Changing Demographics - the issues related to changing demograpics include:

• Aging populations
• Increasing diversity; the “majority minority”
• Immigration and the shifts of population centers
• New and challenging social issues brought on by globalization
• Need to efficiently and economically provide services to a changing and diverse citizenry
• Increasing disparity in wealth and education among citizens adds to the difficulty in resolving the challenges facing local governments

Sustainability - the issues related to the sustainability include: 

• How do we continue to reinforce the leadership role of local governments to lead the way in being more sustainable? How do we continue to connect its meaning to the daily lives of local residents?
• Paradoxically, sustainability is becoming a term that is increasingly used to address an ever-expanding range of issues. For example, the ICMA Center for Sustainable Communities website currently includes an item on Building a Business Case for 311/CRM. Does the expansion in the use of the term “sustainability” carry with it the risk of that it may cloud or confuse its real meaning?
• Increasing willingness of the need for international collaboration to counter the worst impacts of climate change, but slow progress in reaching consensus on matters such as agreed reductions in carbon emissions. How does this (and should it) translate into practical action at the local level?
• Is sustainability to be an umbrella concept that drives our socio-economic thinking in a generic fashion, or is to be used in a more restricted sense to those things environmental?

Global, National, and Regional Economic Trends - the issues related to global, national and regional economic trends include: 

• Local governments will have to develop the capability to recognize and capitalize on opportunities in the global economy.
• Growing wealth disparities and the decline of middle-income jobs are significant issues for local governments.
• The Great Recession created lasting economic disruption. Persistent unemployment and underemployment affects the entire labor force.
• Technological infrastructure will continue to be essential to community competitiveness in a global economy.
• The world economy is growing rapidly – at a rate of 4% per year on average – and the growth of some emerging economies is dramatically outpacing growth in historically developed economies. 
• Developing countries are facing rapid urbanization, and some countries are not prepared for the rapid pace of change. Local governments in those countries need assistance with planning, infrastructure tools, community involvement, and regulatory structures.
• Efficient and inexpensive transportation will mean that businesses can be located anywhere on the globe. 

Fiscal Challenges and Declining Revenue Sources - the issues related to fiscal challenges and declining revenue sources include: 

•  Demand for services are increasing while revenue options for local governments are shrinking. In the United States, this is made worse by a polarized electorate and a national anti-tax movement. 
• Federal and state resources are also shrinking, leaving local governments more on their own to fund infrastructure and vital social services.

The Changing Definition of Community - the issues related to the changing definition of community include: 

• There is a changing sense of what a community is and should be. For example, is community your neighborhood or region? Is it digital or physical? 
• The future success of local governments will largely depend on their ability to engage citizens and leverage inter-organizational relationships (between governments, nonprofits, NGOs etc.) with a focus on service outcomes. 
• Local governments will have to leverage inter-organization relationships to provide a variety of services (e.g. roads, water/sewer, public health, housing programs, medical response, etc.).  
• Political polarization has caused a redefinition of community. Community may be defined by ideology rather than geography.

Technological Change - the issues related to technological change include: 

• The pace of technological change continues to increase exponentially
• Technology can improve service delivery, options, and effectiveness; technology is transforming social interactions, the media, and the workplace.
• Local governments will need to invest in the infrastructure that allows businesses and residents to compete in technological services. Not all communities can afford these investments
• Not all residents have access to technology or technological training.

Intergovernmental Relations - the issues related to intergovernmental relations include: 

• Major public policy and service delivery problems typically cross historic jurisdictional boundaries. Watersheds, airsheds, commute-sheds, and labor markets affect entire regions. 
• Many local government services – public safety, parks, and infrastructure – can be more efficient and effective if taken to scales that may not correspond with traditional jurisdictional boundaries.
• Fragmented government services are more expensive and less effective than services delivered at the appropriate scale. Intergovernmental cooperation and regional approaches are needed for these services. 
• In the United States, a reduction in the federal government’s role in providing services has increased the role of states, regions, and local governments in a wide variety of services.

The Evolving Nature of the Manager's Job - the issues related to the evolving nature of the manager's job include; 

•  Managers have an increasing need to better engage with the community and build trust while involving partners on a regional level. 
• Managers must possess and wield exceptional team-building and interpersonal skills. Leadership through position, power, and authority is less relevant for today’s members. Leadership must be adept at facilitation, negotiation, engaging various groups and individuals, and leading without being in control of all the moving 
• Elected officials are more diverse than in the past with more diverse experiences. The nature of elections, the role of media in elections and campaign finance has also changed.
• Managers must be highly nimble, versatile, and comfortable with change as the pace of work and the policy environment evolve rapidly. 

Demographic Changes in the Local Government Workforce - the issues related to demographic changes in the local government workforce include:

• Local governments will have to develop and implement strategies to attract the most talented individuals – either new graduates or non-traditional managers from other careers - to maintain and or grow the profession.
• Millennials have different expectations from employers than Baby Boomers, such as flexibility to work from home; flexible hours; work that has meaning and tangible results; advancement based on accomplishments versus tenure; and vertical and horizontal communications between the various levels of management. 
• Nearly 60 percent of Millennials stay at their jobs for one to three years.Local government will have to identify and implement strategies to retain the most talented individuals to maintain and/or grow the profession.
• There will be four generations in the workforce: Baby Boomers, Generation X, Millennials, and Generations Y. Local government will have to identify and implement strategies that will be attractive to all demographic groups to attract and retain the most talented individuals. 

Ethics - the issues related to ethics include: 

• As trust in local government and its official at all levels is waning, professional local government managers need to continue to build upon the foundation of trust and ethical conduct that will allow them to lead their communities in an innovative and efficient manner.

ICMA's International Role - the issues related to ICMA's international role include: 

• Is ICMA an international association based in the United States or a U.S. association with international members? What should be our role in the broader global community? Where and how can we be most effective?
•  ICMA International has a successful track record of introducing sound management practices to local governments, municipal associations, national ministries, and agencies in developing and decentralizing countries throughout the world. How can that be developed even further?
• What’s balance to be struck between spreading our mission internationally, and providing an income stream to the association?

ICMA's Relationship with Affiliates and Partner Associations - the issues related to ICMA's relationships and partnerships include: 

• In the last five years, ICMA has signed agreements with many of its state and assistant association groups in the United States. ICMA’s regional summits have also been more closely tied to conferences and events of state associations
• ICMA also has agreements with many international partners to promote local government management throughout the world.
• ICMA also has agreements with the International Hispanic Network, the National Forum for Black Public Administrators, and the National Association of County Administrators
• Do members of these affiliate groups also find value in ICMA?

Maintaining the Value of ICMA Membership - the issues related to maintaining the value of ICMA membership include: 

• As local governments face increasing competition among priorities does ICMA provide value to your community by providing information and research resources, access to the Knowledge Network and opportunities for problem-solving and information sharing among other members and their organizations.
• Given the demands on time and the need for setting priorities does ICMA provide value to you through membership benefits such as the ICMA Code of Ethics; networking with peers; access to professional development; personal and career support; the voluntary credentialing program; and, recognition through awards programs. 
• ICMA’s top organizational priority is to continue to build momentum for professionally manages local government – to promote the “performance dividend” of professional management to show that city, town and county managers make an enormous difference in their communities.