Explore every episode of the podcast Voices in Local Government

People, jobs, and commerce cross borders every day. How can local governments build lasting partnerships that keep pace with community needs? 

In El Paso, Texas, close ties with neighboring Ciudad Juárez, Mexico, make cross-border collaboration essential. Through the Economic Recovery Corps (ERC), the city is turning individual relationships into a coordinated approach to trade, infrastructure, and regional economic development.

In this episode of Voices in Local Government, Economic Recovery Corps Fellow Leonie Zapata and Adriana Pulecio, International Programs Administrator for the City of El Paso, join ICMA’s Gabe Daugherty to discuss how trust becomes the foundation for lasting cooperation. You’ll also hear why these lessons matter even for communities far from an international border.

IN THIS INTERVIEW:

1. How El Paso is turning cross-border relationships into shared priorities and action.
2. How trust and an embedded ERC fellow helped the city expand its capacity and pursue new ideas.
3. How policies, committees, and working groups can sustain collaboration through staff turnover and political change.

FEATURED GUESTS:

• Leonie Zapata, Fellow, Economic Recovery Corps, serving the City of El Paso, Texas
• Adriana Pulecio, International Programs Administrator, City of El Paso, Texas

HOST:

• Gabe Daugherty, Assistant Program Manager, Innovation & Research, ICMA

For local government and economic development professionals, this conversation offers practical lessons on building partnerships that help communities thrive.

LEARN MORE:

• Economic Recovery Corps: https://economicrecoverycorps.org/
• El Paso Economic & International Development: https://elpasoeid.com/
• National League of Cities: How El Paso Is Advancing Cross-Border Coordination and Growth

Twenty-five years after the September 11 attacks, lessons of that day continue to resonate for local government leaders. Ron Carlee was county manager of Arlington County, Virginia, when American Airlines Flight 77 struck the Pentagon. His experience offers important lessons for leaders preparing their own communities for crisis.

In this episode of Voices in Local Government, Carlee joins ICMA managing director Tad McGalliard to reflect on 9/11 and discuss preparedness, partnerships, communication, and crisis leadership.

IN THIS INTERVIEW:
1. Why crisis preparedness must involve the entire local government organization.
2. How strong relationships and regional partnerships strengthen emergency response.
3. Why leaders must uphold community values and build trust, even in moments of crisis.

FEATURED GUEST:
- Ron Carlee, DPA, Clinical Assistant Professor & Director, Center for Regional Excellence, Old Dominion University

HOST:
- Tad McGalliard, Managing Director, ICMA

Economic development is often measured in jobs, investment, and business growth. In Taos County, New Mexico, local leaders are taking a different approach by starting with the people, culture, and traditions that already strengthen the community.

Through the Economic Recovery Corps (ERC) and the Cultural Treasures Project, Taos County is working with residents to better understand the cultural assets they value and how those assets can help shape the county’s future. The work brings community voices directly into conversations about economic development, preservation, affordability, and opportunity.

In this episode of Voices in Local Government, Jessica Stern, Economic Development Director for Taos County, and Economic Recovery Corps Fellow Contessa Trujillo join ICMA’s Gabe Daugherty to discuss building an economy from the inside out and what it means for local government to “move at the speed of trust.”

IN THIS INTERVIEW:

1. How culture and community identity can inform local economic development.
2. How Taos County is using cultural asset mapping to understand what residents want to protect, restore, and revitalize.
3. Why trust, collaboration, and community participation matter when planning for long-term growth.

FEATURED GUESTS:

• Jessica Stern, Economic Development Director, Taos County, New Mexico
• Contessa Trujillo, Fellow, Economic Recovery Corps & Project Manager, Cultural Treasures Project

HOST:

• Gabe Daugherty, Assistant Program Manager, Innovation & Research, ICMA

For local government and economic development professionals, this conversation offers a different way to think about growth: one that starts with understanding what a community values and builds from there.

