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The Relativity of Innovation, Mind Over Matter

What I’m reading: Chuck Marohn’s new “Strong Towns-A bottom-up Revolution to Rebuild American Prosperity.” What I’m listening to: Go Cultivate’s latest podcast “Are we doing this right- Tiny Homes Edition.” What I’m watching: I haven’t watched TV in almost two years, but I am currently people-watching in Chattanooga, TN at the International Placemaking Week Conference...

The Importance of Sharing Disappointments

Today's Guest Blog is brought to you by Ann Marie Townshend, City Manager for Lewes, Delaware. Connect with Ann Marie on LinkedIn or Twitter. What I’m watching: NFL Football What I’m reading: Change Management: The People Side of Change by Jeffrey M. Hiatt and Timothy J. Creasey What I’m listening to: Call Sign Chaos by...

Podcast: Shared Services & Consolidation with Ed Henschel

Ed Henschel Author & Consultant Bio | LinkedIn Delivering services in a better, faster, and more efficient way. Author Ed Henschel joined the podcast to talk about his career in local government and his new book, which is a practical guide to municipal service consolidation. Ed describes the different types of consolidation and shared service...

Social Media and Your Co-Workers...

What I am listening to: The radio What I am watching: Frontier (Netflix) What I am looking forward to: Spring and summer! I’m spending the winter planning my National Park trips! Having friends at work is a factor in job satisfaction, productivity and can help alleviate stress because you have someone to talk with who...

A Tale of Three Open Government Cities

Source: Adapted from Open Data’s Impact Repository – odimpact.org Transparency and open governance have rapidly become the new ‘baseline criteria’ for best practices in our current tech-centered economy. Across the country, residents are increasingly reliant upon (and expectant of!) accessible and easy-to-understand sources of information about their community. And these expectations of ‘open governance’ are...

Set the Right Course

Today’s Buzz is by Clay Campbell, Administrative Supervisor for the Downers Grove Sanitary District. Connect on LinkedIn and Twitter! What I’m Reading: Kiplinger’s November Issue (it’s finance, y’all!) What I’m Watching: Living with Yourself feat. Paul Rudd on Netflix (dark comedy fo sure) What I’m Listening To: Pretty much anything by the Chainsmokers right now...

The Benefits and Risks of Cooperative Purchasing

In this series, Mariel Reed and Brian Alexander of CoProcure break down the ins and outs of public purchasing. Working in public procurement isn’t easy. According to a 2018 survey of state and local government purchasers, over 40% of procurement staff feel overworked. A county-level procurement administrator we interviewed summed up trends that have made procurement work...

Member Profile: Kate Parmelee

Kate Parmelee Strategic Initiatives Director at City of Port St. Lucie Twitter | LinkedIn If you had to live in a different city, what city would you choose? Sturgeon Bay, Wisconsin. I lived there as a child and it is where I have some of my happiest memories. We visited over the summer for the...

Member Profile: Diane Stoddard

Diane Stoddard Asst. City Manager, Lawrence, Kansas Twitter | LinkedIn | E-mail If you had to live in a different city, what city would you choose? Venice, Italy (because why not?!) Storytelling or innovation? Which is the most overused word in local government? I'm going with storytelling! What year would the most important in your...

I Have to Ask: Talking with the Community

In this series, guest columnists respond to one of three topics selected by ELGL co-founder Kent Wyatt. This week, Stephanie Taylor, Public Information Coordinator, Carlisle, Pennsylvania, writes about transparent communications. Read more from Stephanie: Channeling My Inner Leslie Knope. Being the first person to ever step into my role was probably one of the most...

City On Foot

Today’s Buzz is by Meredith Reynolds, Park Planning & Partnerships Manager for the City of Long Beach. Connect on LinkedIn, Instagram, and Twitter! What I’m Listening To: Almost (Sweet Music) and the Wasteland, Baby! Album by Hozier What I’m Reading: The Death and Life of Great American Cities by Jane Jacobs What I’m Watching: Lost...

Structure and Process

Today’s Morning Buzz is by Josh Edwards, so be kind or not– either way, connect with him on LinkedIn and Twitter!!! What does Structure have to do with Strategic Planning? What I’m Listening To: The Greatest Showman Soundtrack What I’m Reading: Fire Season, Philip Connors What I’m Watching: My two Undefeated teams lose… Sad times for Wake...

Podcast: Healthy Democracy with Linn Davis

Linn Davis Program Manager Healthy Democracy LinkedIn Tackling tough policy questions with citizens. Linn Davis from Healthy Democracy joined the podcast to talk about the work of Healthy Democracy and how they use citizen juries to inform decisions. He also shared how they have worked with local governments like Milwaukie, Oregon to engage citizens on...

Rewind: KCMO Management Fellowship Webinar

On October 17, 2019, Amie Young and Michael Gawlick, the 2019 Cookingham-Noll Management Fellows, presented a webinar on the KCMO fellowship experience. This full time, full salary, full benefits position lasts for two years and gives fellows the opportunity to learn about all aspects of local government in Kansas City, Missouri:

Is Your Website Accessible to Those With Disabilities? Should it be?

This guest blog is by ELGL member Matthew DiCianni. Want even more helpful information about creating accessible websites? Learn how to make your local government website and digital services accessible for all populations. On November 6, join Matthew and Luke Fretwell, CEO of ProudCity, to talk through this court decision, and then walk you through...

Mario Castles and Careers

Today’s Buzz is by Christian M. Williams @MyPublicTweeter I grew up in the 1990s and a popular video game on Nintendo during this time was Mario…it was a big part of my experience growing up as an only child. There are countless levels in Mario where the setting is a castle; on your journey (as...

Twenty Years Strong, the IAP2 Spectrum Goes Online

Brought to you by US Practice Lead, Amanda Nagl of Bang the Table. I have enjoyed the opportunity to work with Lewis Michaelson, President of Participation by Design, also one of a trio who created the International Association of Public Participation (IAP2) Spectrum for Public Participation. I recently asked Lewis to share with me the...

Members at #ICMA2019: Mitch Foster

ELGL is headed to Nashville for the International City/County Management Association (ICMA) conference, October 20 - 23, 2019! We have some members joining us for the conference. Here's what our members are most looking forward to at the conference! Mitch Foster City Manager, City of Ludington Twitter Is this even a real question? What am...

2019 Haverford Nomination Form

It's here! The nomination period for the #ELGLHaverford award is now open. Make your nomination for the 2019 award! Nominations due by midnight on November 8, 2019. More information: About the Haverford award Haverford award FAQs 2019 nominee list The ELGL Haverford Award celebrates the top companies that work with local government. We often say...

Members at #ICMA2019: Shawn Bell

ELGL is headed to Nashville for the International City/County Management Association (ICMA) conference, October 20 - 23, 2019! We have some members joining us for the conference. Here's what our members are most looking forward to at the conference! Shawn Bell City Administrator at City of Fountain Inn LinkedIn | Twitter | Facebook | Instagram...