Countless emails have been sent out from executives in the private industry: emails meant to comfort us during a time of stress and uncertainty that promise we will continue to move forward during and after COVID-19. The emails reassure us “we are all in this together,” that “we have systems in place to make the […]
Amp Up Your LocalGov Engagement Skills
In an age where trust in government (and indeed all institutions for that matter) is at an all-time low, the very future of local representative democracy requires leaders with a new skill – the ability to break through cynicism and mistrust to directly engage residents in local policy. From public safety, to city budgets […]
Don’t just let it happen – Take charge of your Wiki!
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 The Wikipedia page for the Town of Windsor was populated with old information and links to outdated and negative newspaper articles.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, […]
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: 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 […]
Finding your agency’s voice: why it’s important to have a personality on social media
Everyone likes someone with a personality. The same is true of government agencies, and there’s no better place for an agency to establish a strong personality, a “voice,” than on social media. [pullquote align=”left” cite=”” link=”” color=”” class=”” size=””]But to use it effectively, agencies need to build their reach and engage with their followers, […]
Creating Vibrant Communities Through Economic Development
The dissolution of redevelopment agencies coupled with the lingering recession has left many seeking new approaches to local economic development. Two new resources from the Institute for Local Government (ILG) provide practical tips on proven techniques that local leaders can use to enhance their communities’ economic prosperity and fiscal health. Making Prosperity Sustainable [pullquote align=”right” […]
Our Local Government Model: It’s Broken, So Let’s Fix It
PERSPECTIVES If you have tried something for a couple of decades and it is not working then you should try something else. I am not speaking about our form of local government (council/manager, strong mayor, etc) but rather the way we do our work regardless of the form. My hypothesis is that the local government […]