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 […]
MMANC Podcast: Joanne Bond on Emotional Intelligence
Eric Zetz, Program Manager for the City of Clovis and Municipal Management Association of Northern California (MMANC) Board Member, meets with Joanne Bond to discuss her presentation on emotional intelligence. The interview was conducted in person on February 24, 2016 at the Winter Forum in Foster City, California.
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 […]
MMANC Podcast: ICMA’s Pat Martel on Leadership, City Management and Karaoke
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 […]
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 […]
Team Leadership Workshop in Santa Rosa a Success
On Thursday, July 16 MMANC Region 2 hosted 54 enthusiastic local government professionals for a professional development workshop entitled “Team Leadership: Competencies and Communication.” The workshop was presented by Lisa Johnson of BalancePoint Group with Harris & Associates and focused on helping individuals determine their personal style. The event was hosted by Liz Licursi, Administrative […]
Sometimes “The Happiest Place on Earth” Can Get “Grumpy”: A Reflection on Customer Service
ORIGINAL CONTENT Last month my family and I spent a few days at “The Happiest Place on Earth.” By nearly every account, Disneyland was just that. Our time was filled with cheerful celebration, wild imagination, and endless entertainment. My parents traveled with my husband and me, along with our two daughters. My eldest daughter, […]
Career Compass No. 38: Your Staff Meetings Don’t Have To Be Dreary
CAREER COMPASS I supervise an operations group in a community services special district. Our district has a lot of responsibilities and is always trying to address the demands of our service recipients. Because we try to move fast, I hold a weekly staff meeting to keep the 15 operations staff people informed and, hopefully, engaged. […]
Western City: How Leaders Use Storytelling
IN THE NEWS This month’s issue of Western City features an article by League of California Cities Executive Director Chris McKenzie on how leaders use storytelling to inspire others and illustrate key points. McKenzie writes, “City leaders often must inspire people to accept and even support changes in their lives that they might otherwise oppose. […]