LEARN MORE:

• Economic Recovery Corps: https://economicrecoverycorps.org/
• Cultural Treasures Project: https://www.culturaltreasuresproject.org/

Featured Guest: Ben R. Spoer, PhD, MPH, Program Director, City Health Dashboard and Congressional District Health Dashboard, New York University Grossman School of Medicine, Department of Population Health

Episode Host: Emily Sparks, Program Director, Thriving Communities, Innovation & Research, ICMA

In this Interview:

1. Learn how local leaders are turning city health data into action.

2. Discover the local government decisions that influence community health every day.

3. Explore real-world examples of data-driven problem-solving and grant success.

4. See how neighborhood-level insights can help target resources where they're needed most.

 

Resources Mentioned:

• cityhealthdashboard.com
• congressionaldistricthealthdashboard.com  

In This Interview:

1. How the Economic Recovery Corps program builds local capacity through embedded, on-the-ground expertise.
2. Strategies for preserving affordable housing and preventing displacement before it happens.
3. The role of partnerships, data, and coalition-building in solving complex community challenges.
4. Why housing is critical infrastructure and a key driver of long-term economic development.

Featured Guests:
 

- Tomeka Lee, program manager, National League of Cities (NLC)

- Laura Searfoss, AICP Programs, associate director, Enterprise Community Partners

- Vonnette Harris, president & CEO, Kairos Development, LLC, ERC fellow

For city managers, economic development professionals, housing leaders, and local government staff, this conversation offers practical insights on how to align housing, transportation, and economic strategies to create more resilient and equitable communities.

Resources:
 

Economic Recovery Corps: https://economicrecoverycorps.org/

Enterprise Community Partners: https://www.enterprisecommunity.org

Purple Line Corridor Coalition: https://purplelinecorridor.org

National League of Cities Housing Supply Accelerator: https://www.nlc.org/initiative/housing-supply-accelerator/

 

Guest Information

 Zhikun Liu, Ph.D., CFP®, vice president, head of MissionSquare Research Institute

Gerald Young, senior researcher, MissionSquare Research Institute

 

Topics

Financial wellness: Generic benefit, or strategy?

Guaranteed income options altering  

Artificial intelligence impact on staffing.

Retirement decisions: Human advice vs Technology.

Employers recognizing and tracking mental and emotional labor.

 

Resources

MissionSquare Research Institute

Local Government Reimagined Conference - The AI Edge: Orlando, FL | April 8-10, 2026

 

Key Takeaways:

• The ERC program focuses on building long-term economic resilience.
• It funds people and capacity, not just projects.
• Communities gain repeatable local controllable tools for investment.
• Economic development is a relational function, not just technical.
• Local governments can be conveners and enablers of economic growth.
• Community capital allows residents to invest in local businesses.
• The ERC experience emphasizes the importance of trust and relationships.
• Resilience is built through alignment with community priorities.
   

Featured Guests:

Sydney Davis

Entrepreneur & Funding Navigation Specialist
ERC Fellow with National Coalition for Community Capital 

Resources

Economic Recovery Corps (ERC)

Community Investment Fund Handbook & Toolkit: The National Coalition for Community Capital is a great resource. NC3 offers practical education, case studies, and tools that help communities understand what’s possible beyond traditional grants and incentives—and how to approach these models responsibly.

 

In this episode of Voices in Local Government, Phil Kiraly and Julia D. Novak, ICMA-CM answer the critical question at the heart of our profession: why council-manager government matters now more than ever. They discuss how ICMA's Future of Professional Management Fund supports advocacy and how to educate residents when defending and adopting council-manager government comes up on the ballot.
 

Key Takeaways:

• Why council-manager form of government is effective and how to best educate residents
• What is ICMA's Future of Professional Management Fund, what it's used for, and why it matters for members
• How a "team sport" approach of advocacy led to success defending council-manager government in Illinois
• Excitement to continue the conversation on form of government and more at ICMA Annual Conference
   

Featured Guests:

Phil Kiraly - ICMA-CM - village manager of Glencoe, Illinois

Julia D. Novak - ICMA-CM – CEO and executive director of ICMA
 

Voices in Local Government Podcast Hosts:

Joe Supervielle and Angelica Wedell

Resources:

ICMA's Future of Professional Management Fund

PM Magazine: Making Big Strides in Advocating for Council-Manager Government

ICMA Annual Conference, October 25-29 in Tampa. 

Key Takeaways for local government AI:

• Why policy might not be the best starting point... start doing!
• Get in the figurative sandbox and to play and test AI with small teams for real outcomes.
• Official policy documents and templates can be found (and copied!) via the GovAI Coalition.
   

