Who doesn’t love a good ol’ fashioned performance review? ELGL loves them so much that we’re embarking on a “360 Review of Local Government.” We’re going to evaluate every single inch of the local government arena by talking to ourselves (a.k.a: other local government professionals), tech companies, journalists, professors, and anyone else who hasn’t blocked our email address.
Matthew Zeke Jackson is currently the village administrator in the Village of Sister Bay, WI. Previously, he was the town manager in Exmore, Virginia and Fremont, NC. ELGL member Jim Healy connected ELGL to Zeke so blame him if this article doesn’t meet your expectations.
Evaluator
What I’m Listening to: “Take Back the Night” by Justin Timberlake
What I’m Reading: Graduate textbooks on diversity management
What I’m Watching: The price of oil/the economy
What I’m Doing: Working
What I’m Proud of: My community
What I’m Thinking: How can I get all this done
What I’m Afraid of: Not getting it all done
What I’m Missing: Competent younger staff members with DRIVE
What I Want to Know From You: How this will help?
Evaluation
Best part of working in the local government arena. Most frustrating?
Making a difference is the biggest benefit; frustration comes when people do not understand what you’re trying to do.
Grade the current state of local government.
I would grade it a “D.”
Give us three areas in which local government is succeeding.
- Sanitation
- Water
- Sanitary service
Give us three areas in which local government needs improvement.
- Economic development
- Education
- Providing opportunity for young people
For local government, was there any good that came from the Great Recession?
American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009
Evaluate whether local government is prepared for the ongoing wave of retirements. What could it do to prepare?
No. We need additional entry level positions so that more young people can cut their teeth in local government.
In your opinion, does local government have a lack of diversity in its workforce? No
“Innovation” is a trendy word and thrown around a lot in local government. What examples would you point to as government innovation?
Color coding buildings in a utility plant
Evaluate local government’s willingness to embrace new technologies.
Varies by jurisdiction and financial resources
Wave a magic wand – what three wishes would you grant local government?
Local autonomy. Say it 3 times.
What question(s) should we ask the next person that completes this questionnaire? How line level pay impacts performance?
Previous Evaluations
- Andrew Coulson, Australia
- Kevin Knutson, Management Partners
- Anthony Toppi, ONEin3 Council Member
- Mattie Sue Stevens, City and County of Durham, NC
- Mitch Foster, Village of Kingsley, MI
- Josh Dukelow, Fox Cities Chamber of Commerce
- Ashleigh Weeden, SWEA
- Lee Jay Feldman, Southern Maine Planning and Development Commission
- Carlos Moreno, Code for Tulsa
- Andrew Opalewski, City of Troy, MI
- Shawn Ahmadi, Socrata
- Ryan Mannion, SeeClickFix
- Matt Huffaker, City of Walnut Creek, CA
- Katie Babits, City of Veneta, OR
- Chad Doran, City of Appleton, WI
- Dave Kanner, City of Ashland, OR