As part of a grueling ELGL initiation process, new members are asked to complete our version of the Wonderlic test. It’s an open book test and participants do not have to use a dull number 2 pencil to fill in tiny circles.
Abby Farber (LinkedIn) relocated recently from the New York and New Jersey to West Linn, Oregon. For the last three years, Abby has been consulting to nonprofits and small businesses on financial management, accounting systems, and grant writing.
I feel….
exhilarated to me moving to Oregon and happy to continue and expand my consulting practice.
I joined ELGL because…..
I want to meet others from across the country who are dedicated to public service.
The last book that I read was…
Wolf Hall by Hilary Mantel
If I had to buy a Fathead, I would buy…
Tardis.
You should probably know that I….
was a professional stage manager. “Places, everyone!”
Do you agree/disagree with the following statement(s)……Explain….
Local government is innovative.
Sometimes. It certainly has the potential to be so – with the right people on board and the right spirit in the community.
You should stay at least two years in a job.
Not necessarily – if the job is absolutely awful – look carefully at why you think it’s awful – and if it or you can’t change – move on in a professional way. Don’t burn bridges behind you. The world of public service is way too small and we have long memories.
Parks and Rec is the best TV show ever.
Weeeeel, Doctor Who and Monty Python’s Flying Circus are my favorites, but Parks and Rec agave me a good laugh.
The best employees, not just the longest tenured, are rewarded in local government.
Again, depends on the local government and how it is run.
Publicly funded stadiums and arenas are a good idea.
Sometimes yes, sometimes no.
For some cities they’ve turned into big money pits that don’t benefit the city. For others they’ve revitalized areas and attracted more people to live and work there. Brooklyn New York and the Atlantic Yards are a great example of a project done right. And sometimes a “loser” can turn around. The Javits Center in NYC (Manhattan) was thought to be too far away, but now a community is growing around the far west side. These projects are not cure-alls and have to be carefully studied to determine what the long-term costs and value would be.
Cities need more bike lanes.
Yes – carefully planned so as to ensure pedestrian/biker/driver safety. Portland is a wonderful model of a bike-friendly city.