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OCTOBER 2004VOLUME 86 · NUMBER 9

Build Up Your PeopleWays to strengthen your employees and help them feel good about their jobsand themselves. D. Michael Abrashoff, Boston, Massachusetts. READARTICLE

Merced, California, andMaroochy Shire,Queensland, Australia:A World Apart orCloser Than You MayImagineTwo managers fromdifferent countries findthey have a lot incommon. Daniel JamesMarshall, Merced,California. READ ARTICLE

The RetirementEpidemic: RecruitingYoung People intoPublic ServiceAre youngprofessionals eager tobreak into the publicsector? ZachariahFriend, Washington,D.C. READ ARTICLE

2004 Annual Awards

This year’s recipients of ICMA’s Annual Awardsare presented in this section.

EthicsEthics and ConferenceAttendance IssueCorporate ProfileExhibitors at ICMA’s90th Annual ConferenceOpinionRemember the LoraxElizabeth Kellar,Deputy ExecutiveDirector, Washington,D.C.Commentary

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Credit-Rating Effects ofGASB 34Answers to frequentlyasked questions onGASB 34. Karl Jacob,New York, New York.READ ARTICLE

FYISmall City Saves More than $1 Million Chatham-Kent’s Community PortalAuburn Is a CityLinks Partner

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ConferenceConnectionD. Michael Abrashoffwill be a keynoter at

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October 2004 · Volume 86 · Number 9

Build Up Your Peopleby D. Michael Abrashoff

Leadership is mostly the art of doing simple things very well. However, we sometimes make itfar tougher than it needs to be. Unlike some leaders, I prefer to build myself up bystrengthening others and helping them feel good about their jobs and themselves. When thathappens, their work improves, and my own morale leaps.

I left drill-sergeant bullying to other leaders with other goals. Running the USS Benfold, aguided missile destroyer, demanded brains and initiative, not brawn. Only competent and self-confident sailors could handle the ship’s complexities and fulfill its missions. These sailors couldnot be sculpted into a fighting crew by ruling with fear and punishing them as though theywere inept kids. My job was to turn kids into grownups who would make [Navy Petty Officer]Edward C. Benfold proud.

Show me a manager who ignores the power of praise, and I will show you a lousy manager.Praise is infinitely more productive than punishment—could anything be clearer? But how manymanagers give this fact more than lip service? How many really live it? Not enough.

I focused on building self-esteem. I know that most of us carry around an invisible backpackfull of childhood insecurities, and that many sailors often struggled under the load of pastinsults, including being scorned at home or squashed at school. I could make the load eitherheavier or lighter, and the right choice was obvious. Instead of tearing people down to makethem into robots, I tried to show them that I trusted and believed in them.

Show me a manager who ignores the power of praise, and I will show you a lousy manager.Praise is infinitely more productive than punishment—could anything be clearer? But how manymanagers give this fact more than lip service? How many really live it? Not enough.

The same principle applies when you’re dealing with bosses: Never tear them down; help themgrow strong. If you want to achieve anything in a large bureaucracy, get inside the bosses’heads. Anticipate what they want before they know they want it. Take on their problems; makethem look so good that you become indispensable. When they can’t get along without you, theywill support nearly anything you seek to accomplish.

Little Things Make Big Successes

Within a couple of months of my taking over, other ship commanders began visiting Benfold tofind out how we were getting our sailors to work so well. I was delighted to share all oursecrets. They were hardly profound; mainly, we were attentive to people’s feelings andpotential. A lot of seemingly small gestures added up to a friendly and supportive atmosphere.

For example, I ordered a big supply of greeting cards that read“The Officers and Crew of the USS Benfold Wish You a HappyBirthday.” Each month, my ship’s office gave me a birthday list ofmy sailors’ spouses. I would write, say, “Dear Marie” at the topand sign it “Love, Mike.” Every card included my P.S., saying,“Your husband or wife is doing a great job,” even if he or she

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ICMA’s annualconference in SanDiego City/County,California.

were not. I knew the cards worked because sailors often cameby to express their appreciation. It was my way of bringing theirfamilies into our orbit.

The CO of one of our sister ships loved the idea and immediatelyordered his executive officer to send out birthday cards to the spouses of all his sailors. Ofcourse, he meant they should be sent out at the appropriate time—on the spouses’ birthdays.The next day, a year’s worth of cards went out on the same day in one huge batch. Ouch.

But in fact, this was symptomatic of that ship—the officers were good, but they sometimesdidn’t get things quite right. They weren’t Benfold’s officers. I think they hit a performanceceiling because they didn’t create a supportive climate that encouraged sailors to reach beyondtheir own expectations. Ultimately, that was Benfold’s edge.

I observed that most of my young sailors came from hardscrabble backgrounds and hadstruggled to make it into the Navy. I put myself in their parents’ shoes and imagined how theywould feel if they got letters from their kids’ commanding officer, and I imagined how the kidswould feel when their parents told them.

I began writing letters to the parents, especially when their sons or daughters did something Icould honestly praise. When the letters arrived, the parents invariably called their children tosay how proud they were of them. To this day, I get Christmas cards from grateful parents.

One young man who wasn’t star material was working on a project with four outstandingsailors. I debated whether he deserved one of my letters; because he was part of a stellargroup, I went ahead. His parents were divorced, so I sent a letter to each parent. About twoweeks later, the sailor knocked on my door with tears streaming down his face.

People seem to think that if you send somebody a compliment online, it’s as good as thehuman touch. It is not. It’s easier but much less effective. Social interaction is getting lost in adigital world that trades more in abstractions than in face-to-face relations. It’s more than ashame—it’s a bottom-line mistake.

“What’s wrong?” I asked. “I just got a call from my father, who all my life told me I’m a failure.This time, he said he’d just read your letter, and he wanted to congratulate me and say howproud he was of me. It’s the first time in my entire life he’s actually encouraged me. Captain, Ican’t thank you enough.” My own tear ducts held, but I was very moved.

One of my true star sailors was a second-class petty officer, Darren Barton of Little Rock,Arkansas. Darren was one of the sailors who did an outstanding job with the Tomahawk cruisemissiles. I wrote his mother, Carol, about how well her son had performed, and she was soproud that one day, when President Clinton was visiting Little Rock, she staked out hismotorcade and asked him to countersign my letter. She sent me a copy of that letter signed bythe president of the United States, and I was extremely happy to share in her pride of her son.

My officers knew that they could always use me in their leadership toolkits. They neverhesitated to knock on my door and say, “Hey, Captain, next time you’re out walking around theship, Sonarman Smith really aced that databank,” or “Seaman Jones is doing a helluva job inthe laundry. Could you stop by and tell him how much you appreciate him?”

Those conversations were the highlight of my day, and they didn’t cost me or the Navy a dime.The more I went around meeting sailors, the more they talked to me openly and intelligently.The more I thanked them for hard work, the harder they worked. The payoff in morale waspalpable. I’m absolutely convinced that positive, personal reinforcement is the essence ofeffective leadership.

Yet some leaders seem to be moving away from it. They stay connected electronically with e-mail and cellphones, but they’re disconnected personally, and many leaders almost never leavetheir offices. People seem to think that if you send somebody a compliment online, it’s as goodas the human touch. It is not. It’s easier but much less effective. Social interaction is gettinglost in a digital world that trades more in abstractions than in face-to-face relations. It’s morethan a shame—it’s a bottom-line mistake.

My sister Connie works for a major bank. One of her people did a phenomenal job, makinghundreds of thousands of dollars for the bank, and Connie’s boss sent an e-mail congratulatingand thanking her. That very afternoon, he rode the elevator with her and didn’t even

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acknowledge her existence. It completely wiped out any good his e-mail could have done.

Recall how you feel when your own boss tells you, “Good job.” Do your people (and yourself) afavor. Say it in person, if you can. Press the flesh. Open yourself. Coldness congeals. Warmthheals. Little things make big successes.

The Navy has a program that assigns an ombudsman for every ship as a contact point forsailors’ families. The idea is to make it as easy as possible to keep families informed of neworders, events aboard ship, the ship’s movements in general, and, of course, to have acommunications link between sailors and their families. In practice, the ombudsman is usuallythe spouse of someone on the ship and is the hub for all the other families wanting to keep intouch with their relatives on board. We set out to make Benfold’s ombudsman program thebest in the Navy, and in fact our om-budsman was phenomenal.

Sylvia Schanche had a special phone line for families to call and leave messages for her, whichshe responded to by calling the ship or sending an e-mail. She kept everyone informed aboutthe ship’s changing schedule; if there was an accident on board, we told her immediately whatwas happening, and she passed the word to the families of anyone involved. If there was adeath in a sailor’s family, the ombudsman would make the arrangements to fly him or her backto the States.

