A Message from the President and Vice President
Hello Cal-ICMA Members,
Our profession continues to be challenged every day with new crises here in California, from raging wildfires, rolling power outages, COVID-19 response, protests calling for racial justice, impaired budgets and modified service delivery – all while homeschooling our children. I am continually impressed by the vigor with which our members have taken on all of these challenges 2020 has presented, helping motivate their organizations and other community partners to innovate and adapt to changing times.
Cal-ICMA sponsored a series of free webinars this summer discussing strategies for COVID-19 response strategies and financial analysis in response to the pandemic induced recession. Cal-ICMA members stepped up to offer their personal stories and share lessons learned that have been most effective. ICMA continues to provide COVID-19 resources for members online, including regular webinars and podcasts focusing on a variety of topics. Check out our most recent article on “Thriving Post Pandemic” by the Cal-ICMA Talent Initiative Committee.
The issue of racial justice is one that the Cal-ICMA Board takes very seriously. In response to the killing of George Floyd earlier this year, the Cal-ICMA Board issued a joint statement with our affiliates including MMASC, MMANC, I-NAPA and LGHN addressing systemic racism and recommitting ourselves as leaders to take sustained action on this issue.
Cal-ICMA members have asked me what more we can do to help turn the tide and enhance communication between law enforcement and Black residents in our communities. We as city managers are bound by the ICMA Code of Ethics that encourages us to treat all people equally and to strengthen the public trust. We must ensure that as stewards of that trust, we also hold our organizations accountable to the community and provide staff and Council the support they need to keep that trust and introduce change when necessary.
However, systematic racism goes beyond policing and we must work in all areas of our communities to evoke positive change. You can access a number of resources on ICMA’s website, including the Local Gov Life podcasts on racial justice, “Building Resilient Communities During Disruptive Change” article or you can attend the upcoming UNITE! Annual Conference this month to learn more about how you can support this work in your community.
Finally, help me in congratulating Troy Brown, City Manager of Moorpark and Cal-ICMA member, on his recent appointment as the 2020-2021 President-Elect of ICMA! Troy has a long history of service to Cal-ICMA as a prior executive board member and West Coast Regional Vice President. We know he will do an excellent job helping advocate for the value of professional local government management around the globe, while also helping bring new perspective to issues of equity and transparency.
Please feel free to reach out to me, Dominic or the rest of the Cal-ICMA Board with any ideas you might have for Cal-ICMA, content you would like to see developed for webinars/podcasts or if you would like to volunteer for one of our Cal-ICMA Committees.
In Service to the Profession,
Tony Winney
Assistant City Manager, National City and Cal-ICMA President, twinney@nationalcityca.gov
Dominic Lazzaretto
City Manager, Arcadia and Cal-ICMA Vice President, domlazz@arcadiaca.gov