Where will the next generation of city managers in small city Texas come from? Small city budgets often struggle to provide basic services, leaving limited funds for recruitment and salaries for professionally trained city managers or assistant city managers. Thinking outside the box to create solutions, may help identify the next generation.
Master of Public Administration programs can provide a pool of quality individuals who seek careers in public management. However, small cities may need to look for individuals with more learning experience in the practical side of city government. For example, while working on my Master’s from Sonoma State University in California, I was never trained how to handle a bear peeking out of a dumpster, or how to assist a homeowner dealing with bees living in the wall of their home where wax and honey were running down an interior wall of a bedroom. While we may find qualified individuals in our universities, don’t forget to look within your organization and community to identify those individuals who are resourceful. We can lead and train them to fill city management positions.
TCMA provides opportunities for those in your organization whose life may not have provided an opportunity for formal education, but they are hardworking, resourceful, and talented individuals with a passion to learn and lead. These individuals might be a code enforcement officer, an administrative assistant, or a parks and recreation director. Encourage them to join TCMA, attend TCMA educational events, and apply for scholarships. The Public Executive Institute and Leadership Development Scholarships may be a good fit.
As we seek solutions for the next generation of city managers, especially in our small cities, we can create a cadre of replacements by being creative and looking in places we might not have considered. As we help provide and grow the next generation, we can also be confident that our cities are in good hands.
End notes. What do you do with bear peeking dumpster divers and bee infested homes? If it’s a bear, walk very slowly back to the recycling shed, go inside, block off the door with a metal recycling bin, and hope the bear doesn’t know how to use the trap door formally used to drop in metal recyclables. If it’s the bee lady you’re having issues with, just know that the court will remediate a nuisance, because asking your neighbors to mow their lawns in the cool of the morning isn’t a solution to bees stinging your neighbors.
(Article submitted by Ken Knight, City Manager, Edna. If you have interesting news or helpful topics to share, please submit them to Kim Pendergraft at [email protected]. Please keep the information to fewer than 250 words.)