Initiating a Program

The most important element in setting up a successful Range Rider program is identifying skilled, experienced individuals who are eager to participate.  Particularly in the early phases of the program, it is important to have Range Riders who are familiar with local government in the state in which they will be working.  Managers who have retired from a position in the state are likely to be more readily accepted since they are already known and respected by colleagues.  Furthermore, familiarity with the state's form of the council-manager plan will enable Range Riders to advocate for the plan more effectively in cases of adoption and retention.

Once you have a candidate in mind, ask yourself the following questions:

• Is the candidate acceptable to all involved?
• Is the candidate interested in participating as a Range Rider?
• How much money is the state league or state association willing to contribute? 
• Is the candidate a member of ICMA and the state association?
• Is the candidate accessible by e-mail?

After your state organization has determined that a Range Rider program is feasible, write a letter of proposal to the ICMA Executive Director.  This letter need not be long, but it should state the name of the Range Rider(s) you are proposing, the date you would like to initiate the program, and the amount of money pledged by the state.  (ICMA provides matching funds).  Annual expenses for the Range Rider program range from $500 in smaller states to $4,000 or more in larger, active states.

Once a Range Rider candidate has been approved by both ICMA and the state sponsor, a letter of agreement is executed.  At this time, ICMA will coordinate with you on announcing the program. 

Maintaining a Program

The one essential administrative ingredient for a successful Range Rider program is having one individual who is responsible for coordination and access to the state board.  In most states this is provided by the association secretariat, usually in the state league or a university.

In order to ensure a smoothly running program, it is recommended that the secretariat:

• Issue a written policy statement for Range Riders, clearly indicating program goals and the responsibilities of Range Riders.  Samples are available from ICMA.
• Process activity reports (while any format may be used to record Range Rider activities, a form has been developed which many Range Riders find useful) and expense statements from Range Riders.
• Distribute local government newsletters, magazines, and announcements of seminars and conferences to Range Riders; include Range Riders in statewide listserves.
• Send congratulatory letters to all newly appointed managers, with a copy to the appropriate Range Rider.  Include an explanation of the purpose of the Range Rider program and the name, address, and telephone number of his or her Range Rider.
• Encourage Range Riders to participate in the activities of your state's local government organizations.
• Subsidize Range Rider attendance at regional and state-wide conferences of managers and other local government officials.
• Solicit articles from Range Riders for publication in your state newsletter.  Publishing information about the goals, achievements, and individuals of the Range Rider program is the easiest way to gain visibility for the program and broaden support among members.
• Recognize Range Riders on appropriate occasions, such as the annual conference and board meetings.
• Ask Range Riders to assist community groups that advocate the adoption or retention of the council-manager plan.
• Conduct occasional meetings and/or phone calls of all Range Riders in the state.
• Notify Range Riders of managers in trouble.  It is a good idea to systematically advise Range Riders about managers whose employment has been terminated. 

Establishing Goals and Setting Policy

While the policies of the Range Rider programs vary from state to state, it is strongly recommended that each state establish realistic goals that are consistent with the overall goals of the Range Rider program.  Policies and procedures should be written in a clear, concise manner and agreed upon by all Range Riders in the state.  ICMA urges state sponsors to regularly review guidelines to adapt to changing circumstances.

Issues that you may wish to consider when developing Range Rider policies include the amount of time that Range Riders are expected to donate to the program.  While this may vary considerably from one individual to another and from one state to another, a rough estimate of how much time you expect each Range Rider to spend on program concerns helps all involved clarify expectations.  Or you may prefer to establish minimum goals for each Range Rider to meet.  Here are a few sample goals from state programs:

• Each Range Rider will arrange a meeting with newly appointed managers in their range within three months of their appointment.
• Range Riders are expected to attend the state-wide association conference and appropriate area meetings of managers in their territory.
• Range Riders should respond to all requests for help from members within 48 hours.

