The ICMA Executive Board met in Savannah, Georgia, November 21-24, 2013 and took the following actions:
- Engaged in strategic discussions on topics of importance to the Association and to the profession. The November/December Board meeting each year focuses on two to four strategic issues. The topics for this meeting focused on the following:
1. Recommendations from Task Force on Financing ICMA
In 2012, the Board established a thirty-member Task Force to review ICMA’s mix of revenue sources and to assess the membership dues structure in the overall context of ICMA financing and its ability to attract and retain members. The Board reviewed recommendations in the areas of professional development, publishing, U.S. Programs, and International Programs in December 2012 and several of these recommendations are already being pursued.
In September, the Task Force made recommendations to address the dues structure. They considered several different models. After considerable analysis and deliberation, the Task Force decided that for the profession to thrive, it was very important to offer a dues structure that would not only recruit and retain members overall, but would encourage the next generation of members, which will be more diverse, to join ICMA. In order to achieve this goal, the Task Force recommended a flat- rate dues for department heads and a population based membership rate for those who work in local government. This would not be an organizational membership. Individual membership would continue with each member subject to the ICMA Code of Ethics and other membership qualification requirements.
The board considered the pros and cons and risks of these recommendations. The board did approve moving from salary based to a $200 flat-rate dues for department head affiliate members in order to attract this pool of potential future managers. Staff will now determine the implementation timeline for this shift.
The board also approved further exploration and testing of a group membership dues rate based on population. Staff was asked to develop a strategy to fully engage the membership in considering this change and to design a testing strategy.
2. Proposals for Voluntary Credentialing Program
The Voluntary Credentialing Program was launched in January 2002. In anticipation of the Credentialing Program’s tenth anniversary, the Credentialing Advisory Board (CAB) and the Executive Board asked staff to talk to currently Credentialed Managers and those not yet eligible or credentialing about the future of the program. The purpose of the discussion was to determine their likes, dislikes, and the best way to develop a formal path to credentialing that spans the career stages of a member, as outlined in the 2008 Strategic Plan. A series of focus groups and forums was followed by a survey of credentialed and non-credentialed members. This led to proposals, reviewed by the CAB in their role as adviser to the board on policy.
- Provide A Clearer Path To Credentialing for Members Who Are Not Yet Eligible.
The board approved providing credentialing education “credit” for graduation from ELDP, Leadership ICMA, the Mid Career Manager’s Institute, and other programs as approved by ICMA (for example, state association and university programs).This provides a path and allows ineligible members to work toward the credential without diluting its value. It could help members justify development dollars and it offers incentive and recognition for completing leadership development programs. Staff and the CAB will develop a process for implementing this recommendation.
The board also discussed whether to consider, in the future, adding new eligibility tiers to allow emerging leaders and mid-career managers to demonstrate that they are working toward the credential and are committed to professional development. There is some, though not universal support in the membership. Many members have concerns about diluting the value of the program or making it too complicated. The board supported delaying further consideration of adding tiers until there is experience with the new educational credit and until there is further exploration of potential changes to the dues structure.
- Gather Data on ICMA-CMs Who Want More Structure or Who Have Been in the Program a Long Time.
These ICMA Credentialed Managers are increasingly requesting more specific professional development guidance. The concept would be to develop criteria for earning a designation such as: ICMA Credentialed Manager, Senior Fellow. Eligibility could include attendance at least one residential leadership development program and devoting significant time to mentoring or somehow sharing knowledge/”giving back.” The board supported this concept and asked that this be considered for more rapid implementation.
3. Future Direction for ICMA Publishing
The board supported staff’s proposal to transition from print to electronic publications and from comprehensive textbooks to short, more narrowly focused topic treatments over the next three years. This shift reflects changes occurring in the publishing industry as well as changes in learning preferences of practitioners and content delivery formats in graduate and undergraduate education.
ICMA has been a publisher from its inception. The publishing program has sought to capture the thought leadership of the field and to bridge the academic underpinnings of the discipline with practical applications from the field. This direction allows ICMA to continue to provide a valuable service to members as a resource provider and thought leader. It is also in line with the recommendations of the 2012-2013 Task Force on Financing ICMA
4. Future direction of Center for Performance Measurement
The board supported staff’s proposal for a major overhaul of the ICMA Center for Performance Measurement (CPM). The new direction was based on an initial vision proposal reviewed by CPM’s Advisory Committee and supported by market and product research conducted throughout the summer. Staff is evaluating final candidates for a service provider partner to supply the new technology platform. Expected to be delivered in mid-2014 the new program will include an emphasis on performance management as a leading management practice; provide enhanced platform functionality for handling and reporting performance data; and, offer these services at an affordable rate.
