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

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"

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 [email protected] 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 [email protected] 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