By Ryan Hunter After years of work untangling government bureaucracy, we at the City Performance Lean Program have a secret to share: the most lasting change comes not from a software implementation or a strategic plan, but from engaging employees to improve the nitty-gritty, on-the-ground, day-to-day work. City Performance, a division of the San Francisco […]
Through my work with organizations like MMANC and ICMA, I have the opportunity to meet like-minded peers and compare our experiences working for local government. Last month, I was speaking to someone who knew that I work in human resources and she wanted my thoughts on how to handle a particular situation. We’ll call […]
In times of change, learners inherit the earth, while the learned find themselves beautifully equipped to deal with the world that no longer exists – Eric Hoffer The last 20 years have seen unprecedented changes in the way we live and learn. Twenty years ago, laptops were considered a luxury and smartphones had not yet […]
Do you know what is on your city’s Wikipedia page? When the City of Windsor looked at theirs they realized there was opportunity for improvement. The Wikipedia page for the Town of Windsor was populated with old information and links to outdated and negative newspaper articles. With so much on the internet driven by user-provided content, […]
Navigating the politics of local government funding can be treacherous. City Managers are challenged to bring together their ambitions for their cities, the demographics of unique populations, and the realities of incoming revenues and expenditures. Few would argue that assuring public safety is one of the primary objectives of local government. But what happens when […]
A mentor/mentee relationship can be immensely rewarding for both people. But how do you get to know each other, build trust, have productive meetings, and continue to have a beneficial, ongoing connection? Jennifer and Lydia met through MMANC’s Credentialed Government Leader program, where Jennifer was Lydia’s mentor. Together they created tips for mentors/ mentees to […]
Exploring the Remote Work Model Has Amazing Possibilities From my perspective, remote work is still a relatively new model in local government but, the concept is one with great possibilities both for permanent and temporary jobs. When I was with the City of Santa Cruz, I participated in the telework pilot in 2013-14, working at […]
June 1, 2016 I’m a traffic engineer in a small midwestern city. I just had a difficult experience presenting a mobility safety plan to my city council. I did a lot of research on best practices to better protect pedestrians and bicyclists along a fairly busy street, while still maintaining reasonable traffic flow. As part […]
Municipal Management Association of Northern California (MMANC) President and City of Sacramento Community Development Director Ryan DeVore sits down with International City/County Management Association (ICMA) President and Daly City City Manager Pat Martel to discuss leadership, city management, karaoke and Pat’s journey. The interview was conducted in person on October 15, 2015 at the 65th […]
Rainbow flags flew high in front of city halls across California for the month of June in honor of pride month. This act of acknowledgment and solidarity is comforting to the Lesbian Gay Bisexual Transgender Queer (LGBTQ) community and particularly welcoming for LGBTQ municipal employees. However, year-round acceptance and support for employees within the […]