If a relative was hospitalized, she passed information back and forth. She even helped familieswho were having trouble coping with the stress of separation. She was a great resource andanother way of keeping the crew strong and united. The less they have to worry about home,the more time and attention they have for the ship.

Most businesses should have a similar program, but hardly any do. For instance, I know of amanager who had a heart attack while on the road, but the company had no procedure in placeto fly his family out to be with him in the hospital, and in general to ease a time of trauma.Personnel departments aren’t usually organized to do that.

In fact, many of the techniques that I developed in the Navy could be easily adapted forpersonal reinforcement in the civilian workplace. For example, the Navy hands out medals forsuperior performance, but not when a sailor leaves the service. Leaving is perceived asbreaking ranks and mildly inconsiderate of those left behind. I disagreed with that policy,believing that medals send two important signals even when they are given to departingpeople. They tell those leaving that their services have been valued; equally important, theyshow those remaining that their hard work will be recognized in the same way when they leave.

The commanding officer of a ship is authorized to hand out 15 medals a year. I wanted to erron the side of excess, so in my first year I passed out 115. Nearly every time a sailor left, Igave him or her a medal. Even if they hadn’t been star players, they got medals in a publicceremony, as long as they had done their best every day.

Recall how you feel when your own boss tells you, "Good job." Do your people (and yourself) afavor. Say it in person, if you can. Press the flesh. Open yourself. Coldness congeals. Warmthheals. Little things make big successes.

I delivered a short speech describing how much we cherished the recipient’s friendship,camaraderie, and hard work. It wasn’t unusual for people to cry at those ceremonies.Sometimes, the departing sailor’s shipmates told funny stories, recalling his or her foibles, trials,and triumphs.

The award I handed out was called the Navy Achievement Medal. I often think that everycompany should have an equivalent—the General Electric Quality Star, say, or the IBM Order ofExcellence, or the Microsoft Medal of Distinction. There is absolutely no downside to thissymbolic gesture, provided it is done sincerely and without hype.

Trust People, They Usually Prove You’re Right

Once a year, all Navy ships undergo a thorough assessment in which outside inspectorsvalidate the ship’s readiness. The ship as a whole and the crew’s abilities and proficiencies arerated in 24 categories, on a scale ranging from basic Level One to advanced Level Four.

The purpose is to determine how much additional training the crew needs to be ready forcombat. But if you assume that the higher a ship’s level was, the less time it would spend

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training at sea, you would be wrong. In fact, regardless of its readiness rating, every shipspends the next six months training at sea. Thus, there was no incentive to reach Level Four,and in fact, no ship ever did. Level One was the required minimum, and that was usuallyconsidered good enough. Then, Benfold came along.

Originally, my goal was to reach an overall rating of Level Two, but when I recognized theenormous potential of my crew, I raised the bar to Level Three, much to the chagrin of thosewho saw it as a quantum leap in their labor and my hubris.

I must also admit that, in addition to my noble motive of making the ship as good as it couldbe, I wanted to blow my archrival out of the water. That ship’s assessment was scheduled tobegin the week following ours. My rival’s strategy was to do little and attain basic Level One.The CO had no idea that we were laying the groundwork to shake things up a little. In fact, wewere about to rock his world.

Our first challenge was finding enough senior people to supervise the 24 areas of testing. Mycombat systems officer hit me with the unexpected news that we had only 20 qualified peoplewho were not involved in other critical operations. Thinking fast, I said, “Fine—pick supervisorsfrom the next group down. You don’t always need a senior person in charge. It could be ayoung, third-class petty officer.”

“That’s never been done before,” he said. “See what they can do,” I said. “The alternative is todo nothing, right? Let’s assign senior people to the most demanding areas, and work our waydown to the junior ones. If we don’t get Level Three in some categories, so what? We will getLevel One or Two. We have nothing to lose.”

As it turned out, the third- and second-class petty officers were so honored to be chosen thatthey worked hard enough for several of their teams to outshine those supervised by seniorpeople. The search-and-seizure team was particularly impressive. We assigned it to one of theship’s most junior sailors because we suspected he had the ability to honcho it.

The outside inspectors protested, saying they could not validate the work of an important teamthat wasn’t headed by a commissioned officer. But I insisted, and the young sailor did such afantastic job that the inspectors ate their words and placed us at Level Four in that category.

Breaking out of our stratified systems to trust the people who work for us, especially those at ornear the low end of the hierarchy, was a useful, progressive change. It let us unleash peoplewith talent and let them rise to levels that no one had expected, simply by challenging them:Make Benfold the readiest ship afloat. In that context, how could we not have done well?

The huzzahs for our incredible performance were just rolling in as another ship was starting theassessment process. Its skipper, sensing disaster, exhorted his people to forget about LevelOne and shoot for Level Four. But you can’t “order” an outstanding performance. You have toplan, enable, nurture, and focus on it. Indeed, that ship finished at Level One.

Four months later, the Navy’s top boss, the chief of naval operations, streamlined theassessment process and settled on a formal program that allowed ships to skip the six-monthtraining process if they could achieve the same performance levels that the Benfold hadmanaged. This model is now standard throughout the Navy. And it came about because wedelegated responsibility to people who were ready and able to accept it.

Newbies Are Important, Treat Them Well

One of the things the Navy was absolutely miserable at, as are many companies, waswelcoming new employees. Recruits were sent to the Navy boot camp at Great Lakes, Illinois,just outside Chicago. They graduated on a Friday morning, boarded a plane in the afternoon,and landed in San Diego that night. And somehow, they found their way to the ship—to begreeted by no one.

Think about the welcome-aboard program in your company. Do newcomers arrive for the firstday of work and find that no computer awaits them, their pay and benefits are delayed by redtape, and the only employee available to answer their questions is second-rate because thebest people are too busy? If so, it isn’t surprising that they become discontented with their jobsand disparage the organization. It’s the end of their idealism.

Worse still, no one even knew they were coming. After enduring boot camp, their first

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encounter with the actual Navy was to walk in on a bunch of sailors who were getting readyfor weekend leave and would have no time for them.

I started talking with new arrivals, asking them about their first day. They said they felt totallyintimidated, that they had no friends and knew no one. They were lost for the first 48 hours,on their own aboard ship while nearly everyone else was on leave. I was 17 when I firstentered the Naval Academy, and I remember how scared I was. If that was frightening for me,I could imagine what arriving in San Diego must have been like for these young men andwomen.

I called my XO, Lieutenant Commander Harley, into my cabin. “What’s our welcome-aboardprogram?” I asked. “I don’t have a clue,” he answered. “Well, go find out and report back tome.” The next day, he was back in my cabin. “Captain, the news is pretty embarrassing. We donothing to prepare for their arrival.”

“You have a 5-year-old daughter,” I told him. “Twelve years from now, she may join the Navy.How would you want her treated on that first day?”

“I’d want her treated very well,” he said.

Every sailor who reports to us is someone’s son or daughter. We owe it to them to treat theirkids well. It is our duty. “What’s the first thing you’d want her to do if she was 17 and justshowing up on ship?”

“I’d want her to call home and tell me she’d arrived safely.”

“Bingo! Why not bring them up to my cabin, and they can call their parents or boyfriends orgirlfriends and tell them that they have arrived and are okay? With the government’s telephonerates, a 30-minute call will cost Uncle Sam only 90 cents. It will be the best 90 cents theDepartment of Defense ever spent.”

We designed our welcome-aboard program. We found out who we were getting from bootcamp, what flights they would be on, and we met them at the airport to bring them to theship. Since I didn’t sleep on the ship when it was in port, the command duty officer met thenew people on the quarterdeck, shook their hands, brought them to my cabin, and let themcall home. Their beds were made, their names were on their lockers, and the best performersfrom their divisions, assigned to be their “Running Mates,” led them on a tour of the ship.

The next morning, the Running Mates drove them all over the base, pointing out the gym, thepool, the theater, the commissary, and the medical and dental facilities. They also got the hotskinny on base life—inside info that’s very important to a 17-year-old just stepping out into theworld: who and what to avoid, and why; or warnings about, say, places not to go after darkbecause they could be attacked or robbed.

The Running Mates acted as tour guides, showing them San Diego’s Sea World and the Hoteldel Coronado. We wanted these young men and women to feel as though San Diego were theirnew home and we were their new family.

For their first five workdays on the ship, they weren’t allowed to stray from their RunningMates. And within the first 48 working hours, they came to see me for a get-to-know-each-other talk. I greeted each the same way: “Welcome. I appreciate having you on our ship.” Inaddition to welcoming these new hires, the program was designed to infect the jaded vets withtheir enthusiasm.