Additional expectations of Range Riders that you may need to clarify include:

• In addition to the annual state association conference, which meetings are Range Riders expected to attend?  Regional meetings?  Executive meetings?  What specific expenses will be reimbursed? 
• Should Range Riders notify the program's secretariat of each consulting job they undertake?
• Is screening job applicants for city/county manager positions included in Range Rider duties?  If so, is there a limit on the length of time Range Riders should spend before charging the local government for this service?
• Should Range Riders accept positions as interim managers?  If so, how is compensation established? 

Providing guidelines on the above matters helps Range Riders avoid involvement in situations where there might be a conflict of interest.

California expanded upon these guidelines as follows:

• A Range Rider should not accept a consulting position for a local government in his or her territory.  (California's eight Range Riders are each assigned a geographical area.)
• A part-time, short time assignment outside his/her territory is not subject to the same restriction.  However, a consulting position outside the territory of such duration or so demanding that it will prevent a Range Rider from performing normal Range Rider responsibilities should be balanced against resigning as a Range Rider so that continuity of contact with managers will not be impaired.
• A Range Rider concerned about factual situations that appear to pose a conflict by offering no clear solution should discuss it with the sponsoring organization.

Activity and Expense Reports

Range Riders submit regular activity reports (while any format may be used to record Range Rider activities, a form has been developed which many Range Riders find useful) to state sponsors who then forward them to ICMA.  The state sponsor should designate a contact person responsible for receiving the reports and expenses and make sure that ICMA and Range Riders have the name, address, and phone number of this person.  ICMA recommends that reports be submitted at least quarterly; several states require monthly reports.

Range Riders should include a list of expenses with their activity reports.  State sponsors are urged to reimburse Range Riders promptly and bill ICMA for 50 percent of the amount paid.  ICMA operates on a July 1 - June 30 fiscal year.  Reminders are sent to state sponsors in May requesting that all reimbursements for that period be submitted by early July.

Range Rider Program Guidelines

The following guidelines review the purpose of the program and provide guidelines for each of the key program participants: Range Riders, state sponsors, and ICMA.

The overall goal of these guidelines is to provide structure for the program nationwide, while still allowing for the different needs of individual states.

I.     Summary of Guidelines

A. Purpose of the Range Rider Program

The program is a joint activity of ICMA and state associations to help address the personal and professional needs of individual members.

Personal counseling is the program's priority activity and assistance to governing bodies and charter commissions on the form of government is the second priority.

B.  Guidelines for Range Riders

1. Serve as a volunteer counselor, following retirement from employment, with only out-of-pocket expenses reimbursed.  Reach mutual understanding with the state sponsor on the amount of time that will be available to devote to the program.
2. Follow up when alerted to managers in crisis and managers new to the state.  Contact all members in your designated region by phone or in person on a schedule agreed upon and publicized by the state sponsor.
3. Maintain membership in both the state association and ICMA and advocate membership in both organizations to nonmembers.
4. Maintain current knowledge about both sponsors' programs and services to help members make good use of available resources.
5. The primary mission of Range Riders is to serve their colleagues and to represent the profession.  As representatives of the profession, Range Riders should uphold the high standards as embodied in the ICMA Code of Ethics.  They should avoid participating in elections at the local level and should avoid taking a stance on controversial issues unless they act in concert with the state association.  Before participating in any political activity at the local or state level, Range Riders should consult with state association leadership to seek their guidance and permission to proceed.
6. Be sensitive to the appearance of conflict of interest in considering part-time consulting jobs.  Consult the state sponsor for guidance.
7. Submit quarterly activity reports and expense reports to state sponsor.
8. Attend the state association annual meeting and any other meetings designated by the state sponsor.  Try to attend ICMA's annual conference when possible, especially when the conference is in the region.
9. Maintain an e-mail address.

