Voices in Local Government

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 [email protected] 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

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

[email protected]

Free, self-guided website solutions demo from CivicPlus.