Jealousy and envy are powerful emotions and, if acted upon, can cause serious problems.Leaders must always watch out for them. A jealous commander may behave in ways thatinhibit and soon paralyze his or her subordinates, who eventually turn off and tune out.

All too often, a gung-ho newcomer runs smack into a poisoned corporate culture that sucks theenthusiasm right out of her. I wanted the newcomers to remain so revved up that they wouldrecharge the batteries of those who no longer felt that way.

Think about the welcome-aboard program in your company. Do newcomers arrive for the firstday of work and find that no computer awaits them, their pay and benefits are delayed by redtape, and the only employee available to answer their questions is second-rate because thebest people are too busy? If so, it isn’t surprising that they become discontented with their jobsand disparage the organization. It’s the end of their idealism.

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I wanted Benfold’s environment to be exactly the opposite, and it was. Our new sailorsappreciated our efforts, which paid tremendous dividends in the form of workforce enthusiasmand self-confidence. Once people heard about it, our Running Mate program was adopted bymany other ships on the San Diego waterfront. The commander of our destroyer squadroneven made a home movie about the welcome-aboard process for other ships.

Be the Rising Tide That Lifts All Boats

Since World War II, and possibly before, the Navy has issued foul-weather jackets that aremade of ugly blue duckcloth that keeps you neither dry nor warm. To my young sailors, theywere a fashion statement not worth making. While browsing in a marine gear store, one sailorspotted a civilian version he loved—it was made of flashy blue Gore-Tex with reflective stripesand a built-in flotation device.

Naturally, he told me about it immediately. The Navy jackets cost $150 apiece; these were $90and superior in every way. They would actually keep you warm and dry, and they’d be saferthan the standard issue because of the flotation device. And, as a bonus, “USS Benfold” couldbe stenciled on the back. Not your usual U.S. Department of Defense procurement, this wasmore value for less money. “Great idea, sign me up,” I said. We used the ship’s credit card tobuy 310 jackets and passed them out to all hands. We had a very cool-looking crew.

The next day, when another ship pulled into our pier, its sailors saw our sailors wearing thejackets. Half an hour later, that ship’s command master chief strode over to say, “My captainhas ordered you to stop wearing those jackets.”

“Really? Why?” I asked.

“We almost had a mutiny over there—our crew wants the same jackets.”

Had that ship’s captain not been one of the most senior commanding officers in the PacificFleet, I would have laughed in the master chief’s face. According to Navy protocol, the seniorofficer present is responsible for a pier’s security, and he had decided that pier security wasendangered because his sailors coveted my sailors’ jackets.

“Why not just buy the same jackets for your people?” I asked. “They’d steal them,” he said.“Before we pull into port, we collect all our foul-weather jackets and lock them up. Can’t trustthese people.”

What a difference between ships: We never worried about Benfold sailors stealing their jackets.They could wear them home if they wanted to. In fact, they were so proud of the new onesthat they rarely took them off.

I told this gentleman that I considered his captain’s order illegal, and I refused to obey it. If heinsisted, I said, I would be happy to go to the admiral’s office and accept an immediate court-martial. If that was an overreaction, I considered it justified. In part, I was remembering anincident that occurred while I was working for Defense Secretary Perry.

The four military services use their personnel budgets in very different ways. The Air Forcestresses quality of life: its people get beautiful housing, great bases, and excellent medicalcare. The Army and Marine Corps take nearly the opposite attitude. A comfortable Air Forcebase could be next door to an Army base where soldiers are living in slums.

But this was becoming embarrassing, so while I was in the Pentagon, the Army and MarineCorps asked Perry to take money out of the Air Force budget and give it to them so they couldupgrade their bases. He pondered their request for a few moments, then refused, telling themthat the goal shouldn’t be to reduce the standards for some but to raise everyone else to thehighest possible level.

This had struck me as universal wisdom. Now, rather than buy his crew new jackets, this ship’scaptain wanted mine to stop wearing them, and I wasn’t going to let it happen. He could havetried to have me fired, but that was a chance I was willing to take. That command master chiefdelivered my message and returned half an hour later with a new directive: “My CO hasdecided you can wear your jackets after all.”

That ship could have bought those jackets but never did. Meanwhile, the so-called BenfoldJacket became the rage, and my squadron commander ordered them for the five other ships

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under his command.

Jealousy and envy are powerful emotions and, if acted upon, can cause serious problems.Leaders must always watch out for them. A jealous commander may behave in ways thatinhibit and soon paralyze his or her subordinates, who eventually turn off and tune out. Theantidote lies in trying to make the people who work for you feel needed and highly valued. Helpthem believe in that wonderful old truism “A rising tide lifts all boats.” With perhaps a fewexceptions, every organization’s success is a collective achievement.

D. Michael Abrashoff, former captain of the USS Benfold, is founderand CEO of Grassroots Leadership, Inc., Boston, Massachusetts(www.grassrootsleadership.com).

This article is excerpted with permission from the book It’s YourShip: Management Techniques from the Best Damn Ship in the Navy, byCaptain D. Michael Abrashoff. Copyright © 2002 by Captain D.Michael Abrashoff. Reprinted by permission of Warner BusinessBooks, New York, N.Y. All rights reserved. Copies of Abrashoff’sbook will be available at ICMA’s conference in San Diego.

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A 17-member awards evaluation panel is charged with selecting the recipi-ents of the ICMA Annual Awards. Because of the time and effort that go into these deliberations, ICMA would like to thank the following evalu-ation panel members, who complete their terms at ICMA’s 90th Annual Conference:

Darnell Earley, former City Administrator, Flint Michigan (Chairman 2003–2004)

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Benjamin Saag, Assistant Town Manager, Jupiter, Florida

J. David Strahl, Assistant Village Manager, Mount Prospect, Illinois

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commemorative booklet was made possible through

the generous contribution of ICMA Corporate Partner

St. Paul Travelers (see booklet back cover).

P

This awards booklet was developed by:

Will KempGraphic Designer

Jane CotnoirSenior Editor

Michele FrisbyDirector, Public Information

Rob CartyProject Manager/Writer

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The St. Paul Travelers congratulates all of this year’s

award recipients.

PROFESSIONAL AWARDS

Award for Career Excellence in Honor of Mark E. Keane

Jennifer D. Sparacino, City Manager, Santa Clara, California

Other Nominees:William P. Buchanan, County Manager,

Sedgwick County, KansasDavid T. Harden, City Manager, Delray

Beach, FloridaKurt F. Kimball, City Manager, Grand

Rapids, MichiganAlan Morris, County Administrator,

Miami County, KansasThomas H. Muehlenbeck, City Manager,

Plano, TexasMarvin D. Thompson, City Manager,

Blue Ash, OhioCarl F. Valente, Town Manager, Weston,

MassachusettsRonald G. Wagenmann, Township

Manager, Upper Merion Township, Pennsylvania

Outstanding Manager of the Year Award

Craig T. Malin, City Administrator, Davenport, Iowa

Other Nominees:Edward Beasly, City Manager, Glendale,

ArizonaMichael B. Brown, City Manager,

Savannah, GeorgiaJorge M. Gonzalez, City Manager,

Miami Beach, FloridaCharles E. McNeely, City Manager,

Reno, NevadaGeorge K. Noe, City Manager, Corpus

Christi, TexasGary B. O’Connell, City Manager,

Charlottesville, VirginiaThomas F. Reilly, County Manager,

Clark County, Nevada

Annual Award

RecipientsKyle R. Sonnenberg, then Town

Manager, Southern Pines, North Carolina; now Assistant City Manager, Fayetteville, North Carolina

Award for Career Development in Memory of L.P. Cookingham

Michael A. Conduff, City Manager, Denton, Texas

Other Nominees:Daniel W. Fitzpatrick, City Manager,

Peekskill, New YorkRonald Carlee, County Manager,

Arlington County, Virginia; Craig S. Gerhart, County Executive, Prince William County, Virginia; and Anthony H. Griffin, County Executive, Fairfax County, Virginia

In-Service Training Award in Memory of Clarence E. Ridley

Thomas E. Hart, City Manager, Grand Prairie, Texas

International Award in Memory of Orin F. Nolting

Bernardo Garcia, Assistant County Administrator, Hillsborough County, Florida

Other Nominees:Craig G. Kocian, City Manager, Arvada,

ColoradoEllen S. Posivach, City Manager, Tarpon

Springs, Florida

Assistant Excellence in Leadership Award in Memory of Buford M. Watson, Jr.

