In June 2024, I had the opportunity to attend the Canadian Association of Municipal Administrators (CAMA) Annual Conference and General Meeting. I received an ICMA John Garvey Scholarship to participate in global knowledge exchange through attendance at a local government management event in another country.

The Canadian Association of Municipal Administrators is a national, nonprofit association for chief administrative officers/city managers and any person in a senior management position who reports directly to the CAO. Similar to ICMA, CAMA’s primary role is to champion excellence in municipal administration by providing its members with opportunities to grow and develop their knowledge and skills in best serving the public, and to assist members with building a culture of service within their municipal corporations based on the values outlined in CAMA’s Strategic Plan. 

Attending the 2024 CAMA Conference allowed me to learn about innovative ideas and initiatives my Canadian counterparts are implementing to enhance their communities. Now in my ninth year in local government, I am constantly reminded of the ever-present opportunities to learn.  This motivates my passion for my role at Clark County. Each day brings new insights into the positive impact we have on our community.

Employee Engagement

One session I attended focused on how the Vaughn, Ontario, Canada’s Public Works Department developed a positive culture by creating a multi-year culture roadmap to move their staff engagement levels from 35% in 2014 to 70% in 2022. Several highlights of the session included emphasizing continuous improvement, enhancing internal communications, and recognizing the work employees do each day to make a difference in their community. There was a clear emphasis that increasing (and maintaining) employee engagement levels is not something that is done once a year when the employee engagement survey is released. 

This session resonated with me as my community, Clark County, Nevada, USA, strives to increase its employee engagement. Our Office of Communications & Strategy recently implemented a Value Champions program designed to let employees recognize each other for the work that they are doing each day to serve the public. Moreover, the office has also recently launched an internal newsletter to allow employees to learn about the county, what other departments and employees do, and how the work they do impacts 2.3 million residents and 45 million visitors annually. While both initiatives are a start, there has been positive feedback from employees, and it shows the importance of creating a culture of collaboration and support. 

During the presentation, there was a strong focus on continuous improvement and allowing employees to respond to the challenges that they are facing, along with an emphasis on embracing a proactive approach where employees are motivated to voice their opinions and provide feedback. This was timely as I am one of the co-leads at Clark County overseeing the county’s process improvement program. 

Clark County’s process improvement program, SPARK, is modeled after the Denver Peak Academy. In short, SPARK seeks to catalyze a culture of innovation and process improvement across Clark County. SPARK began as a pilot project, but it quickly became a permanent feature of the county. Clark County team members were trained in process improvement tools and deployed to county departments to act as partners to foster problem-solving, encourage a culture of improvement, and act as ambassadors for SPARK. 

Although the SPARK project was developed before I attended the 2024 CAMA Conference, the insights shared by the Vaughan presenters were invaluable. These insights will prove to be very useful as we continue to develop our SPARK program and employee engagement efforts. 

Emphasis on International Collaboration

The 2024 CAMA Conference was not my first experience collaborating internationally on public policy. Fortunately, I was able to attend and receive my MPA from a graduate school in the United Kingdom that provided me with a strong foundation in public policy and a global view of societal issues. Attending the 2024 CAMA Conference enabled me to further enhance my understanding of local government issues, ultimately benefiting both the organization and the residents and visitors of Clark County. 

Local government professionals continue to support their communities in many ways that often go unseen by visitors and residents. Public servants working in local government frequently deal with opinions from constituents. Requests for improved service delivery do not stop. The ICMA John Garvey Scholarship allowed me the opportunity to learn from local government professionals in Canada who are tackling the same issues that we are. It is crucial to foster a shared space for collaboration across all boundaries as the world becomes increasingly connected.

Are you interested in collaborating with local government professionals from another country? Visit the ICMA John Garvey Scholarship page for more information on this scholarship opportunity and to stay updated on the next application cycle.