Life, Well Run is pleased to announce the 2017 Community Heroes who were nominated by their jurisdictions for modeling dedication to local government and serving residents. Life, Well Run received a wonderful response to the call for Community Hero nominations that began in November 2016 with the support of ICMA-RC.  Managers sent in descriptions of their…

Teaneck, New Jersey<br />As the U.S. population ages, most communities will wrestle with a variety of issues related to elderly residents. Top of mind would be emergency services, transportation, engagement and activities, and appropriate housing. Teaneck, N.J.  (pop.40,000), is getting ahead of the curve with a program called Age-Friendly Teaneck.  The planning phase of the program began in…

Professional local government management—through which elected officials hire a highly trained, nonpolitical chief executive to oversee the day-to-day operations of a community—makes a significant difference in that jurisdiction’s creditworthiness, efficiency, and ability to build community, according to a recent review conducted by ICMA, the International City/County Management Association. ` A review of Moody’s Aaa-rated local…

McCordsville, Indiana<br />When a town manager is engaged and monitoring events that can affect her jurisdiction, changes can be managed with little disruption or opposition. This is evidenced by the successful annexation of about 1,000 acres of land and five miles of road by McCordsville, Indiana, that helped the mostly residential community respond to and prepare…

In honor of Women's History Month, here's an update on a series of ICMA activities designed to support women in the profession plus a short member essay on what it's like to interview for a local government position.

Morgantown, Kentucky<br />As the first CAO in Morgantown, KY, Jerrod Barks was facing some serious challenges for the town of 2,500 that lost 60 jobs and was saddled with a large amount of debt when Kentucky Copper went bankrupt. But instead of guessing or acting on anecdotal information, he conducted a survey, researched deeply, and came up…

Life, Well Run received a wonderful response to the call for Community Hero Nominations. Nominees were submitted from across the country including states such as Alabama, Colorado, Florida, Michigan, New York, Nevada, Virginia, and Wisconsin. Heroes come from all roles in local government, from waste collector to assistant city manager, from police officer to the…

Tools to help you build and maintain public trust, plan for bumps in the road, and develop relationships with your residents to mitigate alienation, anger, and a lack of trust.