Charles P. Boyles II, Assistant City Administrator, Clemson, South Carolina

Workplace Diversity Professional Development Award

Edward Beasley, City Manager, Glendale, Arizona

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PROGRAM EXCELLENCE AWARDS

Award for Programs for the Disadvantaged in Memory of Carolyn Keane (populations of 10,000–49,999)

Mikki’s House—Apache Junction, Arizona, and George R. Hoffmann, City Manager

Other Nominated Programs:Community Connection Therapeutic

Recreation Gardening—Oak Park, Michigan, and James D. Hock, City Manager

Home Chore and Minor Home Repair—Oak Park, Michigan, and James D. Hock, City Manager

Award for Programs for the Disadvantaged in Memory of Carolyn Keane (populations of 50,000 and greater)

Homeless Evaluation Liaison Program—Reno, Nevada, and Charles E. McNeely, City Manager

Other Nominated Programs:Bridging the Gap Accessibility—Martin

County, Florida, and Russell D. Blackburn, County Administrator

4 Steps to the Future—Reno, Nevada, and Charles E. McNeely, City Manager

Neighborhood Comprehensive Revitalization—Anaheim, California, and David M. Morgan, City Manager

Taxi Coupon—Olathe, Kansas, and J. Michael Wilkes, City Manager

Water Affordability—San Antonio, Texas, and Terry M. Brechtel, City Manager

(Continued on page 2)

Public Safety Program Excellence Award in Memory of William H. Hansell, Sr., and Alice Hansell (populations less than 10,000)

Hospital Transfer—Delafield, Wisconsin, and Matthew D. Carlson, City Administrator

Other Nominated Programs:Community E-Lert—Medina,

Washington, and Douglas J. Schulze, City Manager

Public Safety Program Excellence Award in Memory of William H. Hansell, Sr., and Alice Hansell (populations of 10,000–49,999)

Defensible Space Project—Los Alamos County, New Mexico, and Max H. Baker, Deputy County Administrator

Other Nominated Programs:Fuel Cell Technology—South Windsor,

Connecticut, and Matthew B. Galligan, Town Manager

Improved Fire Service GIS Solutions—Oldsmar, Florida, and Bruce T. Haddock, City Manager

Neighborhood Beat—Grand Junction, Colorado, and Kelly E. Arnold, City Manager

Public Safety Program Excellence Award in Memory of William H. Hansell, Sr., and Alice Hansell (populations greater than 50,000)

Fire Safety House—Clark County, Nevada, and Thomas F. Reilly, County Manager

Other Nominated Programs:Alcohol & Tobacco Enforcement—

Flower Mound, Texas, and Van James, Town Manager

Community Policing—Reno, Nevada, and Charles E. McNeely, City Manager

Homeland Security Unit—Reno Nevada, and Charles E. McNeely, City Manager

Neighborhood Improvement—Anaheim, California, and David M. Morgan, City Manager

Tiburon Project—Reno Nevada, and Charles E. McNeely, City Manager

Traffic Calming Program—Reno Nevada, and Charles E. McNeely, City Manager

Virtual Partner Mobile Technology—Delray Beach, Florida, and David T. Harden, City Manager

Program Excellence Awards for Citizen Involvement (populations less than 10,000)

Leadership Park City—Park City, Utah, and Thomas Bakaly, City Manager

Other Nominated Programs:Rother’s Corner—Sonora, California,

and Greg M. Applegate, City Administrator

Program Excellence Award for Citizen Involvement (populations 10,000–49,999)

Citizen Leadership Institute—Apache Junction, Arizona, and George R. Hoffmann, City Manager

Other Nominated Programs: Independence Day Commission—Oak

Park, Michigan, and James D. Hock, City Manager

The Learning Community—Clayton, Ohio, and David W. Rowlands, City Manager

Program Excellence Award for Citizen Involvement (populations greater than 50,000)

Community COMPASS—Hamilton County, Ohio, and David J. Krings, County Administrator

Other Nominated Programs:Budget Evaluation Process—Long

Beach, California, and Gerald R. Miller, City Manager

Community Building & Neighborhood Planning—San Antonio, Texas, and Terry M. Brechtel, City Manager

Community Liaison—Reno, Nevada, and Charles E. McNeely, City Manager

Graffiti Action Team—Reno, Nevada, and Charles E. McNeely, City Manager

Neighborhood Justice Center—Clark County, Nevada, and Thomas F. Reilly, County Manager

Neighborhood Services Department—Miami Beach, Florida, and Jorge M. Gonzalez, City Manager

Youth City Council—Reno, Nevada, and Charles. E. McNeely, City Manager

Youth Civic Engagement System—Hampton, Virginia, and George E. Wallace, City Manager

Program Excellence Award for Innovations in Local Government Management (populations 10,000–49,999)

Integrated Technology Solution—Monterey, California, and Fred E. Meurer, City Manager

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Other Nominated Programs:Bridging the Gaps—Friendswood, Texas,

and Ronald E. Cox, City ManagerMontgomery Target—Montgomery,

Ohio, and Cheryl A. Hilvert, City Manager

Parks PDA—Portage, Michigan, and Michael L. Stampfler, City Manager

Program Excellence Award for Innovations in Local Government Management (populations greater than 50,000)

Nonprofit Chamber of Service—Sedgwick County, Kansas, and William P. Buchanan, County Manager

Other Nominated Programs:Budget Lite (“Bud-Lite”)—Reno,

Nevada, and Charles E. McNeely, City Manager

Contracting Initiative—San Antonio, Texas, and Terry M. Brechtel, City Manager

Detention Day School—Douglas County, Kansas, and Craig G. Weinaug, County Administrator

Housing Rehabilitation & Reconstruc-tion—Phoenix, Arizona, and Frank A. Fairbanks, City Manager

Internal Audit—Reno, Nevada, and Charles E. McNeely, City Manager

LaserFiche Document Imaging—Denton, Texas, and Michael A. Conduff, City Manager

Learning Academy—Alameda, California, and James M. Flint, City Manager

Managing Differences—Plano, Texas, and Thomas H. Muehlenbeck, City Manager

Management Preparation—Plano, Texas, and Thomas H. Muehlenbeck, City Manager

Stakeholder Engagement—Olathe, Kansas, and J. Michael Wilkes, City Manager

Team Toyota—San Antonio, Texas, and Terry M. Brechtel, City Manager

TreePower Program—Anaheim, California, and David M. Morgan, City Manager

Water Quality—Martin County, Florida, and Russell D. Blackburn, County Administrator

Water/Wastewater Treatment Design Team, and Ann Arbor, Michigan—Roger W. Fraser, City Administrator

(Continued from page 1)

Program Excellence Award for Outstanding Partnerships: Intergovernmental Cooperation (populations less than 50,000)

Best and Brightest Internship—Gypsum, Colorado, and Jeff N. Schroll, Town Manager, representing 40 participating jurisdictions and their chief administrative officers; and Rob Fillion, intern for the town of Sterling, representing the 40 interns of the University of Colorado at Denver

Other Nominated Programs:A Culture of Cooperation—Jackson and

Teton County, Wyoming, and Robert W. McLaurin, Town Administrator; and Janice K. Friedlund, County Director of Administrative Services

Discovery After School Club—Central Point, Oregon, and Phillip M. Messina, City Administrator

Miami Valley Risk Management Association—Wyoming, Ohio, and Robert W. Harrison, City Manager; Kettering, Ohio, and Steven C. Husemann, City Manager; and West Carrollton, Ohio, and G. Tracy Williams, City Manager

Oelwein Enrichment Center—Oelwein, Iowa, and Steven H. Kendall, City Administrator

Parker/Castle Rock Joint Sales Tax Collection, and Parker, Colorado, and Aden E. Hogan, Jr., Town Administrator; and Castle Rock, Colorado, and Mark C. Stevens, Town Manager

Public Sector Cooperative-Staff Development Task Force—Kearney, Nebraska, and G. Allen Johnson, City Manager

Schertz-Sequin Local Government Corporation—Seguin, Texas, and Jack S. Hamlett, City Manager

State Route 179 Process—Sedona, Arizona, and Eric J. Levitt, City Manager

U.S. 202 Section 400 Transportation Coordination Improvement—Upper Merion Township, Pennsylvania, and Ronald G. Wegenmann, Township Manager; and Tredyffrin, Pennsylvania, and Joseph A. Janasik, Township Manager

Windsor/Severance Cooperative Planning Area IGA—Windsor, Colorado, and Roderick L. Wensing, Town Manager

Program Excellence Award for Outstanding Partnerships: Intergovernmental Cooperation (populations greater than 50,000)

Savannah Impact Program—Savannah, Georgia, and Michael B. Brown, City Manager

Other Nominated Programs:Alternative to Food Stamp EBT—Clark

County, Nevada, and Thomas F. Reilly, County Manager

Fire Consolidation—Reno, Nevada, and Charles E. McNeely, City Manager

Five Main Street Groups from Lorain County—Lorain County, Ohio, and James R. Cordes, County Administrator; and Oberlin, Ohio, and Robert G. DiSpirito, Jr., City Manager