Featured Guest:

Parth Shah – CEO and Co-Founder, Polimorphic
 

Voices in Local Government Podcast Hosts:

Joe Supervielle and Angelica Wedell

Resources:

ICMA Annual Conference, October 25-29 in Tampa. 

Multiple AI trainings on the ICMA Learning Lab.

AI policy, templates, and more tools from the GovAI Coalition

Voices in Local Gov Episode: GovAI Coalition -  Your Voice in Shaping the Future of AI

Key Takeaways for local government's emergency management and response:

• Best practices in governmental preparedness.
• How to address the entire community.
• Ways to leverage technology to enhance information management and situational awareness.
• Cooperation with FEMA.
• Implement actionable review and continuous improvement.

Featured Guest:

John Antapasis, Emergency Management Director, Fire Rescue, City of Tampa

Voices in Local Government Podcast Hosts:

Joe Supervielle and Angelica Wedell

Resources:

ICMA Recovery Resources

ICMA Annual Conference, October 25-29 in Tampa

Key Takeaways for local government's data and software:

• Be intentional during idea stage with disciplined winnowing.
• The difference between a platform and a tool - and what will best serve your needs.
• Sunk cost fallacy and resisting the urge to double down.

Featured Guest:

Raman Shah – Owner, Raman Shah Data Science

Connect with Raman on LinkedIn
 

Voices in Local Government Podcast Hosts

Joe Supervielle and Angelica Wedell

Resources

Learn more from Raman in his three-part blog series, Software Trouble.

ICMA Annual Conference, October 25-29 in Tampa. 

 

Key Takeaways for Retention and Workplace Wellness:

• How mental health impacts employee engagement, retention, and workplace culture
• Practical leadership strategies to create a mentally healthy environment
• What leaders, managers, and peers can do to support each other
• How local governments can address burnout—and prevent it from driving people away
   

Featured Guest:

Adrienne Wise – CEO of Wise Choice Counseling and Consulting Services; trauma-informed care consultant, emotional wellness expert, and global public speaker
 

Voices in Local Government Podcast Hosts:

Joe Supervielle and Angelica Wedell

Resources:

Mental health services from ICMA affinity partner, Cope Notes.

ICMA Annual Conference, October 25-29 in Tampa. With sessions on mental health in the workplace and more. Registration opens June 25.

Voices in Local Government: Mental Health Ask Me Anything with Johnny Crowder

Key Takeaways for Financial Resilience and Success: 

Proven strategies to improve financial resilience in your municipality 

How city managers and finance directors can best collaborate and work together 

Tools for long-range planning and adapting to new fiscal challenges 

Real examples of budget solutions that reflect community priorities 

Featured Speakers: 

Justin Marlowe – co-host of Public Money Pod, research professor at the University of Chicago, director of the Center for Municipal Finance 

Liz Farmer – co-host of Public Money Pod, award-winning journalist, and fiscal policy writer 

Dave Schmiedicke – finance director, City of Madison, WI; Former Wisconsin state budget director 

Will Jones – city administrator, Mequon, WI; president, Wisconsin City/County Management Association 

Whether you’re a city manager, budget officer, or just care about sound fiscal strategy, this episode offers practical tips to help you lead with financial resilience. 

Resources

Public Money Pod by the Center for Municipal Finance

ICMA: A Budgeting Guide for Local Government 3-Part Series

 

Guest Information

Julia D. Novak, ICMA-CM, CEO and executive director of ICMA

Hosts

Joe Supervielle and Angelica Wedell
 

Topics

Welcome Voices in Local Government's New co-host, Angelica Wedell

Introduction and Understanding Change in Local Government

Strategies for Effective Change Management

Fostering Innovation

The Role of Supervisors

Advice for Local Government Leaders

Resources

ICMA Effective Supervisory Practices Training Series

Getting to Know Our New CEO/Executive Director, Julia D. Novak, ICMA-CM

 

Guest Information

Laura Savage, Senior Program Manager, ICMA
 

Topics

Assistant Chief Administrative Officer (ACAO) Development Series Overview

Career Progression and Development Opportunities

SheLeadsGov Virtual Forum Insights

Resources

The Essential ACAO Development Series: Building Your Path to Leadership Excellence

SheLeadsGov Virtual Forum | Innovate, Inspire, Impact

EP47 Local Gov Life Advice: Career Moves, Coworkers, and Council

Guest Information

Amanda Hesse, chief revenue officer, LCPtracker

Stephanie Ramos, customer success manager, LCPtracker
 

Topics

The Importance of Workforce Development and the impact on the local economy.

