or have any other suggestions that you’d like heard.

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2015 MLGMA Winter Institute:

“Turn the Page”

Soon, many of you will gather in Novi for MLGMA’s 2015 Winter Institute, on Tuesday, January 27, through Friday, January 30.

Your 2015 Winter Institute Planning Committee is pleased to announce that a special guest, Steve Kurmas, the President and Chief Operating Officer of DTE, will deliver the Friday morning keynote address.

• Dave Limbardi, ICMA Midwest Regional Director, will be facilitating a pre-conference workshop on the topic of executive presence,
  “Tools for the Balancing Act – Leadership Fundamentals for the Future,” on Tuesday afternoon.
• Peter Smith, the CEO of Adelaide City Council in Australia, will talk about Adelaide’s placemaking efforts, Wednesday morning.
• Ken Wasco, Customer Advocate for Gordon Food Service and professional speaker, will address the group on the FACETS of leadership, Wednesday afternoon.
• Ellen Duham-Jones, co-author of Retrofitting Suburbia, will share her research, Thursday morning.
• Bill Capodagli, author of The Disney Way, will speak about customer service, Thursday afternoon.

That is the tip of the iceberg. Take a look at the full itinerary for breakout sessions, lunch meetings, and opportunities to see Novi’s sights.

Victor Cardenas, Assistant City Manager of Novi, is particularly pleased to bring back “Executive Coaching” to the Winter Institute. “A popular offering in previous years, experienced, credentialed executive coaches from Aspire Collaborative Services LLC, specifically facilitated by Mary Jo Asmus, will be there,” he says.

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NextGen Landing Jobs

By Derrick  Kozicki, Assistant City Manager and City Clerk
City of Grosse Pointe Farms

In 2014, several members who joined the MLGMA NextGen group as students landed their first full time positions in local government, including Justin Breyer, Assistant to the Manager, City of Dexter, Brandon Mersman, Assistant to the Manager, Brighton Township, Amanda Thomas, Management Analyst, City of Birmingham, and Lindsay Viviano, Building and Zoning Assistant, City of Zeeland.

Each of these members utilized the professional development and networking opportunities provided by the MLGMA NextGen Committee.

We had a very productive and successful year in 2014. A lot of the committee’s effort went into assisting MLGMA in its goal of attracting more talented university students to local government.

Twice a year, NextGen offers a professional development event to MLGMA members that covers the basics of a local government-related topic.

In Spring of 2015 there will be a professional development training on Public and Council Relations. This event will focus on creating and maintaining positive working relationships with the media, business community, residents and council members.

On November 7, 2014 the NextGen Committee hosted one of those events, which was called “Labor Relations 101.” Experienced labor attorneys and municipal managers spoke on topics such as negotiating strategies, dealing with impasse, and contract administration. The event was attended by over 40 MLGMA members, students and university faculty.

If you or someone you know would be interested in learning more about MLGMA NextGen and its efforts, please visit mlgmanextgen.blogspot.com or follow us on Facebook.

Additionally, on the website you can sign-up to receive email updates about the committee’s events which include the Winter Institute Dinner, Spring Training, Summer Conference Dinner and Fall Training.

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Host a MLGMA Conference in Your Neck of the Woods

Twice a year, local government management professionals from across the state gather somewhere in Michigan. They share strategies with each other, meet professional development goals, socialize, and get up-to-speed on trends in local government. That somewhere could be your community. MLGMA’s Board of Directors is

looking for host communities and currently accepting proposals to host a future MLGMA Winter Institute or Summer Workshop.

If you are interested in having your community host a MLGMA conference, here are some things to consider;

 

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Resources for Cybersecurity

Avoid the complications and bad press of data breaches by learning about precautions you can take now

Reprinted from ICMA newsfeed – www.ICMA.org

The stories of hackers compromising the personal and financial data of major retailers like Home Depot, Target, and Sony are becoming all too familiar. Local governments aren’t immune from the threat. For local governments, the challenge of finding a balance between maintaining a secure environment for citizens’ personal and financial data, responding to Freedom of Information Act requests, and offering transparency in operations and services to citizens looms large.

To that end, ICMA has compiled a list of resources on information local government managers need to know for setting sound policies for cybersecurity.

