San Mateo County Human Resources Director Donna Vaillancourt discusses the importance of resource management following her presentation at the Municipal Management Association of Northern California (MMANC)’s Winter Forum in February 2016. Donna was interviewed by Marissa King, Region Co-Chair for MMANC and member of San Mateo County’s Human Resources team.
Davenport Institute Launches Public Engagement Platform
The Davenport Institute at the Pepperdine School of Public Policy works with municipal governments and civic organizations to engage the residents of California in the policy decisions that affect their everyday lives. In today’s world of easy access to information and easy connectivity to others, it is more important than ever for California’s local leaders […]
MMANC Podcast: Myths, Lies and Misconceptions About Ethics
Kim Castro, Program Manager for the City of Mountain View and Municipal Management Association of Northern California (MMANC) Board Member, meets with Kevin Woodhouse, Assistant General Manager for the Midpeninsula Open Space District, discusses the myths, lies and misconceptions about ethics in public service. The interview was conducted in person on October 16, 2015 at […]
Bondtacular Event is Spectacular
On November 19, 2015 MMANC (Region 1) organized an event called “BONDTACULAR, Sustainable Future with Bonds” which was hosted by the Midpeninsula Regional Open Space District, the City of Mountain View and Stifel. Stifel provided an expert overview on many technical themes from financing options available to fund infrastructure to the intricacies of the municipal […]
MMANC Podcast: Infographics FTW
Ryder Todd Smith of Tripepi Smith & Associates discusses infographics and visualization tools with Municipal Management Association of Northern California (MMANC) Vice President and Assistant to the Town Manager Nat Rojanasathira. Smith shares his insight on how local governments can use infographics to share data with the public. The interview was conducted in person […]
MMANC Podcast: Facilitation as a Platform for Leadership
ICMA University Instructor and Yolo County Management Analyst Jesse Salinas is interviewed by Institute for Local Government (ILG) Communications and Development Manager Melissa Kuehne and Municipal Management Association of Northern California (MMANC) Board Member Melissa Kuehne about facilitation as a platform for leadership. Salinas argues that good facilitation can be the difference between success and […]
Tips to Encourage Broader Public Involvement in Your Community
Local officials in California are increasingly facing tough challenges and are asking residents to weigh in through a variety of ways. These discussions are typically about land use, budgeting, sustainability, transportation, police and fire protection and many other local and regional issues. However, even with the best of intentions to encourage broad participation, local officials […]
The Value of MMANC: An Interview with Community Development Director Ryan DeVore
Ryan has over 15 years of experience in both private practice and local government. His experience includes designing large structures, roads, and custom homes as a licensed professional engineer. He’s also managed his own small business, preparing plans for projects throughout Northern California. Ryan started with the City of Sacramento in 2004 as an Associate […]
Fiscal Literacy for Everyone on the Government Ladder
Imagine a small child tugging on his mother’s arm in a department store. The child is asking if he can buy the toy clutched in his hand. When the mother denies the child’s request, the child questions why. If the mother chooses to provide a response, she will likely say the toy is priced too […]
Beyond Raising the Rainbow Flag: Opportunities for Municipalities to Build Capacity Around Diversity and Inclusion
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 […]