Real-World Examples of local government Workforce Initiatives.

Steps for Local Government Engagement.

Measuring Success.

Future Trends.

Resources

Workforce development program tracker

Case Study on the ROI of hiring local

Guest Information

Zhikun Liu, Ph.D., CFP®, vice president, head of MissionSquare Research Institute

 Gerald Young, senior researcher, MissionSquare Research Institute
 

Topics

Retirement 
Employee investment programs

Resources

MissionSquare Research Institute

Guest Information

Zhikun Liu, Ph.D., CFP®, vice president, head of MissionSquare Research Institute

 Gerald Young, senior researcher, MissionSquare Research Institute
 

Topics

Part One:

Workforce motivations
Succession Planning
Concerns over emerging technologies
Employee Debt, Stress, and Mental Health
 

Then Listen to Part Two: 

Retirement 
Employee investment programs

Resources

MissionSquare Research Institute

Guest Information

Michael Paulhus, town manager, Plainville, CT. LinkedIn
 

Topics

Crushing the Stigma of Local Government

Building a Brand for Local Government

Empowering a Creative Social Media Team

Engaging the Community Through Content

Measuring Success and Overcoming Negativity

Tools and Strategies for Effective Communication

The Role of Government Structure in Community Engagement

Resources

Self-Paced Online Course: Communicating with Elected Officials, Staff, and the Media

Free On-demand Webinar: Improving Trust and Transparency with Better Public Communications

See Plainville's social accounts in action:

LinkedIn, Instagram, and Facebook.

Topics

FEMA Individual Assistance.

FEMA Public Assistance.

Cost and reimbursement and documentation.

Assign someone on staff as the point to understand FEMA reporting requirements and ensure compliance.

Categories of reimbursement and cost share between Federal, state, and local.

Policies for overtime pay.

The importance of not going it alone.

How to take care of yourself and staff.

Resources

ICMA Hurricane Response Resources

Federal Disaster Assistance 

Leadership Before, During, and After a Crisis

Guest Information

Mark Zeigler, Senior Lecturer and Director of First-Year Experience Programs, Florida State University

Desiree Casanova, Assistant to the County Administrator, Sarasota Florida

 

Resources from ICMA Learning Lab

Self-Paced Online Course: Communicating with Elected Officials, Staff, and the Media

Free On-demand Webinar: Improving Trust and Transparency with Better Public Communications

Guest Information

Mark Zeigler, Senior Lecturer and Director of First-Year Experience Programs, Florida State University

Desiree Casanova, Assistant to the County Administrator, Sarasota Florida
 

Takeaways

• Effective communication requires understanding the past, present, and future of interactions.
• Empathy is crucial in communication, especially in local government settings.
• Nonverbal communication can account for a significant portion of the message conveyed.
• Follow-up communication is essential to show that you value the conversation.
• Personalized responses can significantly improve public trust in government.
• Active listening involves not just hearing but understanding the speaker's message.
• Tailoring communication styles to the audience can enhance understanding and cooperation.
• Silence can be detrimental; addressing issues directly is important.
• Building trust takes time and requires consistent, genuine interactions.
• Stories can be powerful tools to connect with skeptical audiences.
   

Chapters

Introduction to Effective Communication

Philosophical Foundations of Communication

Understanding Roles in Communication

Empathy and Active Listening

Nonverbal Communication Techniques

The Power of Follow-Up Communication

Personalized Responses in Local Government

Tailoring Communication Styles

Resources from ICMA Learning Lab

Self-Paced Online Course: Communicating with Elected Officials, Staff, and the Media

Free On-demand Webinar: Improving Trust and Transparency with Better Public Communications

Guest Information

Dave O’Reilly, CivicPlus Chief Operating Officer

Mike Paciello, AudioEye Chief Accessibility Officer

Takeaways

The Department of Justice has issued a final ruling on website accessibility, requiring compliance with specific timeframes based on population size and tax income.

Local governments need to establish a clear compliance plan, conduct an audit of their digital presence, and prioritize fixing frequently accessed pages.

