Tammi Saddler Jones, ICMA-CM

City Administrator

Smyrna, Georgia

tsjones@smyrnaga.gov

I am truly excited about the year 2018. Having worked for the city of Smyrna for eight years, I am committed to serving this community. We have many wonderful things happening in Smyrna so the possibilities are endless.

My focus areas for 2018 are maintaining transparency, excelling in customer service, and promoting the great things about our city. As an ICMA credentialed manager, I embrace the importance of lifelong learning.

So, next year, I will continue my professional development through conferences, webinars, and all available resources. As always, mentoring and coaching are a major goal during this coming year.

Eric Norenberg, ICMA-CM

City Manager

Milford, Delaware

enorenberg@milford-de.gov

I am looking forward to several projects and initiatives that will shape the city of Milford for years to come. A new hospital--the largest construction project in Milford's history--will be completed in late 2018. This $300 million investment will anchor a 165-acre health campus, which will also include a pediatric and senior healthcare facility.

City infrastructure is key to making these projects successful and nearby growing neighborhoods possible. Milford will complete a new sewage pump station and other utility improvements in 2018.

In our downtown, I am looking forward to new restaurants and a bed and breakfast opening during the year and completion of 10 new and renovated homes.

Finally, I look forward to completing our strategic plan, based on focus groups and a resident survey, to guide the next five years.

Christine Burns

City Manager

Spring Lake, Michigan

christine@springlake village.org

Spring Lake had a rather controversial 2017 due to a small, but vocal, movement towards disincorporation. With our foot on the brake for more than eight months, not much was accomplished other than public education on such issues as how the council-manager form of government works and how taxes pay for services (no, really...they do!).

I am most looking forward to tackling a couple of tough issues, including how to whittle down our unfunded pension obligation and prioritizing some critical infrastructure needs.

There are a few fun projects in our near future as well. We have a master plan update and a branding project in the works, both of which will help us look beyond 2018.

Of course, we are always looking for ways to collaborate with our neighboring communities. Here's to another great year ahead!

Regan Candelario, ICMA-CM

City Manager

Novato, California

rc@novato.org

Novato is a community poised to take great strides in 2018. Guided by the city council's leadership, it recently celebrated the renovation of a new $4 million downtown bus terminal serving more than 1,000 daily riders.

In the coming year, we will be finalizing work on a downtown SMART commuter rail station. It is a third stop in Novato, along a 48-mile track that links Sonoma and Marin counties.

These two transportation improvement projects, including significant private investment by new hotels, housing, and commercial development, plus plans for the re-opening of the historic Novato Theater, continue to make our community a desirable place to live, work, and play.

2018 will indeed be a banner year for Novato.