Voices in Local Government

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**Voices in Local Government**

Voices in Local Government tells stories, inspires ideas, celebrates progress, and acknowledges challenges faced by local government managers and staff in serving the public.

Latest Episodes:

Effective Communication for Local Government Oct 03, 2024

Show notes

Guest Information

Mark Zeigler, Senior Lecturer and Director of First-Year Experience Programs, Florida State University

Desiree Casanova, Assistant to the County Administrator, Sarasota Florida

Takeaways

Effective communication requires understanding the past, present, and future of interactions.
Empathy is crucial in communication, especially in local government settings.
Nonverbal communication can account for a significant portion of the message conveyed.
Follow-up communication is essential to show that you value the conversation.
Personalized responses can significantly improve public trust in government.
Active listening involves not just hearing but understanding the speaker's message.
Tailoring communication styles to the audience can enhance understanding and cooperation.
Silence can be detrimental; addressing issues directly is important.
Building trust takes time and requires consistent, genuine interactions.
Stories can be powerful tools to connect with skeptical audiences.

Chapters

Introduction to Effective Communication

Philosophical Foundations of Communication

Understanding Roles in Communication

Empathy and Active Listening

Nonverbal Communication Techniques

The Power of Follow-Up Communication

Personalized Responses in Local Government

Tailoring Communication Styles

Resources from ICMA Learning Lab

Self-Paced Online Course: Communicating with Elected Officials, Staff, and the Media

Free On-demand Webinar: Improving Trust and Transparency with Better Public Communications

How to Achieve Accessibility Compliance Sep 18, 2024

Show notes

Guest Information

Dave O’Reilly, CivicPlus Chief Operating Officer

Mike Paciello, AudioEye Chief Accessibility Officer

Takeaways

The Department of Justice has issued a final ruling on website accessibility, requiring compliance with specific timeframes based on population size and tax income.

Local governments need to establish a clear compliance plan, conduct an audit of their digital presence, and prioritize fixing frequently accessed pages.

Residents with disabilities should be involved in the feedback process to ensure their needs are met.

Building core competency within the organization and vetting vendors with deep domain expertise is crucial for successful implementation.

Chapters

00:00 Introduction

02:44 Compliance Deadlines

08:20 The Role of Feedback and Resident Engagement

18:49 The Urgency of Compliance

22:16 Challenges and Vendor Selection

27:43 Ensuring Compliance and Building Competency

31:03 Conclusion

Resources

7 Steps to Meeting the DOJ's New Web Accessibility Ruling

Stop the Killing. Stop the Dying. Active Violent Incident Preparedness for Local Government Part Three Sep 11, 2024

Show notes

Chapters

Part Three

The successful response at the Texas Allen Outlet Mall shooting

Building Trust and Coordination

The Role of City and County Managers

Ensuring Training and Resources

Resources

ALERRT.org

UnitedOnGuns.org for free downloads on the Mass Shooting Playbook plus first 24 hours

Ten Essential Actions to Improve School Safety

Stop the Killing. Stop the Dying. Active Violent Incident Preparedness for Local Government Part Two Sep 11, 2024

Show notes

Chapters

Part Two

Leadership and Chain of Command

Collaboration between Law Enforcement and Fire Departments

Protocols and Tabletop Exercises

Challenges and Planning for Response in Rural Areas

The Chain of Survival and Models of Response

Resources

ALERRT.org

UnitedOnGuns.org for free downloads on the Mass Shooting Playbook plus first 24 hours

Ten Essential Actions to Improve School Safety

Stop the Killing. Stop the Dying. Active Violent Incident Preparedness for Local Government Part One Sep 11, 2024

Show notes

Chapters

Part One

Introduction and Commitment to Local Solutions

Law Enforcement Preparedness Overview

Challenges of Box Checking and the Need for Ongoing Training

Training Expectations for Law Enforcement Officers

Funding Options and the Role of City Managers

Making Proper Response a Priority

Resources

ALERRT.org

UnitedOnGuns.org for free downloads on the Mass Shooting Playbook plus first 24 hours

Ten Essential Actions to Improve School Safety

How to Lose Great Employees Sep 04, 2024

Show notes

Warren Hutmacher joins ICMA's Voices in Local Government podcast for a recurring Q/A theme on local gov careers, hiring, and recruiting. Today's topic is what can lose... or keep a great employee doing great work.

Mandatory Residency Sep 04, 2024

Show notes

Warren Hutmacher joins ICMA's Voices in Local Government podcast for a recurring Q/A theme on local gov careers, hiring, and recruiting. Today's topic is mandatory residency requirements for city/county managers. Pros, cons, questions, and concerns. Then listen for part two, How to Lose Great Employees.

Local Gov Life Advice: Professional Development, Permitting Complaints, and Capital Project Envy Jun 12, 2024

Show notes

Iris Lee, Public Works Director of Seal Beach, California

Shane Silsby, CEO and Founder of Silsby Strategic Advisors

(2:10) Question 1: "What’s your advice to encourage, nudge, (borderline force) employees to use and make the most of their available training programs and professional development funding?"

And how can local government leaders effectively implement workforce development programs to enhance the skills, knowledge, and overall professional growth of their employees in today's landscape of generational transitions?

(17:27) Question 2: Complaints about permitting are always one of the biggest issues for our support and communications teams. This remains a huge rift between residents and local governments. What can local government do better?

(26:23) Question 3:I serve in a public works department for a fairly large county. Our team constantly sees high profile projects get the budget and media attention while less visible but arguably more critical infrastructure needs are delayed or ignored. Even after increased Federal funding over the last few years. As leaders of a public works department, how do you set priorities? And how do you advocate during the budget/decision making process?

Resources

email podcast@icma.org to send questions or ideas for the next Local Gov Life Advice.

Managing for Meteors: Preparing Local Government Leaders Before the Impact

Public Works Podcast

EP47 Local Gov Life Advice: Career Moves, Coworkers, and Council May 29, 2024

Show notes

Three Question Local Gov Life Advice

1:17: Question 1: “When do I know it’s time to leave my organization for other opportunities? Or am I better off sticking around and seeing what opens up?”

13:49 Question 2: "I've been the ACAO in a medium-sized town for six years. Recently they created a new second ACAO position. The new hire has a few more years experience. The exact split of responsibilities is unclear. And while this will eventually help ease my workload, I'm tasked with training this person who will likely end up competing when the CAO position eventually becomes open. How do I balance being a team player with my personal goals?

22:20 Question 3: "What’s the best way for an ACAO to gain experience working with council without overstepping the CAO"

Guests

Katherine Caffrey, principal & founder, NAVIS Consulting, former ACAO

Jeff Jenkins, deputy city manager, Taylor, Texas

EP46 Pay Paradox and Severance Negotiations Part Two May 15, 2024

Show notes

Part two focuses on severance agreement negotiations.

Takeaways

Severance agreements are of utmost importance for city managers, providing protection and security in case of termination.

Negotiating severance agreements should consider the duration of payment and the inclusion of benefits.

Differentiating between cause and no cause in severance agreements is crucial to avoid ambiguity and potential legal disputes.

The inclusion of a clause related to the conviction of a felony in severance agreements provides clarity and protection for both parties.

The risk profile of severance agreements may vary depending on the stage of a career, with more leverage and negotiation power as experience and reputation increase.

Educating city councils on the importance of severance agreements can help ensure fair and reasonable negotiations.

Preparing for the worst and prioritizing personal and family protection in severance agreements is essential for city managers.

Resources

email podcast@icma.org to send Warren a question about hiring, recruiting, or anything career-related.

Sumter Local Government Consulting