Residents with disabilities should be involved in the feedback process to ensure their needs are met.

Building core competency within the organization and vetting vendors with deep domain expertise is crucial for successful implementation.

Chapters

00:00 Introduction

02:44 Compliance Deadlines

08:20 The Role of Feedback and Resident Engagement

18:49 The Urgency of Compliance

22:16 Challenges and Vendor Selection

27:43 Ensuring Compliance and Building Competency

31:03 Conclusion

 

Resources

7 Steps to Meeting the DOJ's New Web Accessibility Ruling

 

Chapters

Part Three

The successful response at the Texas Allen Outlet Mall shooting

Building Trust and Coordination

The Role of City and County Managers

Ensuring Training and Resources

Resources

ALERRT.org

UnitedOnGuns.org for free downloads on the Mass Shooting Playbook plus first 24 hours

Ten Essential Actions to Improve School Safety

Chapters

Part Two

Leadership and Chain of Command

Collaboration between Law Enforcement and Fire Departments

Protocols and Tabletop Exercises

Challenges and Planning for Response in Rural Areas

The Chain of Survival and Models of Response

Resources

ALERRT.org

UnitedOnGuns.org for free downloads on the Mass Shooting Playbook plus first 24 hours

Ten Essential Actions to Improve School Safety

Chapters

Part One

Introduction and Commitment to Local Solutions

Law Enforcement Preparedness Overview

Challenges of Box Checking and the Need for Ongoing Training

Training Expectations for Law Enforcement Officers

Funding Options and the Role of City Managers

Making Proper Response a Priority

 

Resources

ALERRT.org

UnitedOnGuns.org for free downloads on the Mass Shooting Playbook plus first 24 hours

Ten Essential Actions to Improve School Safety

Warren Hutmacher joins ICMA's Voices in Local Government podcast for a recurring Q/A theme on local gov careers, hiring, and recruiting. Today's topic is what can lose... or keep a great employee doing great work.

Warren Hutmacher joins ICMA's Voices in Local Government podcast for a recurring Q/A theme on local gov careers, hiring, and recruiting. Today's topic is mandatory residency requirements for city/county managers. Pros, cons, questions, and concerns. Then listen for part two, How to Lose Great Employees.

 

Iris Lee, Public Works Director of Seal Beach, California

Shane Silsby, CEO and Founder of Silsby Strategic Advisors

(2:10) Question 1: "What’s your advice to encourage, nudge, (borderline force) employees to use and make the most of their available training programs and professional development funding?"

And how can local government leaders effectively implement workforce development programs to enhance the skills, knowledge, and overall professional growth of their employees in today's landscape of generational transitions?

(17:27) Question 2: Complaints about permitting are always one of the biggest issues for our support and communications teams. This remains a huge rift between residents and local governments. What can local government do better? 

(26:23) Question 3:I serve in a public works department for a fairly large county. Our team constantly sees high profile projects get the budget and media attention while less visible but arguably more critical infrastructure needs are delayed or ignored. Even after increased Federal funding over the last few years. As leaders of a public works department, how do you set priorities? And how do you advocate during the budget/decision making process?

Resources

email podcast@icma.org to send questions or ideas for the next Local Gov Life Advice.

Managing for Meteors: Preparing Local Government Leaders Before the Impact

Public Works Podcast

Three Question Local Gov Life Advice

1:17: Question 1: “When do I know it’s time to leave my organization for other opportunities? Or am I better off sticking around and seeing what opens up?”

13:49 Question 2: "I've been the ACAO in a medium-sized town for six years. Recently they created a new second ACAO position. The new hire has a few more years experience. The exact split of responsibilities is unclear. And while this will eventually help ease my workload, I'm tasked with training this person who will likely end up competing when the CAO position eventually becomes open. How do I balance being a team player with my personal goals?

22:20 Question 3: "What’s the best way for an ACAO to gain experience working with council without overstepping the CAO"

 

Guests

Katherine Caffrey, principal & founder, NAVIS Consulting, former ACAO

Jeff Jenkins, deputy city manager, Taylor, Texas

Part two focuses on severance agreement negotiations. 

Takeaways

Severance agreements are of utmost importance for city managers, providing protection and security in case of termination.

Negotiating severance agreements should consider the duration of payment and the inclusion of benefits.