Foodsmart—Whittlesea, Australia, and Graeme W. Brennan, Chief Executive Officer

Hospital Campus—Visalia, California, and Steven M. Solomon, City Manager

K.I. Sawyer Air Force Base Reuse—Marquette County, Michigan, and Steven D. Powers, County Administrator

Olathe Youth Services—Olathe, Kansas, and Susan Sherman, Assistant City Manager

Partnership for Educational Success—Wake County, North Carolina, and David C. Cooke, County Manager; and Joseph K. Durham, Deputy County Manager

Public Safety Regional Training Center—Reno, Nevada, and Charles E. McNeely, City Manager

Regional Approach to Fire and EMS—Roanoke, Virginia, and Darlene L. Burcham, City Manager

Volunteer Instructors Teaching Americana and English Language (VITAL)—Mission Viejo, California, and Dennis M. Wilberg, City Manager

Water and Sewer Mergers—Wake County, North Carolina, and David C. Cooke, County Manager

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Program Excellence Award for Outstanding Partnerships: Public-Private Partnerships (populations 10,000–49,999)

Fairfield Village Green—Fairfield, Ohio, and Arthur E. Pizzano, City Manager

Other Nominated Programs:Ag-Renu Company Leaf Collection—

Troy, Ohio, and David E. Anderson, Director of Public Service and Safety

Business & Education Alliance—Oak Park, Michigan, and James D. Hock, City Manager

Cantera Development—Warrenville, Illinois, and John M. Coakley, City Administrator

Lowes Landfill/Soccer Field Solution—Southern Pines, North Carolina, and Kyle R. Sonnenberg, Town Manager

Nature Preserve—Mequon, Wisconsin, and Lee Szymborski, City Administrator

Program Excellence Award for Outstanding Partnerships: Public-Private Partnerships (populations greater than 50,000)

Etnies Skatepark—Lake Forest, California, and Robert C. Dunek, City Manager

Other Nominated Programs:Anaheim Achieves: After School

Program—Anaheim, California, and David M. Morgan, City Manager

Animal Resource Center—San Antonio, Texas, and Terry M. Brechtel, City Manager

Beach Housing Renaissance—Delray Beach, Florida, and David T. Harden, City Manager

Hot Zone—Long Beach, California, and Gerald R. Miller, City Manager

Neighborhood Services Department/Realtors Partnership—Phoenix, Arizona, and Marsha A. Wallace, Deputy City Manager

Open Space Program—Wake County, North Carolina, and David C. Cooke, County Manager

Rattlesnake Mountain Skate Park—Reno, Nevada, and Charles E. McNeely, City Manager

Trend Homes Subdivision—Phoenix, Arizona, and Frank A. Fairbanks, City Manager

Sunnyslope Commercial Redevelopment—Phoenix, Arizona, and Frank A. Fairbanks, City Manager

4

Established in honor of former ICMA Executive Director Mark E. Keane, the Award for Career Excellence recognizes an outstanding local government administrator who has fostered representative democracy by enhancing the effectiveness of local government offi cials and by consistently initiating creative and successful pro-grams. Candidates must have a minimum of ten years of execu-tive, senior-level service to the profession. This year, ICMA presents the Mark E. Keane Award to Jennifer D. Sparacino, city manager of Santa Clara, California.

As city manager of Santa Clara, California (pop. 105,800), since 1987, Jennifer Sparacino has led the city through a crucial period of growth and discovery. Under her manage-ment, the city’s population increased by more than 16,000; its budget grew from $258.5 million to $442.2 million; and the city invested $1.25 billion in capital projects designed to improve the city’s infrastructure and quality of life. Under Ms. Sparacino’s ten-ure, Santa Clara is now a recognized leader in municipal government.

Santa Clara is a full-service city with a wide span of municipal, plan-ning, and community services; nearly 450 acres of parks and open space; busy libraries; recreational programs and facilities; 247 miles of streets; three utilities; and a city-owned convention center. The city’s diverse population, many members of whom are professionals in Silicon Valley’s high-tech industry, demands a munic-ipal government as innovative, pro-ductive, and service-oriented as the corporations that defi ne the area.

Ms. Sparacino has created an environment conducive to positive, collaborative relationships among elected offi cials, city staff, and the community. In 1999, when 300 acres of a former state facility were made available for development, many community residents held strong and opposing views on how the property

should be used. Ms. Sparacino over-saw an extensive and open public participation process to help the community reach consensus. What was once a blighted area now houses the corporate headquarters of Sun Microsystems; restored historical buildings that are available for public use; a carefully preserved open space and wildlife habitat; day care facili-ties; shelter for homeless families; housing for seniors and low-income residents; and Rivermark, a new neighborhood that will include 3,000 single- and multifamily homes, a commercial center with a full-service supermarket, a hotel, a new school, a fi re station, a library, and a park. In 2001, because of its successful reso-lution of community issues through the collaborative efforts of govern-ment, local businesses, schools, and nonprofi t organizations, the National Civic League named Santa Clara an “All-America City.”

The city of Santa Clara owns and operates its electric, water, and waste-water utilities and maintains the low-est combined utility rates in the nine Bay Area counties. When deregula-tion of California’s electric market in 1996 caused major fi nancial upheav-als for investor-owned and municipal utilities, Ms. Sparacino’s prudent and strategic approach allowed the city’s electric utility to grow and prosper. It was the only California munici-

pal utility recently evaluated by Fitch Ratings to receive a “positive” (as opposed to “stable”) business outlook, and its innovative and suc-cessful programs have won awards from such organizations as the American Public Power Association and the California Municipal Utilities Association.

Ms. Sparacino has been instru-mental in bringing together elected offi cials, community representatives, and staff to develop a code of ethics that provides guidelines and strate-gies for addressing the ethical ques-tions that arise daily in municipal government. The city’s ethics pro-gram won Santa Clara the prestigious Helen Putnam Award for Excellence from the League of California Cities.

Perhaps Ms. Sparacino’s most enduring legacy to the community is her commitment to affordable hous-ing in one of the nation’s most expen-sive housing markets. As executive director of the city’s Redevelopment Agency, she has spent or committed more than $73 million for below-mar-ket new homes, fi rst-time home-buyer loans, rehabilitation loans for exist-ing properties, residences for seniors and the disabled, assisted living and dementia care homes, transitional housing for homeless families, and shelters for homeless teens and bat-tered women. The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Renewal ranked Santa Clara “#1 in California” and “#2 in the Nation” for its perfor-mance under the Home Investment Partnership Act Program.

Throughout her 26-year career in municipal government, Jennifer Sparacino has effectively met and sur-passed the challenges of a growing, changing community while exempli-fying personal integrity and creativity. She is clearly a shining example for others in public service.

Award for Career Excellence

in Honor of Mark E. Keane

Jennifer D. Sparacino

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ICMA’s Outstanding Manager of the Year Award recognizes a local government administrator who has initiated and implemented cre-ative, innovative projects and programs in the management of his or her community, regardless of his or her cumulative tenure. Craig T. Malin, city administrator, Davenport, Iowa, is the 2004 recipient of this award.

As the nation’s economic expansion wound down in 2001, Davenport, Iowa (pop. 98,359) struggled against 20 years of population decline and economic stagnation. At that time, Craig Malin was hired as the new city administrator, and the state had just approved the city’s Vision Iowa appli-cation for the $113 million downtown “River Renaissance” redevelopment plan. With city government perceived as closed to public input, many con-sidered the required 60 percent public vote a lost cause. Mr. Malin led a bal-anced public information campaign that moved government beyond responsiveness to inclusion. The ref-erendum won with 73 percent, and Davenport became Iowa’s only city to hold a successful Vision Iowa vote.

This open approach to govern-ment held sway in other crucial city projects as well. In a land planning controversy he inherited upon his arrival, Mr. Malin fi rst listened—both to the development community and to those who opposed implementa-tion of the sprawl-oriented plan—and then helped launch a detail-rich and transparent planning process. Through several community meet-ings, residents viewed concepts of the many development outcomes, voted for their preferences, and even drew up their own plans for the 630-acre area. A citywide survey was also con-ducted to include those who could not attend the meetings.

This ability to fi nd consensus among formerly contentious voices

has served Davenport well. With residents working through issues col-laboratively, the city is updating its comprehensive plan for the fi rst time in 27 years. Davenport also joined with Rock Island, Illinois, its sister city across the Mississippi River, to launch the “RiverVision,” a riverfront redevelopment planning process unmatched in bi-state waterfront scope anywhere in the nation. And the downtown that had languished for decades is now enjoying a renais-sance. Davenport is leveraging nearly $400 million in new investment with construction of the fi rst downtown offi ce tower in 20 years; renovation of America’s fourth-oldest active profes-sional ballpark; the opening of the American Roots Music Museum and a world-class art museum; development of a “New Ventures” business incuba-tor; and conversion of vacant indus-trial space into loft residences.

