Does your governing body consist of the lawyer, the teacher, the butcher, the baker, and the candlestick maker? Did they run for office due to a passion to serve, build their resume, free time in retirement, or “to fix this place”? Regardless of the who or why, what is most important is the what and the how—what are they going to do and how are they going to do it? And the way you help set them up for success is through training, but much more than what many may refer to as orientation. After an election, the most important function of a city/county management team is to help prepare the new council/board team by providing them with the training they need to succeed personally, as a governing body, and for their constituents.

While city/county governing boards are composed of community members with diverse backgrounds, they are tasked with navigating the complex challenges and crucial decisions that impact everyone’s lives—and usually without the experience required to do the job. The goal of training is to improve capability, productivity, and performance. This is precisely why comprehensive training is not just beneficial but critical for the newly elected. And timing is critical. This training must occur as soon as possible since there really is no transition period. Board meeting number-one is a board meeting where the business of the city/county is expected to occur regardless of the longevity of the councilmembers.

Their first board meeting will likely be indistinguishable from any other, thrusting them headfirst into the deep end of complex discussions and demanding decisions with full authority on day one. Additionally, there can be a steep learning curve caused by being in the unfamiliar territory of local government laws, budgeting, and the many unknowns or actions required outside a candidate’s campaign platform. Staggered election cycles further complicate matters, creating uneven experience levels within the board and hindering its effectiveness. To help the board members “form, storm, norm, and perform” on behalf of the city/county, it is critical to not only provide them with the training they need, but to do so immediately after an election.

While the topics for new councilmember training are vast, prioritizing two key areas can be game-changing: understanding the council’s strategic role and mastering effective meeting management’. Imagine a council in which their meetings are efficient and decisions well-informed thanks to members who understand the nuances of parliamentary procedure and strategic planning. Mastering the tools for conducting effective governing body (aka business) meetings fosters efficient and effective decision-making, active engagement, and clear communication. Additionally, understanding the strategic view of the council’s ’role allows members to contribute meaningfully and collaboratively, ensuring they serve not just as individuals but as a cohesive unit driving the organization’s success. I have found success by conducting discussions with the following five specific topic areas and points for the members to consider.

1. Putting Municipal Democracy into Action

I always like to start with a reminder about their specific voters. While every city/county is different, it is highly likely that only 10% of the population voted and that each member won by a very small margin of that very small percentage. But the election is over, and they now represent their entire ward/district, including those who voted against them. Early on in training, it is also a good idea to remind them of their mission to focus on their constituents and to dedicate themselves to activities that impact this group. A key point to make is to remind them to stay engaged with their constituents. For instance, “In April, your residents voted for you so that you could vote on their behalf, but don’t forget to maintain contact with them so you know what they want and need. A routine ‘coffee with your councilmember’ is a great way to keep the lines of communication open.”

This is also a good time to remind them that regardless of their election platform, they are now the “owners” of the city/county “platform.” A great example is a preview of the city ordinances—the ordinances that they are now the authors and owners of, regardless of when they were elected. This is also a good opportunity to highlight their role in sponsoring changes and/or future ordinances and policies—actions that are impactful to their city/county. These discussions also help with the realization that the board sets the ordinances/policies that are executed by the professional city staff on their behalf and for their constituents.

2. Visualizing Their Area of Focus

Show your board or council an image similar to Figure 1, which demonstrates the complex world that an elected official navigates. One particular Area of Responsibility represents their ward or district made up of the specific residents who elected them. Next comes the Area of Operation, encompassing the entire city/county they serve alongside their fellow governing body members. But the responsibility doesn’t stop there. The outermost ovals and circles, the Areas of Interest, represents areas outside the physical boundaries of the city/county that can have a significant impact on life within the city/county. 

As we all realize, we vote where we sleep, so this Area of Focus topic provides the opportunity to highlight all the nuances influenced by the board’s decision-making, such as the number of business owners who live outside the voting districts but hold business licenses within the voting districts. Supreme Court Justice William Rehnquist described this perfectly: “The imaginary line defining a city’s corporate limits cannot corral the influence of municipal actions. A city’s decisions inescapably affect individuals living immediately outside its borders.”