Differentiating between cause and no cause in severance agreements is crucial to avoid ambiguity and potential legal disputes.

The inclusion of a clause related to the conviction of a felony in severance agreements provides clarity and protection for both parties.

The risk profile of severance agreements may vary depending on the stage of a career, with more leverage and negotiation power as experience and reputation increase.

Educating city councils on the importance of severance agreements can help ensure fair and reasonable negotiations.

Preparing for the worst and prioritizing personal and family protection in severance agreements is essential for city managers.

Resources

email podcast@icma.org to send Warren a question about hiring, recruiting, or anything career-related.

Sumter Local Government Consulting

Part one focuses on internal and external pay paradox. Should an IT director or civil engineer make significantly more than a fire or police chief? With tight budgets, how can city/county managers and HR leaders attract top candidates and keep current employees morale up?

Resources

email podcast@icma.org to send Warren a question about hiring, recruiting, or anything career-related.

Sumter Local Government Consulting

Free Resources

GovermentAI Coalition

Free Membership Application

Free to Use Deliverable Guide, including:

1. AI Policy
2. AI Policy Manual
3. AI Incident Response Plan
4. AI Fact Sheet
5. Vendor Agreement
6. Use Case Template
7. Vendor Registry

ICMA Local Government Reimagined Conference: Explore the Future of AI in Local Government - June 5-7 in Palm Desert, California

Chapters

• 00:00 Introduction
• 01:25 Job Search Process
• 07:15 Networking and Job Search Resources
• 09:11 Negotiating Job Offers
• 16:05 Adjusting to the CAO Role
• 28:29 Building Relationships with Staff
• 29:57 Hiring Veterans and Tapping into the Talent Pool

Resources

Veterans Local Government Management Fellowship

Voices in Local Government Podcast EP27 Veterans in Local Government Management Program

ICMA Job Center

Human Resources Recruitment Handbook: Hiring Veterans for Local Government Positions

(Timestamps are an approximation)

00:52 Defining Mediation
02:34 Mediation in Local Government
05:08 Mediation in Noise Complaints
09:05 Benefits of Mediation for Local Government
11:41 Mediation in Policy and Ordinance Development
13:11 Cost Benefit of Mediation
15:15 Mediation and Community Engagement
20:22 Challenges in Mediation
25:56 Implementing Mediation in Local Government
28:26 Finding and Hiring Mediators
29:13 Conclusion
 

Resources

Sage Mediation

ICMA Learning Lab on-demand webinar: Managing a Divided Council.

In part two, Santy and Hemant continue covering these topics:

• How should IT or HR departments answer when employees ask: "How will AI make my job easier instead of replacing me?"
• How residents can use AI to help themselves and create better interaction with local government.
• What is the next step for local governments and individual staff after experimenting?
• AI architecture.
• Creating internal guidelines.
• Fear and optimism from our favorite fictional AI.

Resources

City of Boston Interim Guidelines for Using GenerativeAI

ICMA's Local Government Reimagined Conferences:

Explore the Future of AI in Local Government

One Topic.  Two Locations. ICMA is headed to Boston, MA and Palm Desert, CA for the Local Government Reimagined Conferences. From cutting-edge applications to strategic insights, discover how AI is reshaping the landscape of local government. Register here.

Government AI Coalition

Join over 140 government agencies in creating standards for responsible AI procurement and governance for public agencies. Learn more.

Additional Content

Zencity: Using Generative AI for Community Engagement, from our partner named a 2024 GovTech100 company.

• Define AI, GenerativeAI and dismiss common myths or misconceptions.
• How can AI can be used as a precise tool for a specific project right now?
• How can local governments vet vendors?
• Application for smaller towns and counties.
• Are GenerativeAI tools going to remain free?
• AI’s ability to help and/or hurt public discourse and local government employees caught in the middle.

Resources

City of Boston Interim Guidelines for Using GenerativeAI

ICMA's Local Government Reimagined Conferences:

Explore the Future of AI in Local Government

One Topic.  Two Locations. ICMA is headed to Boston, MA and Palm Desert, CA for the Local Government Reimagined Conferences. From cutting-edge applications to strategic insights, discover how AI is reshaping the landscape of local government. Register here.

Government AI Coalition

Join over 140 government agencies in creating standards for responsible AI procurement and governance for public agencies. Learn more.