Mr. Malin’s leadership philosophy is rooted in making city government “open, agile, and purposeful.” To promote an open government, he led a training session for city staff, expos-ing them to different public engage-ment techniques. He then entrusted his managers to select the technique most suitable for each situation and make soliciting citizen input the foun-dation for city policy.

Mr. Malin also conducted a train-ing series on “agility theory,” a mili-tary concept designed to facilitate a swift response to changing conditions at every level. This approach resulted

in improved service levels despite a nearly 10 percent reduction in work-force, and a 12 percent increase in citizen satisfaction with city services.

His third strategic goal for city governance—to be “purposeful”—meant aligning actions, both symbolic and substantive, with visions and goals. Through a performance man-agement restructuring, membership in ICMA’s Center for Performance Measurement, newly crafted 360-degree evaluations, and partnerships with union leaders and the private sector, Davenport has become the most effi ciently managed large city in Iowa. The city has the second-lowest tax rate of any comparable city, even with capital improvements continuing at twice the historic rate due to long-deferred infrastructure maintenance.

These days, each new success in Davenport brings higher expectations. While state actions and market con-ditions in 2003 cost the city budget several million dollars, necessitating position reductions and belt tighten-ing, Mr. Malin remained a steadying and guiding force. He forsook time off to ensure that the momentum Davenport achieved would not be lost amid the fi nancial turmoil and gave his unused vacation days to depart-ment heads as compensation for deferred management bonuses. He then made sure that every employee received a wage increase before he did. When another city offered to hire him at a substantial pay raise, he declined, reaffi rming his commitment to Davenport.

Craig Malin’s leadership, energy, professional skill, and unselfi sh com-mitment have enabled him to lead the transformation of a previously stag-nant city into one of the most resur-gent communities in the Midwest.

Outstanding Manager of the Year

Award

Craig T. Malin ICMA’s Outstanding Manager of the Year Award recognizes a local

6

Each year, ICMA presents the Award for Career Development to a corporate member who has made a signifi cant contribution to the development of new talent in professional local government management. The award commemorates former ICMA presi-dent L. P. (Perry) Cookingham, who is credited with creating the local government internship. This year, ICMA presents the Career Development Award to Michael A. Conduff, city manager of Denton, Texas.

Michael A. Conduff learned early in his career that mentoring is an impor-tant part of professional local govern-ment management. At age 27, he was appointed city manager of Pittsburg, Kansas, where he met Buford Watson, city manager of Lawrence, Kansas, and president of ICMA. From this legend of the profession, Mr. Conduff reaped the benefi ts of a quiet men-toring approach that encourages and protects young professionals. By the time he became city manager of Manhattan, Kansas, Mr. Conduff had had the opportunity to serve as mentor himself, encouraging his staff to seek outside educational experi-ences and to grow as professionals by accepting new challenges and learn-ing from their successes and failures.

Among those who benefi ted from Mr. Conduff’s guidance was Ron Fehr, assistant director of parks and recreation. According to Mr. Fehr, who is now the city manager of Manhattan, Kansas, Mr. Conduff “was a wonderful sounding board when I was completing my master of public administration degree, and his leader-ship helped me grow into a more competent manager.”

Chad Nehring, city manager of Center, Texas, worked for Mike Conduff in Bryan, Texas, for almost two years: “Mike was and still remains a signifi cant infl uence on my career . . . . [He] helped me learn a valuable lesson that I use every

day at work: one of our primary jobs is to develop the talent around you without impeding their career growth.” While in Bryan, Mr. Conduff revamped an internship program to give undergraduate and graduate stu-dents an opportunity to experience a municipal work environment. “Mike was also very comfortable letting employees take some chances and develop ideas on their own,” reports Mr. Nehring. “If the decision led to problematic situations, the criticism was always constructive, positive and geared toward corrective action.”

Mr. Conduff continues his legacy of professional development in his current position as city manager of Denton, a rapidly growing commu-nity of 95,000 in the dynamic North Texas corridor. He actively encourages employees to participate in award-winning in-house training opportu-nities and to seek outside training when appropriate. He also provides an open-door policy and continuous opportunity for the two young profes-sionals in his offi ce.

While president of the Texas City Management Association, Mr. Conduff traveled often and his cal-endar was always full. Yet he took time to have lunch with his young professionals, challenging them with various projects and research assign-ments and allowing them the freedom to work out a solution. Inherent in his mentoring is a desire to empower

young professionals and mid-career managers to a higher level through responsibility and accountability. His staffi ng history shows a dedication to professional development by fostering the growth and skill development of new people into the municipal work-force.

A graduate of the 1988 Leadership Kansas Class, Mr. Conduff is active in a number of professional and civic organizations, including the International Policy Governance® Association and the Texas City Management Association, of which he currently serves as past state president. He is also a member of Who’s Who Worldwide and a fully credentialed member of ICMA. In addition, Mr. Conduff has published several books and numerous articles in national publications on topics as diverse as neighborhood empower-ment and citizen linkages in the governance process; he is a frequent speaker at professional and civic events; and he is a consultant to organizations that want to improve their governance and management systems.

Mr. Conduff has been recognized with numerous state and national awards throughout his career, includ-ing the 1992 Intergovernmental Distinguished Service Award from the Intergovernmental Cooperative Group. He was one of the fi rst individuals to receive the ICMA Credentialed Manager designation and was elected to the ICMA Executive Board this year. Most important, however, is Mr. Conduff’s legacy of professional development. As he has said, “People who give of their time and energy to serve on a city council or other board are doing their level best to make a difference. My passion is to provide the leadership to give them the tools and insights necessary to be successful.”

Award for Career Development in

Memory of L. P. Cookingham

Michael A. Conduff Each year, ICMA presents the Award for Career Development to

7

ICMA’s In-Service Training Award is presented to the administra-tor or administrators who have developed and implemented highly effective in-service training programs for local government employ-ees. The award was established in memory of Clarence E. Ridley, a pioneer in the fi eld of local government management. This year, ICMA presents the award to Thomas E. Hart, city manager of Grand Prairie, Texas.

“To make a great dream come true, fi rst you must have a great dream.” Tom Hart uses this quote frequently. His dream was to create an organi-zation that makes raving fans of its customers, and so when he arrived in Grand Prairie, Texas (pop. 135,000) in 1999, Mr. Hart created a customer service training series. This series, called Raving Fans, evolved into the city’s mission statement: “To Create Raving Fans by Delivering World Class Service.”

Mr. Hart presented his pro-gram in a full-day training session, attended by all employees. Through case studies, empowerment, recogni-tion, example, and common sense, he taught employees how to deliver world-class service and make custom-ers feel special enough to become raving fans of the city. To reinforce this philosophy, he held follow-up training and added the city’s mission statement to all city materials, elec-tronic and print. He also instituted a recognition program enabling employ-ees and citizens to say thanks and provide feedback.

To put so much energy into making customers feel valued, city employees must feel valued as well, so Mr. Hart helped inaugurate a series of events to reward employees and celebrate their success. He also established an orientation program to welcome new city employees into the city family, introduce them to the Raving Fans philosophy, educate

them about the broad array of city services, and provide a good founda-tion for happy, knowledgeable, long-term employees. The former two-hour orientation was replaced with almost two days of information, trade shows, games, a bus tour with stops at the various departments and outlying offi ces, and lunch paid for by the city, where Mr. Hart meets all new employees.

In 2002, Mr. Hart created the Citywide Assessment Program (CWAP). Directors are divided into teams and assigned specifi c areas of town. Each team immerses itself in its own area, driving down every street at different times of day and night, walking through every city facility, and talking to the people who live and work there. Among other things, CWAP teams have discovered a major illegal dump site, alerted the electric company to a dangerously leaning electric pole, and installed a new sidewalk near a school where kids had to walk in the street. The insight and information gained during the CWAP has helped directors see things from a different perspective and get to know areas of town that many have never seen.

After four years as city manager, Mr. Hart realized that most of his experienced managers would soon retire. As those who remained had been promoted because of their job performance rather than their man-agement skills, Mr. Hart sought to

hone those skills and teach them the fi ner points of city policies and leadership. To this end, he worked with human resources and market-ing to establish the Grand Prairie Management Academy. The 12-month academy, which began in April 2003, features three half-day classes each month on various management train-ing topics, including leadership, governance and the city council, deal-ing with people, teamwork, employ-ment law, personnel recruitment and hiring, performance management, information technology, and personal health and wellness.