C. Guidelines for ICMA

1. Assist state sponsors in drafting appropriate guidelines for their states.
2. Share expenses between ICMA and the state sponsor, but reassess each state budget annually.  Should a Range Rider be asked to spend more than a day at any particular jurisdiction during a visitation or to undertake a special project for the jurisdiction, reimbursement for travel and per diem will be covered by the jurisdiction and not the state sponsor or ICMA.
3. Provide ICMA stationery to Range Riders, and print standard business cards using the names of both sponsoring organizations.
4. Provide complimentary registration to Range Riders at the annual conference and organize a meeting for those in attendance.  Encourage conference attendance by including a contribution to hotel expenses when the conference is in the region.
5. Provide regular communications on ICMA activities and the profession, and develop materials on starting and maintaining a Range Rider program.
6. Announce new Range Rider programs in coordination with the state sponsor and find ways to give Range Riders more national visibility.
7. Provide a list of Life and retired members in a state to help identify potential new Range Riders.

D. Guidelines for State Sponsors

1. Issue policy guidelines for Range Riders, clearly indicating program goals and the responsibilities of Range Riders.  Samples are available from ICMA.
2. Review and approve Range Rider expenses and submit activity and expense reports on a quarterly basis.
3. Provide regular communications on state activities and conduct occasional meetings with all Range Riders in the state.
4. Encourage members to take advantage of the Range Rider program and find ways to increase program visibility.  Encourage Range Riders to reach out to members on a regular basis instead of waiting to be called.
5. Alert Range Riders to managers in crisis and to new managers on a regular basis.
6. Provide Range Riders with complementary registration to annual state meetings and continue to reimburse expenses for Range Riders to attend the annual state meeting and define which other meetings Range Riders are expected to attend.
7. As needed, identify replacement Range Riders and notify ICMA of the recommendation so a joint appointment can be made.
8. Refer to the attached policy, first adopted by the ICMA Executive Board in February 1990, on issues of conflict of interest in advising Range Riders when questions arise.

Avoiding Conflicts of Interest When Range Riders Do Part-Time Consulting

Range Riders, as retired professional administrators, possess skills that may be marketable after leaving full-time employment.  This marketability can contribute significantly to the good of the profession, and it can offer opportunities for the Range Rider to benefit from gainful employment and to pursue professional interests.  The Range Rider program recognizes such marketability and its opportunities.  Assumption of a Range Rider position, however, includes an obligation to commit a minimum level of time and availability to the program and to conform to ethical standards as embodied in ICMA's Code of Ethics, Tenets 1 and 3.

The following guidelines are provided to help both the Range Rider and the state sponsor to avoid conflict of interest, in fact or appearance, and to facilitate consistency throughout the program.

A.     Range Riders may engage in part-time consulting or comparable professional activities as private entities and/or sole proprietors. They may also engage in teaching, consulting, or interim service with state agencies, quasi-public entities, local governments, or regional agencies.

B.     Any consulting or other activity under Guideline A should be part-time, intermittent, or on a short-term basis to permit the Range Rider to carry out active and responsive program responsibilities.  Should a paid engagement limit or become limiting to the performance of Range Rider duties, the individual should balance the engagement against resigning as a Range Rider so as not to impair the program.

C.     Retired administrators who commercially advertise as consultants or who are members of a consulting firm, on a full- or a part-time basis, are not eligible for Range Rider appointment.

D.     When consulting or comparable professional services are provided to a local government for compensation, the services should not include those provided under the Range Rider program.  Such an engagement should be by invitation of the local government in contrast to solicitation by the Range Rider.

E.      When a Range Rider is unclear about how these guidelines apply to a particular situation, the Range Rider should contact the state sponsor or the Range Rider program coordinator at ICMA for guidance.

F.      A state may establish conflict-of-interest guidelines that further clarify or restrict these national guidelines.  State guidelines may not negate or lessen the effect or intent of the provisions of the national guidelines.

Letter of Agreement: Joint Support of Range Rider Program