Additional Content

Zencity: Using Generative AI for Community Engagement, from our partner named a 2024 GovTech100 company.

Resources:

ICMA Economic Mobility and Opportunity Tools and Resources
 

ICMA Annual Conference, Austin, Texas

Free Breakfast Workshop with Danielle Arigoni: Affordable, Climate-Friendly Housing as a Pathway for Economic Mobility

October 2, 2023
7:45am to 9:45am CT

Austin Convention Center
Room: Meeting Room 4

Climate Resilience for an Aging Nation, by Danielle Arigoni. Use promo code "webinar" for a 30% discount.

 

More from ICMA strategic partner, Cigna:

Local government healthcare resources

ICMA experts on brownfields, Clark Henry and Chris Harrell, explain why brownfields are a problem and how to transform them into sustainable spaces with positive economic, social, and environmental impact. Often at no cost to the local government. Then they preview the Brownfields Conference, August 8-11 in Detroit.

Resources

Technical Assistance to Brownfields Communities: Free technical assistance and workshops (in-person or digital) via ICMA in region four, or find your representative organization on the resources page.

Brownfields Conference, August 8-11 in Detroit

Brownfields University, a foundational pre-conference training program, free with registration for Brownfields 2023 conference. 

ICMA Brownfields topic page, for the basics all the way through advanced studies and resources.

Free copy of the ResourceX Annual Impact Report

City and County government organizations face significant challenges, including budget constraints, changing regulations, and increasing demand for transparency and accountability. Finance transformation can help address these challenges by improving financial processes, increasing efficiency, and enhancing decision-making capabilities. 

Jim McClurkin and Miriam Rayward explain how initial assessment, defining vision and objectives, developing a roadmap, engaging stakeholders, and implementing and monitoring progress, local government organizations can begin their finance transformation journey, including:

• Integration across multiple functions, departments, and projects. HR, payroll, t+e, accounts payable, compliance, etc).
• Talent and change management.
• Analytics for real-time decision making instead of waiting until "budget season".
• Tips on how to optimize processes with new technology

Resources

Free eBook: 4 Ways to Turn AP More Productive for Cities and Counties

ICMA's A Budgeting Guide for Local Government, Fourth Edition

Local government spends 2 trillion dollars annually on procurement. Co-founder and CEO of Pavilion, Mariel Reed, shares her unique perspective working in both local government and technology to create solutions that improve the often tedious, slow, and painful procurement processes, including:

• Drastically reduce buying cycles.
• Maintain compliance.
• How city/county managers and department heads can empower purchasing managers to transform the dreaded procurement headache into a strategic advantage.

Resources

Pavilion's free platform for local governments.

Connect with Mariel on LinkedIn to continue the conversation or ask questions about procurement. Include ICMA podcast in your message!

Emergency preparation and response resources from Hagerty Consulting.

ICMA Southeast Regional Director, Randy Reid joins the share nearly 50 years of wisdom on:

1. Advocating for the profession of local government administration.
2. Responding to public criticism and handling an unwanted spotlight as a city/county manager.
3. Separating local government service delivery from the partisan pitfalls of national or local politics.
4. Specific strategies to identify and support the next generation of managers.

Resources

ICMA Local Government Reimagined Conferences, Louisville, May 10-12 and Long Beach, June 7-9.

Free E-Book: The 2023 State of Local Government Report

Mental health for local government leaders, their staff, and their residents is discussed with Johnny Crowder. ICMA Affinity partner, Cope Notes, is a daily text service that interrupts negative thought patterns with positive stimulus to help improve mental wellness.

Co-hosts Jessi Atcheson and Joe Supervielle collected questions about mental health and the Cope Notes model from ICMA  members, staff, and others for an Ask Me Anything interview, including:

• How does peer support connect with neuroscience?
• How does it fit in or compliment with seeing a professional, certified therapist?
• Stigma to even have a conversation about mental health has made progress, but how do you show people it's okay to seek support?
• How can text messages possibly make a meaningful impact on mental health?
• How do local governments or other organizations with group subscriptions measure success if it's all anonymous?

Resources

Preliminary effectiveness study of the Cope Notes digital mental Health program in the Journal of Mental Health.

Recap from Crowder's session at ICMA Annual Conference Columbus, and his TEDx Talks.

Local government healthcare resources from Cigna. 