What makes all this work is teamwork, and Mr. Hart loves build-ing teams. In his fi rst year as city manager, he took his directors to a ropes course to get to know his staff, develop the team, promote trust, and work on future goals. Other team-building activities have included an overnight camping trip, Christmas dinners with the city council, outdoor goal-setting workshops, and monthly card games—events that enable direc-tors to interact socially and thereby build a stronger team.

Mr. Hart’s efforts have paid off handsomely. The City-County Communications and Marketing Association has recognized the Raving Fans and New Employee Orientation (NEO) programs with awards, and the Innovations Group plans to highlight the Grand Prairie Management Academy at its annual conference. Directors look forward to the next annual retreat, and when space allows, tenured employees sign up for the NEO bus tour. Best of all, thanks to City Manager Tom Hart, there is now a new, empowered, fes-tive, creative culture among Grand Prairie employees and residents.

In-Service Training Award in Memory of

Clarence E. Ridley

Thomas E. HartICMA’s In-Service Training Award is presented to the administra-

8

ICMA’s International Award, established in memory of Orin F. Nolting, recognizes a local government and its chief administrator for furthering the cause of international understanding and coop-eration by successfully adopting a program from another country; becoming actively involved in exchanges, sister-city activities, or educational/cultural activities with another country; or establish-ing a relationship with a local government from another country that resulted in innovative, concrete management improvements. The recipient of this year’s award is Bernardo Garcia, assistant county administrator of Hillsborough County, Florida.

En route from Tampa to Denver for the 1997 American Public Works Association (APWA) Congress, Bernardo Garcia refl ected with sat-isfaction on the special opportunity that his upcoming meetings with representatives of the Asociación de Municipios de México (AMMAC) pre-sented. As director of public works for Hillsborough County, Florida (pop. 1 million), he was excited about the possibility of establishing the fi rst public works information exchange program with Mexico.

Because AMMAC and APWA have much in common in both their mem-bership and goals, Mr. Garcia devel-oped a written agreement through which the two organizations would share technical knowledge and public agency management practices. He then traveled to Mexico to learn more about public infrastructure in that country, as well as about the critical funding and institutional issues facing Mexican municipal, state, and federal governments.

In 2000, the leadership of the Institute of Transportation Engineers asked Mr. Garcia to participate in identifying technical publications for translation into Spanish. At Mr. Garcia’s recommendation, the effort was expanded to include documents on best management practices to famil-

iarize public works managers in Mexico with leadership skills prac-ticed in North America. Mr. Garcia visited Monterrey, Mexico, to meet with public works leaders, private sector professionals, university deans, and engineering students, all of whom were committed to molding the future leaders of Mexico and who would benefi t greatly from these spe-cialized materials.

Over the next two years, Mr. Garcia visited San Luis Potosí on behalf of ICMA’s International Resource Cities Program (now the City Links Program) for a weeklong series of meetings, assessments, and presentations. He also hosted Mayor Hugo Fernández Bernal of Córdoba, Veracruz, who vis-ited Hillsborough County to observe its management processes and public works operations.

In November 2002, his efforts paid off as Hillsborough County hosted the fi rst conference in Mr. Garcia’s International Public Works Exchange Series. Eight government leaders from the states of Veracruz, Mexico, and Baja, California, attended, along with administrators from the University of Veracruz. The weeklong program included semi-nars on all aspects of public works management and operations, as well as tours of key public works facili-

ties. At its conclusion, the president of the university asked Mr. Garcia to bring 12 professionals of his choice to Veracruz for a second conference.

The second Exchange Series conference, held at the University of Veracruz in October 2003, accom-plished two primary goals: (1) to provide curricula that would comple-ment the university’s master of public administration requirements by presenting specifi c public works topics and (2) to create a network that identifi es university resources for conducting research and developing training programs; offers continu-ing education at both the technical and postgraduate levels for public servants in Veracruz on planning and managing sustainable growth within the state; and helps the university enhance interdisciplinary commu-nication among professors, admin-istrators, and students, particularly in architecture, engineering, public administration, tourism, marketing, and environmental sciences.

Promoted to assistant county administrator for community services in July 2003, Mr. Garcia now oversees the planning, budgeting, and opera-tions of eight county departments—in all, more than 3,000 employees. In December 2003, at Mr. Garcia’s urging, the University of South Florida and Hillsborough County initiated a work-study program for undergraduate Mexican students in civil engineering. In 2004, Mr. Garcia will meet with uni-versity presidents in Ciudad to further expand this program.

Mr. Garcia has promoted excel-lence in public works management at an international level, building a strong relationship with educators and government managers in Mexico, and encouraging the next genera-tion of public works professionals to achieve levels of excellence in city administration and governance.

International Award in Memory of

Orin F. Nolting

Bernardo Garcia

9

ICMA’s Assistant Excellence in Leadership Award, which com-memorates former ICMA president Buford M. Watson, Jr., is pre-sented to a local government management professional who has made signifi cant contributions toward excellence in leadership while serving as an assistant to a chief local government admin-istrator or department head. This year’s recipient of the Assistant Excellence in Leadership Award is Charles P. (Chip) Boyles II, assistant city administrator of Clemson, South Carolina.

Chip Boyles chose his career path while attending the University of South Carolina. After three years as a state senator’s aide and two more as a community and economic develop-ment specialist for the South Carolina Lowcountry Council of Governments, he was appointed city manager of Hardeville, South Carolina, a small community in which a city manager must wear several hats. There he suc-cessfully developed a budget process that strengthened the town’s fi nancial position, enabling it to implement important capital projects, including a water/sewer capital improvement plan.

In 1995 Mr. Boyles was hired as city manager of Taneytown, Maryland, where he helped create a municipal partnership that negotiated a cross-jurisdictional cable franchise agreement benefi ting 35,000 sub-scribers. He was also instrumental in achieving a long-sought sewer line upgrade and construction of a new wastewater treatment plant, result-ing in the Maryland Rural Water Association naming him the “1998 Decision Maker of the Year.”

In 2000, Mr. Boyles was hired as Clemson’s assistant city administra-tor, and his fi rst project was to man-age the restoration and renovation of the historic railroad depot with the Clemson Area Chamber of Commerce as the building’s new tenant. This project won the 2002 South Carolina

Honor Award from the Palmetto Trust for Historic Preservation, the S.C. Department of Archives and History, and the Governor’s Offi ce.

Concurrently, Clemson was con-sidering ways to expand education opportunities for young adults, and local offi cials believed that extend-ing transportation beyond the city limits would benefi t not just students but all residents. Mr. Boyles helped structure an “inclusive partnership” among four cities, one county, and four universities to produce the 30-mile-long 4U Transit route that con-nects the four schools, several large employers, and shopping and medical offi ces. The project received ICMA’s 2003 Program Excellence Award for Intergovernmental Cooperation.

While Clemson’s 2002 budget process was under way, the city’s horizontal brush grinder was near-ing the end of its useful life. Mr. Boyles created a partnership that included the heavily forested cities of Pendleton and Central to purchase a new, larger grinder that allows one operator to grind brush for all three communities. Now, more than 24,000 cubic yards of brush are collected and ground annually at a lower cost for each community, while creating more than 5,000 cubic yards of mulch free for taxpayers’ use.

Around the same time, the city funded the design and construc-tion of a 250-space parking deck to

encourage new private investment in the downtown area. The proj-ect involved multiple land swaps with private owners and churches, broad public input to determine the external appearance of the facility, and the design of a future fi ve-story mixed-use building connected to it by an over-street walkway. Opened December 2003, the parking deck gives merchants a tool for marketing downtown Clemson while the public investment spawned signifi cant pri-vate investment in the construction of new retail buildings along the area’s main shopping corridor. This renova-tion is the fi nal phase of a four-part project under Mr. Boyles’s supervi-sion to relocate overhead utility lines, construct on-street parking, add bike lanes, reconstruct sidewalks with brick paving materials, and landscape the entire area.

In reviewing Mr. Boyle’s accom-plishments, four important facts must be noted. First, the city has not condemned a single property on any of these initiatives—a testament to his ability to work with people and obtain buy-in on a project. Second, each project has been accomplished within budget and in a timely man-ner. Third, public response to the fi n-ished products has been outstanding. Finally, the projects and programs were managed in a manner that refl ects the commitment to quality that the city council demands.

Chip Boyles is quick to acknowl-edge the role teamwork and outside help play in the success of his pro-grams and projects. But his inclu-siveness, leadership by example, commitment to public service, and great sense of humor have earned him a reputation in Clemson as an example of excellence in professional management

Assistant Excellence in Leadership Award

in Memory of Buford M. Watson, Jr.

Charles P. Boyles II

10

ICMA’s Workplace Diversity Professional Development Award is presented to an administrator who has designed outstanding career development programs, policies, or practices specifi cally to assist minorities and women in local government. This year, ICMA presents the award to Ed Beasley, city manager of Glendale, Arizona.