ICMA has played a key role in the history of the development and proliferation of performance measurement and management practices in local government since 1937 when an 11-part series on “measurement standards in city administration” appeared in Public Management (PM) magazine. In 1994, a group of 44 city and county managers became interested in developing a program to compare performance and approached ICMA to help them develop what is the ICMA Center for Performance Measurement (CPM.) By renovating the performance management product, ICMA can engage many more communities and remain the lead organization in defining the principles and the state of the practice for local government performance management.
- Approved the composition and charge for a Task Force on Leadership proposed by President Simon Farbrother as part of his initiative to challenge members to think about the role that professional managers and the association will play in the next two decades and to examine the “value proposition” of professional management. The member Task Force, including next-generation participants, will be charged with evaluating the future role of leadership and the supporting role of ICMA in facilitating these changes. Volunteers were solicited from board members and through the ICMA Leadership Matters newsletter. The first meeting will take place the end of January 2014.
- Approved eight tactics recommended by the Task Force on ICMA’s 100th Anniversary to celebrate the accomplishments and legacy of ICMA’s first 100 years and explore how ICMA can continue to serve as a cornerstone for the membership as we begin our second century. The 30-member Task Force held its first meeting in April where they determined that ICMA’s anniversary should be a year-long celebration that would kick off at the Boston conference and culminate at the 2014 conference in Charlotte. The Task Force also developed a series of strategies that were finalized at a meeting during the 2013 Annual Conference and organized in the following eight tactics:
Tactic 1: Produce ‘fun swag’ for conference and state/affiliate meeting giveaways as well as a line of premium anniversary brand items for sale in Boston and Charlotte and online via ICMA’s logo line website. (This was launched in Boston)
Tactic 2: Create a series of monetary incentives that would encourage members to bring a nonmember or non-attending colleague to the Charlotte conference
Tactic 3: Leverage relationships with state, domestic, and international associations, other affiliates, and member committees to encourage their participation to helping ICMA celebrate its 100th anniversary.
Tactic 4: Use existing communications vehicles (e.g., PM magazine, Leadership Matters e-newsletter, ICMA SmartBrief, Facebook, Twitter, and ICMAtv) to increase awareness of and participation in ICMA’s centennial anniversary.
Tactic 5: Create a visual presentation that illustrates the "then and now" of ICMA’s history (e.g., the growth in ICMA membership, professionally managed communities, etc.). Also identify milestones of diversity within the ICMA leadership (e.g., first African-American, Hispanic, woman, or small-community president; creation of the Range Rider, MIT, and Partners Programs, etc.) Include homage to the “legends of the profession” and historical milestones in the association’s operations (e.g., in 1988, we had one Apple computer and now we have 140 laptops).
Tactic 6: Develop a Charlotte conference a session that brings together pairs of "elder statesman” managers and their next-generation manager children to discuss the changes that have taken place in the profession over the years, why they were drawn to their careers, and what they find most rewarding/challenging about the profession. Also develop a session that features past presidents discussing what the local government environment, ICMA, and the profession looked like when they were president. (These sessions were proposed to the 2014 Conference Planning Committee)
Tactic 7: Produce a 2-3-minute, retrospective video that celebrates ICMA's history and would air at the opening general session of the 2014 ICMA conference in Charlotte.
Tactic 8: Tape audio/video interviews with ICMA members, including next-gen and international members and others, at Charlotte conference and post to anniversary website. Develop a set of video specifications that will enable state and affiliate organizations to videotape members and submit them to ICMA
The board also approved using association reserves to fund implementation of these recommendations and to fund booking a higher-than-usual-profile keynote speaker and entertainment for a special Tuesday evening event if sponsorships are not secured.
- Approved recognition for manager/CAO positions in the following local governments:
General Management
Washington: City of Snoqualmie, Bob Larson (City Administrator)
Council-Manager
Texas: City of Anna, Phillip Sanders (City Manager)
- Participated in a tour of local government projects conducted by staff members from the City of Savannah.
