ICMA checks in with past participants of the Emerging Leaders Development Program to see where they are now in their local government careers. The program is designed to help early to mid-career professionals build knowledge, skills, and abilities in the basic management and technical topics that managers need to know to be successful. Through a unique format that blends monthly teleseminars with senior credentialed managers or public administration professors, ELDP minimizes time away from work and maximizes local government expertise.

SCOTT ANDREWS, ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT DIRECTOR, CITY OF SUGAR HILL, GA

What have you been up to in your career? Big projects or monumental moments to share?

Sugar Hill (pop. 21K) is on the cusp of greatness, a true case study in the making with $300 million in downtown development slotted for the next 12 months. Our #SweetCity also brings in Class A performers having Third Eye Blind, Blues Traveler, Sister Hazel, Kool & The Gang, Travis Tritt all grace our stage by the end of 2016. On a personal note, I also wrapped up my doctoral degree in the last few months as I researched the Correlation Between City/County Managers Life Experiences and Their Transformational Leadership Skills.

Has your job role changed as a local government professional since attending the program?

Yes, my role has changed dramatically, as I was able to break out of my niche in Recreation where I previously served for 11 years, right out of high school. I am now working with the City Manager, Council and our Downtown Development Authority, where I also serve as the Treasurer, on building a true destination City.

How have you applied the things you learned in ELDP to your job now?

ELDP broadened my perspectives and help me to think beyond my former role. I am now more equipped to communicate better with elected officials, as well a private sector developers. I have a much better understanding of what all users groups are expecting, and how to deliver it. I look forward to applying for Leadership ICMA in the near future.

JERI CORGILL, DIRECTOR OF ADMINISTRATIVE SERVICES, CITY OF GREENFIELD, CA

Since attending the program, Jeri’s role has changed, as well as the city she is serving. Jeri is currently working in the City of Greenfield, as Director of Administrative Services. This was a significant step up, from Management Analyst (City of Atascadero) to Accounting Operations Manager (City of Greenfield) to Director of Administrative Services (title change, City of Greenfield). During the 3 years she has been in Greenfield, and her big projects have been:

• Implementing a new financial accounting and utility billing system
• Managing the City’s transition from an annual budget process to a biennial budget process
• Overseeing and implementing two successful sales tax ballot measures
• Administering the refunding of tax allocation bonds, resulting in over $5 million in savings over the remaining life of the bonds

Jeri has been able to apply some things she learned in the program. Most of all, the program enabled her to expand her network to include her cohort, the instructors, and her mentor. Unfortunately, due to the level of responsibility and size of the monumental tasks she has needed to take on in Greenfield, she have not yet had an opportunity to complete the capstone project, and she would highly recommend to future ELDP participants that they focus on completing that project before taking any career leaps!

DANIEL ORTIZ, CITY ADMINISTRATOR, CITY OF KIMBALL, NE

What have you been up to in your career? Big projects or monumental moments to share?

Since starting the Emerging Leaders Development program I transitioned into my role as City Administration roughly 2/3 of the way into the program. I stepped into a small community that provides a wide array of services and utilities. I had to quickly learn the ins and outs of an electric utility with its own backup power plant, water, sewer, landfill, and garbage collection. There were a variety of utility projects undertaken but probably the greatest monumental moment was realizing that the City’s technology resources would need to be upgrades ASAP. The City could not operate efficiently while still relying on dial up internet speeds and a server that still utilized a 5 and ¼ floppy drive. Arguably the greatest impact realized was developing a team atmosphere in which departments worked together more often when needed.

Has your job role changed as a local government professional since attending the program?

Yes, I started the program serving as a Management Analyst in the City Manager’s office in Casa Grande, Arizona and transitioned to become the City Administrator for the City of Kimball, Nebraska. Just a slight change from a city of 50,000 to one of 2,500 residents and desert landscape to high plains and trees.

How have you applied the things you learned in ELDP to your job now?

There are many principles I’ve learned through ELDP and the mentorship provided through the program that I have applied to my current role. Of particular importance have been principles and values on organizational development, community engagement, public service, ethics, and budgeting. Many of the books and reading material from the program still sit on my office bookshelf and get pulled out from time to time to review.

JUNE MATHIOWETZ, SENIOR PLANNER IN THE OFFICE OF ADMINISTRATION AT WASHINGTON COUNTY, MN

June’s responsibility is managing the County’s Land and Water Legacy Program, a $20M fund established by voter referendum to put land into conservation.  Her role involves extensive communications work, facilitation of stakeholder meetings, working with partners to secure additional funding matches, drafting conservation easements and negotiating details to bring everyone to a ‘yes’.  She also coordinates other special projects as the need arises.  She recently finished leading a 20-month library strategic planning process and has now transitioned to assisting with the implementation phase of their library facilities planning process.  She also managed state grant pass through funds for aquatic invasive species including running a Request for Proposals and managing seven contracts for local community efforts.  Serving as a Senior Planner is a new role for June, previously she worked in analyst and coordinator roles for the City of Minneapolis on finance, sustainability and local food projects.

June’s undergraduate education focused on international development, but her study abroad experiences made especially clear to her how much work is to be done here in the U.S. and how critical efforts are here in impacting the common good. This led her right into public service upon graduation and later to a master’s degree in public policy. June noted ELDP helped fill in some contextual gaps in understanding the bigger framework of government and how everything aligns, especially in areas she hasn’t had the opportunity to work on yet. She also found the ethics training valuable, appreciating the opportunity to be presented with and to discuss with a group various common potential scenarios before running into them live.  

Interested in attending the Emerging Leaders Development Program? Learn more here.

 

Check out other Leadership {RE}Imagined articles here.