Local Government Service Awards are granted for 10 and 20 years of full-time, paid employment in local government. After 20 years of local government service, awards are presented in five-year increments.

Check out the final list of 2023 Service Award recipients! 

2023 Local Government Service Award Recipients (Final List)

Who is eligible?

Any Full Member who has been a member of ICMA for a minimum of five years is eligible. Dues payments must be current.

When are they presented?

Awards are presented every fall at the ICMA Annual Conference. Members receiving awards for 25 years of service are recognized from a reserved section of the audience during a special ceremony at the closing session of the conference. 

Members receiving awards for 30 years or more of local government service will be recognized individually on stage. The awards are mailed after the conference. 

How do I know if I am to receive an award?

ICMA generates a list of members whose records indicate that they will be eligible for service awards at the annual conference. For the calculations, ICMA assumes that members currently employed by a local government will still be working for local government through the end of that calendar year.

How are service awards calculated?

All full-time appointed service with any type of local government organization counts towards a service award, even if that service was prior to joining ICMA.

How is "local government organization" defined for the purposes of calculation?

Local government organization includes virtually any local public entity, including those currently eligible for recognition (i.e., local governments, councils of governments, and state associations of local governments), as well as those that are not eligible for recognition (i.e., special districts and authorities). It also includes time spent on the staff (not as a consultant) of ICMA and such related organizations as the National League of Cities, National Association of Counties, and affiliate international associations.

Is ICMA Member in Transition time included in the calculations?

Yes. Starting in 2004, the time a Full (voting) Member was officially enrolled in the ICMA Member in Transition (defined as involuntary separation from a CAO or other senior position) program will count toward service award eligibility as long as he/she returned to local government employment. 

What do the awards look like?

Awards for 10 and 20 years of service are ready-to-frame certificates. Awards for 25 and 30 years are plaques. Awards for 35 years or more vary by year and include paperweights and other desktop display pieces. Recipients receiving awards for 25 years and higher can choose either a physical award or make a donation to ICMA's Future of Professional Management fund