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How Did We Get Here? A History of the City Management Profession
Dan Johnson, City Manager City of Richardson, Texas Originally delivered by Terrell Blodgett
1
Acknowledgement • Sincere Appreciation to Terrell
Blodgett • Book: “City Government that
Works” by Terrell Blodgett • MPA from Syracuse University • City Manager: Waco & Garland • Texas Governors service • KPMG/Peat Marwick Principle • M. Hogg Prof. in Urban Mgt. at
LBJ School, UT Austin • State and National
Awards/Recognition 2
Terrell Blodgett
Origin of “Public” • We are generally
social creatures • We thrive in groups • Group-living gives
rise to shared features (public) for the group’s benefit
3
4
1900
2007
2030
2050
Globally: 1.4 million new people are
moving into cities every week.
People are drawn to cities as centres of economic activity, social connection, opportunity, and
innovation.
10% 90%
50% 50%
60% 40%
70% 30%
FORMS OF CITY GOVERNMENT 5
Mayor - Council • Oldest form • Corruption rampant in late 1800s • Mayor is political and
administrative head • Sometimes employs administrator
• Largest cities in U.S. • New York City • Los Angeles • Chicago • Philadelphia
• In Texas • Only Houston, Pasadena, Texas City,
Conroe • About 20 smaller cities
6
Commission • Galveston Flood – 1900 • Small elected body (3-5 members) performs both legislative
and administrative functions • Together - the commission is the legislative arm • Separately – each commissioner heads a department
• Commissioner of Fire and Police, etc. • Following Galveston, adopted by many cities in Texas and the
Nation • Houston, Dallas, Fort Worth, San Antonio, Austin
• Popularity rose and fell like a meteor • Today Portland, Oregon is the only major city • In Texas: no cities
7
Council-Manager • NOT: “City Manager” Government • NOT: “Weak Mayor” Government • Urban growth in early 1900s • Cities needed an Executive
• Not a Mayor who tried to fill two roles • Nor a Commission who split duties
• Council-Manager plan emphasizes: • Unity of authority • Policy in Council • Administration in Manager • Skills and Training – Body of Knowledge
• Most early City Managers were Engineers
8
OUR PROFESSION’S HERITAGE 9
Council-Manager Adoption • Beginnings
• Ukiah, California – 1904 • Staunton, Virginia – 1908 • Sumter, South Carolina - 1912
• Advocacy Groups • National Municipal League (Now National Civic League)
• Publishes model city charter - Now in 8th edition
• Texas First • Amarillo • From 2000 to 2012, several cities celebrating 90 years of Council
Manager Government, including: • Denton, Taylor, Sherman, Yoakum, Tyler, San Angelo, Brownsville,
Beaumont, Bryan, Lubbock, Lufkin, Stamford, Tulia 10
Large Cities in Texas with Council-Manager • Fort Worth – 1924 • Wichita Falls – 1928 • Austin – 1926 • Dallas – 1931 • Corpus Christi – 1945 • San Antonio – 1951 • Laredo – 1981 • El Paso – 2004 • Latest Medium Size City: League City 2010
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Other / Non-Texas Large Cities with Council-Manager • Phoenix and Tucson,
Arizona • Oklahoma City, Oklahoma • Des Moines, Iowa • Sacramento, California • Kansas City, Missouri • Charlotte, North Carolina • Norfolk and Virginia
Beach, Virginia
12
Advantages of Council-Manager Plan • How to “help elected officials
translate policy and vision into results”
• Unity of authority – Not divided gridlock
• Professionalism • Manager • Department Heads
• Continuity • Objectivity • Separates (for the most part) –
Policy and Administration 13
The City Management Profession • International City / Council
Management Association • Originator – Amarillo City Manager M.H.
Hardin • Texas Municipal League – 1913
• Elected Officials • Managers started meeting in 1916
• Texas City Management Association – 1925
_____________ • Importance of Association Membership • Duties and Benefits of ICMA/TCMA
Membership • Obligations to the Code of Ethics
14
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What is a “Profession”? • Common Body of Knowledge /
Skills / Competencies
• Licensing or Accreditation
• Code of Conduct/Ethics
• Enforcement of that Code
A Professional Entrusted with portions of our most physical essence
Profession Essence
Doctors Health & Life
Attorneys Our Freedom and Wealth
Accountants Our Wealth & Economy
Engineers Our Health & Safety
City Managers Our Community Commonwealth
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Remember Our Duty: “Responsible for the Things that Make Communities Thrive” • Life, Well Run… • Make Tomorrow Happen • Turning it into Reality • Thinking About Life’s Details • Crafting Plans • Turning Policy Into Great
Achievements • A Place we are proud to call
“Home”
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The City Management Profession - Skills • Managers’ backgrounds have broadened • Today: generalists, finance, and planning backgrounds as well as
engineering • Graduate education for managers
• Syracuse University • Texas A&M • University of Kansas • LBJ School at UT • Texas Tech • WTSU • University of North Texas
• Certified Public Management Program – Texas State University • “The wave of the future for many smaller communities”
• Consider ICMA’s “Credentialed City Manager” Program
18
ICMA’s 18 Core Competencies: Your Ongoing Checklist! • Staff Effectiveness • Policy Facilitation • Function/Operation Expertise &
Planning • Citizen Services • Performance Measures/Quality
Assurance • Initiative, Risk Tacking, Creativity,
Renewal • Technological Literacy • Democratic Advocacy and
Engagement • Inclusion
• Budgeting • Financial Analysis • Human Resource Management • Strategic Planning • Advocacy and Interpersonal
Communication • Presentation Skills • Media Relations • Integrity • Personal Development
19
TCMA Today • Affiliate of Texas Municipal League • 974 TCMA Members • 20% of the membership are female • 18% of the membership are minorities • 56% of the membership work in cities
with 10,000 or more population • 76% of city managers in cities with
10,000 or more population are TCMA members (177 managers)
• 70% of the membership is 40 years of age and older
• 32% of the membership are ICMA members 20
The Future • Council-Manager: most popular form of local government
• In United States – 50% plus • In Texas
• 350+ home rule cities • 330+ Council Manager
• Challenges • There is turnover in managers • Big City Dynamics • Medium and smaller cities
• Reasons for popularity of plan • Effectiveness • Managers’ Professionalism • Your Professionalism
21
• Shakespeare's The Tempest quote that links past to present/future
• Heritage is powerful context • What City Manager’s did in
1927 still matters today! • We owe so much to our
predecessors… • Science/Skill of our Craft • The Power of Associating and
Pillars of a Profession/Ethics • We/You are the guardians of
that trust today • You will help us deliver it to
“tomorrow”
22
The Athenian Oath
• We will never bring disgrace to this our city by any act of dishonesty or cowardice, nor ever desert our suffering comrades in the ranks;
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• We will fight for the ideals and the sacred things of the city, both alone and with many;
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• We will revere and obey the city’s laws and do our best to incite to a like respect and reverence those who are prone to annul or set them at naught;
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• We will strive unceasingly to quicken the public sense of public duty;
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• That thus, in all these ways, we will transmit this city not only not less, but greater, better, and more beautiful than it was transmitted to us.
27
• Commitment of Time • Trust in this Opportunity • Fully participating for self
and each other • For your future reference and
testimony • For your personal growth • For the quality of our
profession • For the communities we
serve 28