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Devoting oneself to the successful functioning of local representative democracy and improving the safety and quality of life and environment for tens of thousands of people annually – most of whom you will never meet. It is also one of the most gratifying and exhausting ways to make a living.
-Rod Gould, City Manager, Santa Monica, CA
That you are making a positive difference in the lives of the people you serve every day. You don't have to work at higher levels of government or at a non-profit organization to make a difference.
-Jennifer Kimball, Assistant City Manager, Rockville, MD
Being a good steward of the public’s interests. This can be done by engaging the public in policy development, conducting business in a transparent manner and using ICMA’s Code of Ethics as the floor to guide your actions, not the ceiling.
-Troy Brown, Assistant City Manager, Livermore, CA
Consistently doing the right thing all the time whether someone is watching or not.
-Ken Chandler, Former City Manager, Portsmouth, VA
Being proud that the ICMA Code of Ethics is a cornerstone of our profession. I’m also committed to serving everyone in my community equally and working hard to provide local government services that are responsive and provide value to the community. It’s also important that I respect the role of the elected governing body as the policymakers in my community. I understand that my role as a manager is to make recommendations to the governing body, implement the governing body’s policies and to oversee the daily operations of the local government organization.
-Lee Worsley, Deputy County Manager, County of Durham, NC
1. Be dedicated to effective and democratic local government
2. Affirm social responsibility as a public servant
3. Be dedicated to high ideals of honor and integrity
4. Serve the best interests of ALL people
5. Facilitate the work and uphold the policies of elected officials
6. Respect the role of elected officials
7. Stay out of electoral politics
8. Be competent and build a competent organization
9. Inform, engage, and serve the public
10. Resist interference that compromises your responsibility, principles and justice
11. Base treatment of employees on merit and fairness
12. Seek no personal favor or gain
Watch this video to learn about professional management
*Based on "Local Government 101," a presentation developed by Ron Carlee, DPM, ICMA-CM, City Manager, Charlotte, NC
*
Local governments
It is important to note that not every local government provides all of these services.
"...all power is vested in, and consequently derived from, the people; that magistrates are their trustees and servants and at all times amenable to them."
-Virginia Declaration of Rights, June 12, 1776
"...Governments are instituted among men, deriving their just powers from the consent of the governed"...to secure "certain unalienable Rights; that among these are Life, Liberty, and the pursuit of Happiness."
-Declaration of Independence, adopted July 4, 1776
...building better communities through professional local government management.
"It is a general and undisputed proposition of law that a municipal corporation possesses and can exercise the following powers and no others:
-Judge John G. Dillion (1868)
*Source: Municipal Year Book 2013, ICMA
Professional Local Government Managers
-Observe: go to your city’s or county’s next council meeting and see what you learn from the meeting
-Shadow: contact a local government official and ask about shadowing him or her for a day
-Volunteer: contact your local Parks and Recreation department to find out about
volunteer opportunities
-Civic engagement: get appointed to a board or commission; testify at public hearings
-MA/MPP: become a professional manager; look into getting a graduate degree in Public Administration or Public Policy
-Become a student member of ICMA: for more information visit http://icma.org/en/icma/career_network/education
Visit LifewellRun.org for more information