3. Appreciating the Fundamentals

Just like people need food and shelter before they can pursue higher goals, cities thrive on a foundation of essential services. Analogous to Maslow’s psychological hierarchy of needs, this framework underscores the significance of addressing fundamental municipal elements before embarking on transformative endeavors. This helps show and describe the work of the various departments and services within the city staff and points out the relevance of some city elements that the governing body may not be fully aware of. Just as Maslow emphasized physiological needs as the cornerstone of human well-being, in urban planning, a focus on utilities and public works is the bedrock for community vitality.

This conversation lends itself well to also explaining to your board the concept of land acquisition, re-zoning, and lifecycle management of equipment. Products are developed, mature, and decline; buildings are designed, built, used, and eventually demolished; roads are planned, designed, built, maintained, and eventually destroyed. Everything has a life cycle and associated costs in each phase of the cycle. When considering the cost of annexing five acres of land, at what point of annexation or during an increase in housing developments will you have to consider hiring additional police and emergency management personnel? What is the cost-benefit of chlorinated polyvinyl chloride versus cross-linked polyethylene pipes for often-frozen sandy soil in new housing areas? Remind your newly electeds that nothing lasts forever and there are costs associated with growth.

4. Seeing the Moving Parts of an Emergency Response

Another great way to allow the board members to have a good understanding of city services is to set up an emergency management training exercise. A good training exercise will allow them to realize the resiliency level of the city/county, the professionalism of the staff, how the elected officials should engage in emergencies, and the importance of communication and leadership skills critical to working through a crisis. Leadership is the process of influencing people by providing purpose, direction, and motivation to accomplish the mission and improving the organization. 

Leadership in emergency situations—situations that are volatile, uncertain, complex, and ambiguous—is helping everyone understand the standard, processes, and procedures, combined with bold, inspirational, fearless, and focused determination to make the tough calls on behalf of the community. Board members should see this type of activity during training exercises before the inevitable real-life emergency.

5. Defining Their Role by Considering Their Legacy

I always like to end the initial training sessions with a request that each member consider writing their “council/board member obituary.” This is another (slightly more dramatic) way to ask them to define their goals and how they want to be viewed and assessed by their constituents at the end of their term. Encourage them to use the obituary as somewhat of an individual preamble before every board meeting to help them stay on track with their vision. As we all learned from Dr. Stephen Covey, “begin with the end in mind,” and a well-crafted, personalized obituary will help keep elected officials on the path to achieving their goals.

All That Other Stuff

Yes, for everyone who onboards new members of their governing body, provides their initial introduction to the community, and prepares them for their first public meeting, I realize this article is missing many topics. Other items that should certainly be part of the onboarding process:

• What is the budget cycle and what are the engagement points of the governing body members?
• When and how do we develop our overarching strategy along with the comprehensive plans?
• When is the city/county manager’s contract up and what is the process to retain or replace?
• How do we measure the performance of individuals and departments?
• How and when do we prepare the State of the City/County address?
• What committee seats are available and how do we fill them?
• What are the tools and processes we use to address our residents?
• And who can forget Robert—General Henry Martyn Robert, the author of America’s foremost guide to parliamentary procedures? Make sure your governing body understands the basics, at the very least. After all, “He who masters Robert’s Rules rules the order.”

Conclusion

As I look at the ICMA Code of Ethics, I can’t help but think that one good way to ensure our adherence to Tenets 4, 5, and 6 is to develop robust and tailored training programs for our newly elected council/board members so that they can hit the ground running, make informed decisions, communicate effectively, and lead with confidence. A good training program is not simply a box-ticking exercise; it’s an investment in building competent, confident leaders who can serve their communities to the best of their ability. Remember, a training program is not a one-size-fits-all solution. I recommend the simple ADDIE (analyze, design, develop, implement, and evaluate) process to start tailoring a training program that fits your unique situation.

Competent, ethical leaders foster public trust, attract talented professionals, and drive sustainable growth. By investing in comprehensive training for your governing body, you’re not just ticking a box; you’re building a foundation for a brighter future for your community. Start today, and watch your community thrive under the guidance of informed, confident leaders.

JOHN D. MANNING is a retired U.S. Army colonel and a former assistant city manager.