Yes, seriously, or should that be unfortunately? Author Geoff Beckwith writes in the October PM article “Managers Can Help Lead the Fight against the Opioid Crisis” how local governments are pushing back against the public health crisis and launching efforts to help combat it. His article provides 10 recommendations that the Massachusetts Municipal Association’s Municipal Opioid Addiction and Overdose Prevention Task Force identified this year that can help managers take action in their communities.

Sean Britton details what one county is doing in “The Opioid Mission of Broome County, New York.” There, an opioid abuse council was established and as a result, public and nonprofit organizations are collaborating to take positive action.

More challenges for managers come in the form of climate change. Author Rachel Bingham explains in “Eye on Climate Change” steps that local governments can take to address these challenges, the first of which is designing adaptation and mitigation strategies to identify impacts on a community and its ability to deliver services.

Have you ever thought about public sector management in the context of hedgehogs and foxes? In his article “What Has Happened to Public Sector Management?," author Alexander Stevenson draws on the work of philosopher Isaiah Berlin's framework of two character types--the hedgehog and the fox. Stevenson contends that hedgehogs, defined by Greek Poet Archilochus as people who relate everything to a central vision and interpreted by Berlin as knowing "one big thing," have been influencing leadership too long. It's time, Stevenson argues, to bring in the foxes (people who, by Berlin's definition, pursue many ends, often unrelated). See if you agree with the commentary.

Questions and quotes found in October PM articles will keep you reading: “Why do things seem to be getting more complex in our immediate environments?” (Jeff Davidson, “Demanding Times”); “The time spent preparing and practicing [for an emergency] will pay off many times over when an emergency does not occur.” (Rod Gould, “Tune Up Your Emergency Preparedness”); “When evaluating the cost of technology for your local government, take the time to consider more than just the actual dollars spent acquiring the technology (Jim Buston, “Evaluating Technology Investments”).

And more: “Do I always do what I say I will do? Do I tell the truth even when it is unpleasant?” (Robert Beezat, “Build Your Character, Make Better Decisions”); “Employee retaliation is the No. 1 claim in the workplace today. . .  During 2015, there were a total of 39,757 retaliation charges received. . . .” (Ashley Bonner and Thom Rickert, “Retaliation Claims in the Workplace”).

This issue of PM includes a description of the 2016 ICMA Awards recipients. Talk about commitment, achievement, and passion!. Seriously!

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