Lawrence E. Henderson, Jr., President & Chief Learning Officer, Business Operational Support Services (BOSS), LLC, shares insights on how to move from leadership clichés to behavior and habits that:

• Build and maintain high performing teams
• Effectively delegate
• Inspire and support

Resources

Message Lawrence Henderson on LinkedIn and mention ICMA's Voices in Local Government podcast for a free 1-1 consultation.

Eisenhower Matrix to prioritize tasks by urgency and importance (or a lack of) to decide what to do, delegate, or hold.

Free, self-guided website solutions demo from CivicPlus.

Cedar Park, Texas deputy city manager, Katherine Caffrey created the TEXChange program in Texas to benefit assistant city/county managers in their daily work . In this episode, Caffrey outlines the goals of the exchange for participant and host, lessons learned in the inaugural group of 14, what's planned for 2023, and how to set up a similar informal program in your own region or state.

Resources

ICMA Blog: How We Created a Successful Exchange Student Program for Assistant and Deputy Managers

katherine.caffrey@cedarparktexas.gov

Free, self-guided website solutions demo from CivicPlus.

Sue Lessard, town manager, Bucksport, Maine, tells a familiar tale of a small town struggling after a major industry closed its doors. With renewed focus on economic development but still searching for a way to reshape the town's identity, local government determined how to get out of the way when it comes to community engagement - Community Heart and Soul.

Jane Lafleur explains that it is a resident-driven process that relies on in-person interviews along with other digital methods to engage the entire population of a town. This identifies what is most loved about the community, the future the residents want for it, and how to achieve it. Local government can secure grant funding and provide the infrastructure.

The result is participation based on positives, not complaints, and real data to inform council decisions. 

Resources

Apply for a $10,000 seed grant for communities under 30,000 population

Obtain Community Heart and Soul's free intro book or email them at info@communityheartandsoul.org

ICMA's Local Government Reimagined initiative and conferences

ICMA's Strategic Planning in Small Communities: A Manager's Manual

 

• Why local governments are the best stewards of federal funding opportunities.
• How investment decisions can help address issues of inequity and expand upward mobility and opportunities for all residents.
• How specific cities like Tacoma, Washington; Baltimore, Maryland; and Union City, Georgia are using their federal funds, included in NLC's ARPA Investment Tracker.
• How small and mid-sized communities in particular can get access to technical assistance for grant writing to apply for federal funds.
• Why it’s so important for communities to gather community input on the front end of city projects and then communicating intentions and results across various channels to a diverse public.

Resources

Zencity 360: essential tools to help government agencies improve services, build community trust, and increase overall satisfaction, from our partner recently named a 2023 GovTech100 company.

ICMA's Local Government Reimagined initiative and conferences

ICMA's Strategic Planning in Small Communities: A Manager's Manual

In this episode of CitiesSpeak, NLC CEO and Executive Director Clarence Anthony sits down with Emily Larson, Mayor of Duluth, Minnesota to talk about how the city of Duluth is addressing big issues from revitalizing its downtown core coming out of the pandemic to addressing the impacts of climate change and building a more sustainable community.

• Show before, during, and after shots of projects to communicate progress with the public, council, and commissioners.
• Capture multiple high-resolution images per location per year.
• Integrate at an enterprise level with cross-department functionality.

Resources

Exclusive free two-week trial: Enhance government workflows with premium aerial intelligence from Nearmap. 

ICMA's Strategic Planning in Small Communities: A Manager's Manual

Leaders from Baldwin Park and the San Gabriel Valley Regional Housing Trust explain:

• How Tiny Home sites are selected and set up.
• Scalability to show how this program can help your town address the homeless crisis and reduce service calls. This is not just an L.A. problem or L.A. solution.
• Complementary programs, including: workforce development, food recovery, landlord outreach, recreation, crisis intervention, prevention, and diversion.
• Funding and the financial case for the program.
• How to engage with city council and the public.

San Gabriel Valley Regional Housing Trust with RFP templates, case studies, and more to help take a first step.

Contact Brielle Acevedo with questions about Tiny Homes or Regional Housing Trusts at bacevedo@sgvrht.org.

ICMA Annual Conference Presentation Slide Show

Sponsor Resources

Exclusive free two-week trial: Enhance government workflows with premium aerial intelligence from Nearmap.