Public Technology Institute (PTI)

• Cybersecurity ranks as a top priority by PTI member local government IT executives.
• Top 10 things cities can do and should be aware of, and what Austin, Texas, is doing as part of a regional cybersecurity effort.
•  Strategies for securing energy infrastructure to assure a continuous supply of energy.

Government Technology

• A retrospective look at cyber breaches in 2014.
• A look at the Michigan Cyber Range, where computer network professionals can test their skills against hackers and learn how to detect, prevent, and mitigate cyber attacks in real-world settings.

Multi-State Information Sharing and Analysis Center

• Links to numerous local government cyber and information security policies.

IBM (ICMA Strategic Partner)

• Risk management for cybersecurity.

Cybersecurity and its effect on the economy.

IBM Security Resource Center

• Virtual library of resources on cybersecurity.

Look for the March 2015 issue of Public Management (PM), which has an article from the National White Collar Crime Center describing why developing a cybersecurity plan is important even for small local governments.

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Upcoming Events

MML Capital Conference and Expo

March 24-25
Lansing Center, Lansing, Michigan
View Event Details

“How does Michigan’s new crowdfunding law work and how can my community benefit?  What options are available to finance local transportation solutions? What are the pros and cons of using TIF to boost a municipality’s economy? Capital Conference is the source for answers on all the state and federal issues that impact local communities. It’s also the best place to network and make your voice heard on matters of public policy,” according to MML.

2015 sessions include: Crowdfunding, Transportation, TIF/Economic Development, Municipal Finance, Proactive Legislative Agenda, Personal Property Tax, Energy, and Green Initiatives.

ICMA Midwest Leadership Institute

March 23-27
Northern Illinois University, Naperville, Illinois
View Event Details

“The Midwest Leadership Institute will focus on successful outcomes in local government that require a deep understanding of interpersonal leadership. David M. Limardi, ICMA Midwest Regional Director, Robert R. Kiely. Jr., David E. Morrison, M.D., and Daven Morrison, M.D., will lead participants through an intensive six-day program designed to address the challenges facing local government professionals. This Institute is an expansion to Limardi’s workshop, Interpersonal Leadership & the New Order of Things,” according to ICMA.

ICMA Midwest Regional Summit

April 2-3
Evanston, Illinois
View Event Details

“The ICMA Midwest Regional Summit is a networking and professional development opportunity for members and state officers in the Midwest. All ICMA members and state officers in Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, Ohio, and Wisconsin are invited to attend the ICMA Midwest Regional Summit,” according to ICMA.

ICMA University will also hold an “Emerging Professionals Leadership Institute,” on the Wednesday and Thursday before the Midwest Regional Summit, on April 1 and 2. View Event Details.

Transforming Local Government Conference

April 13 – 15
Phoenix, AZ
View Event Details

Register by February 28 for a discounted rate.

The Alliance of Innovation is holding its 21st annual conference in Phoenix, Arizona this year. The Conference is recognized for its dynamic content; encouraging freethinking and fostering unprecedented ideas, all within a relaxed and professional networking and learning environment. Participants from across the United States and Canada will convene to learn new and innovative ways to build the future of local government today,” according to Alliance for Innovation

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Member News

Adam Smith is now City Administrator of Grand Ledge, stepping into the role after Jon Bayless retired from the position. Smith was previously Village Manager of Mackinaw City. Congratulations on your new post, Adam!

Natasha Henderson will become City Manager of Flint in late February. She was recently appointed by exiting emergency manager Darnell Earley. Henderson has been serving Muskegon Heights. Best wishes as you settle into your new job, Natasha!

Darnell Earley will lead Detroit Public Schools as Emergency Manager. He was recently appointed to the post by Governor Snyder after finishing up in Flint. Wishing you well, Darnell!

Not yet a member?

Register to enjoy the benefits of membership in Michigan’s premier association of local management professionals.

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The Michigan Local Government Management Association is the professional association for local government managers from municipalities, counties, and townships throughout the state of Michigan. The non-profit organization is the Michigan section of the International City/County Management Association (ICMA), and members follow ICMA’s code of ethics. MLGMA is affiliated with the Michigan Municipal League and in partnership with Alliance for Innovation. The Manager newsletter is edited for MLGMA by journalist Jennifer Eberbach. To suggest a story idea or contribute to the newsletter, email JenniferEberbach@gmail.com