Glendale, Arizona (pop. 225,000), is an impressive example of diversity in action. Under the leadership of City Manager Edward Beasley, the city has taken signifi cant steps to ensure that a diversity of culture exists through-out the entire organization and that opportunities are available for all.

In 1996, Glendale was the fi rst city in Arizona to formalize its efforts to create a diversity committee to promote multicultural initiatives. Two years later, the city took a bold step to internally examine business and hiring practices through an extensive cultural audit. With the help of a pri-vate consultant, Glendale conducted a two-phase assessment that ques-tioned employees on what they liked and did not like about the organiza-tion. In accordance with recommen-dations from the consultant’s report, citywide recruitment procedures were changed, requiring interview panels to have diverse representation, and a new employee development program was put into place.

The results of the audit became the basis for a road map that Mr. Beasley used to direct his vision of diversity in the organization. Glendale’s diversity initiatives are not knee-jerk reactions on the part of management to an internal problem; instead, they enjoy the full support of employees and the city manager’s offi ce, both of which are committed to making Glendale the best organiza-tion possible.

One of the central recommen-dations of the audit was to cre-ate a work environment based on teamwork. To help bring this idea to fruition, Mr. Beasley called on the Glendale Diversity Committee. Representing all levels and areas of the organization, the committee strives to promote the benefi ts of a diverse workforce and to create an environment in which diversity is respected, encouraged, valued, and supported. Its foundation is the con-cept of “US,” which stands for our unique selves. The concept provides an innovative way for city employ-ees to explain diversity initiatives in Glendale: “Diversity is everything that makes US, and the city of Glendale is made up of all of US.” The committee has developed a number of strategies designed to further this message, and Mr. Beasley has provided a forum to openly and honestly discuss the city’s policies, procedures, and business practices as they relate to a diverse community.

Among its key initiatives, the committee has hosted several keynote speakers brought in from the com-munity to discuss their cultural and racial backgrounds. The monthly educational seminars feature top-ics such as “What Color Is Color,” a special program presented by moti-vational speaker and trainer Michael Horne. Other programs have included a Japanese-American cultural event, a discussion on understanding Islam,

and a special presentation of holiday traditions. The committee also helped the human resource department develop and implement diversity training citywide. Information about diversity-related initiatives has been made available on the city’s intranet, on public bulletin boards, in book discussion groups, and in a monthly newsletter.

Mr. Beasley has sought to extend the city’s diversity message through-out the community. Efforts are under way to encourage and support minor-ity-owned companies to conduct more business in Glendale, and the city is fostering partnerships with these companies to promote a better understanding of Glendale.

Most recently, Mr. Beasley created a Diversity Commission, a seven-person board to which he directly appoints members on the basis of their passion for diversity, their posi-tive attitudes, and their leadership abilities. The commission reviews human resource policies, city man-ager directives, and internal proce-dures with regard to diversity, and it serves as the enforcement arm of the diversity committee.

In just a few years, Glendale has made many advances in the area of diversity. For example, women and minorities in leadership positions have increased to 58 percent—a substantial feat, considering that just two years ago, fewer than 12 percent occupied these positions. Achievements like this have hap-pened because of Ed Beasley’s lead-ership and the contributions of city employees to ensure that diversity stands as one of the most valued con-cepts in Glendale.

Workplace Diversity Professional

Development Award

Edward BeasleyICMA’s Workplace Diversity Professional Development Award

11

ICMA’s Award for Programs for the Disadvantaged, established in memory of Carolyn Keane, recognizes a local government that has enhanced the quality of life for the disadvantaged, including homeless citizens and people with AIDS. This year, ICMA presents the award in the 10,000-to-49,999 category to the city of Apache Junction, Arizona, and City Manager George R. Hoffman for the Mikki’s House program.

According to the 2000 census, 31 percent of the homes in Apache Junction, Arizona (pop. 41,104) were built more than 25 years ago, and nearly 12 percent

of the city’s population is below the poverty level. Since 1982, Apache Junction had provided some hous-ing assistance through its housing rehabilitation program, but without a place for residents to meet and receive information, and without con-tinuous training opportunities, many homes remained dilapidated and many residents underserved.

In spring 2003, Mikki Frazier of the city’s development services department recognized the increasing need for rehabilitated housing for the city’s low- to moderate-income residents. Depart-ment employees, facing a long waiting list of homes in need of rehabilitation, worked feverishly to bring this num-ber down. Then, with the waiting list greatly reduced and the backing of the city manager, the department encour-aged the council and city staff to sup-port the rehabilitation of a vacant, city-owned house located within a mile of city hall. The entire community pitched in, and the result was Mikki’s House, where residents can receive home rehabilitation information, attend lec-tures, and practice their newly acquired home-maintenance skills.

The rehabilitation of this house has benefi ted the city and the com-munity in numerous ways:

• Increased public-private collabora-tion. In addition to using its Chamber of Commerce Main Street program, “Paint the Town,” to purchase paints at a discount to repair Mikki’s House, the city solicited contractors to provide all residents participating in the rehab program with air-conditioning fi lters and small fi re extinguishers.

• Increased use of community resources. Through a partner-ship with Pinal County’s Adult Probation Department, the city tapped into the county’s com-munity service requirements for the labor needed to paint Mikki’s House. This partnership could be used in the future to rehabilitate the homes of residents who are unable to do it themselves.

• Increased neighborhood aesthetic. In rehabilitating Mikki’s House, the city not only provided a new training center but also improved the overall appearance of the neighborhood.

• Increased participation in home rehabilitation projects. Through Mikki’s House and its rehabilita-tion projects, participation in home maintenance counseling has increased. More important, the house enables the city to pro-

vide a refuge away from city hall where “residents are able to retain their dignity and self-esteem when circumstances require that they accept city and federal hous-ing rehabilitation assistance.”

Thanks to the program’s success, the city now makes greater use of the house by “lending” it to local contrac-tors for seminars, to the city’s plan-ning and zoning employees for code compliance lectures, and to the city’s Neighborhood Partnership Team to educate residents on property main-tenance and other issues important to the mayor and council. By encourag-ing the local media, cable channel, and the city’s magazine, Cityscape, to promote the value of Mikki’s House to the community, the city also bol-sters community involvement in the housing rehabilitation project.

Finally, the project helps the city realize its goal of eventually funding a separate division or department of housing, rather than funding projects through the Arizona Department of Housing and the Community Development Block Grant program. The success of Mikki’s House has enabled Apache Junction to help many of its residents rather than resorting to the archaic and ineffi cient system of helping one resident at a time.

Award for Programs for the Disadvantaged

in Memory of Carolyn Keane

POPULATIONS OF 10,000 TO 49,999

GEORGE R. HOFFMAN

Apache Junction, Arizona

Mikki’s House residents receive home rehabilitation information.

12

ICMA presents the 2004 Award for Programs for the Disadvantaged in Memory of Carolyn Keane in the 50,000-and-greater category to Reno, Nevada, and City Manager Charles E. McNeely for the Homeless Evaluation Liaison Program (HELP).

Traditional polic-ing methods of increased enforce-ment and incar-ceration for misde-meanor vagrancy crimes were not solving the prob-lem of a chroni-

cally homeless population in Reno, Nevada (pop. 195,000). The approach only ameliorated the homeless prob-lem for the number of days the indi-vidual was incarcerated, amounting to an expensive attempt to address the issue with poor results.

In 1994, the city of Reno devel-oped the Homeless Evaluation Liaison Program (HELP), an alternative solu-tion that could cut the cost of incar-ceration to $75.00 per day as well as reduce the nearly 100 percent rate at which homeless individuals return to the street.

It has been determined that most homeless individuals suffer from mental health and/or alcohol prob-lems. These problems contribute to their disconnection from support systems and families, thus leaving them alone on the streets to deal with

debilitating circumstances, often with little or no hope. The goal of HELP is to assist the homeless in getting back to their families and the critical sup-port systems on which everyone in society depends.

HELP is a joint project of the Reno police department and the Washoe County sheriff’s department. Each agency has assigned one offi cer to the downtown HELP offi ce, which is located inside the Greyhound Bus terminal. Offi cers are equipped with mountain bikes to patrol areas where the homeless gather, such as along the river corridor, in parks, and in alleys. Upon encountering a homeless person, an offi cer can refer the indi-vidual to the HELP offi ce, where they are interviewed to determine what assistance is most needed and what resources can best provide that help. Some homeless people are referred to local programs such as shelters or alcohol rehabilitation centers; oth-ers are given job referrals. One-third of the individuals interviewed are reunited with family or friends once it has been verifi ed that there is sup-port available and a place to reside