VLGMA November eNews - ICMA November 2014.pdf · VLGMA November eNews ... Tim Fitzgerald When a friend, colleague, ... "April is the cruelest month." For most students, November is

Brenda Garton

VLGMA November eNewsSupporting local government managersbuilding great communities throughinclusion, innovation and leadership

In This IssueBrenda's Bytes

Tedd's Take

Certificate News

Certified Public Manager Program(CPM)

VLGMA Mourns the Loss of One of Their Own -‐ Mac McReynolds

A DAO in the Life

Innovation Edge

Mel's Poetry Corner

P3 Leadership Workshop Schedule

Free Webinar...Before You Say "Yes" to Serving on the Board Know What isExpected!

Calendar of Upcoming Events

Save the DateBrenda's Bytes

Brenda's Bytes

Shock. That's the best one-‐word descriptor of what wehave all been feeling since learning of the untimely deathof our friend and colleague James O. "Mac" McReynolds,York County Administrator. While I had an article ready to go for this month'snewsletter, this unsettling event made me step back andthink about his life and my life, and I expect that itelicited a similar response in all of you. I have certainly not known Mac as well or as long as

some of you, but based on what I knew, he was a very competent and capableleader in York County. He was certainly admired and respected by his colleaguesand his board. Once you get past the shock, the most common comment I read inthe emails following his passing said that he loved his family. I heard a memberof his Board at a regional meeting describe Mac as being loved by everyone andalways looking out for his staff. On a personal level, I certainly saw his kindness,his dedication to his community, his quiet wit, his sweet, slightly mischievoussmile, and all of those personal characteristics which created an overallimpression of Mac as a really nice human being. But, what did it also make you think about when you learned of the untimelypassing of our 59 year young colleague? It was a personal wake-‐up call for me.

When was the last time I had a complete physical? Am I paying enough attentionto my health? Am I eating correctly? I need to exercise. I need to make the mostof each day. Am I leading a balanced life? I need to spend more time with myloved ones. We need a better succession plan at work. I am reading a book entitled Overwhelmed: work, love and play when no onehas the time. Essentially, it's about how overwhelmed we all are, on a continuousbasis, with detail, work, demands, responsibilities, appointments, and meetings -‐-‐all exacerbated by constant contact with our "smart" phones (which may bemaking us dumb). The constant bombardment of people, phone calls, and, probably mostinsidiously, emails is a source of stress. So, not only are we under similar levelsof stress as other managers, ours is all public, which adds, in my opinion, its ownlayer of stress. Research shows that people under an extreme amount of stress -‐especially stress that doesn't let up -‐ are subject to numerous negative healthconsequences. The WebMD website says, "Stress becomes negative when a person facescontinuous challenges without relief or relaxation between challenges." Doesthat sound like every day to you? This site notes:

"Forty-‐three percent of all adults suffer adverse health effects from stress.Seventy-‐five percent to 90% of all doctor's office visits are for stress-‐relatedailments and complaints.Stress can play a part in problems such as headaches, high blood pressure,heart problems, diabetes, skin conditions, asthma, arthritis, depression, andanxiety.The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) declared stress ahazard of the workplace. Stress costs American industry more than $300billion annually.The lifetime prevalence of an emotional disorder is more than 50%, oftendue to chronic, untreated stress reactions."

The Mayo Clinic website describes health problems which are linked to stressand discusses common effects of stress on the body, your mood, and yourbehavior. The website also lists stress management strategies and lists thefollowing "10 Ways to Stop Stress Now" (slide show with more detail athttp://www.webmd.com/balance/ss/stop-‐stress-‐now ) :

Chew bubble gum. (Who knew?)Spend time outside.Smile.Sniff some lavender.Listen to Latin choral music. (Again, who knew?)Focus on breathing.Stay positive and use compassionate self-‐talk.Jot down your thoughts, including being honest about your feelings. (As in ajournal, NOT in an angry email to someone!)Talk to a friend or loved one. (Maybe a colleague?)Get moving (as in exercise or a long walk).

Tedd Povar

Tim Fitzgerald

When a friend, colleague, and loved one is taken from us, we feel bereft andmourn that life is unfair. And it is. Life is short. None of us knows when ours willend. Today, not only do we mourn the loss of our dear friend and colleague, weneed to sit up, pay attention, and make sure we and those around us take goodcare of ourselves. No one else is going to do it. Management of the huge amount of stress we are all under on a daily basis iscritical. Step back and take a deep breath. Take stock of your own situation, yourown habits and behaviors, and your health. Be proactive. Please. And, pick up the phone and chat with a friend -‐ it's one of the stress reducersin the list above. But, perhaps more importantly, we never know when it justmight be our last opportunity to tell that person how much we appreciateknowing them and having them in our lives. We will miss you, Mac. Reminders of upcoming events:VML Legislative Day Meeting Space for VLGMADate of Meeting: 1/28/2015Time of Meeting: 1:30 PM Location: 8th Floor West Conference Room -‐ House VACo Legislative Day Meeting Space for VLGMADate of Meeting: 2/5/2015 Time of Meeting: 1:30 PMLocation: 5th Floor West Conference Room -‐ House Winter ConferenceNew Members, First Time Conference Attendees and Students can sign up to havea VLGMA mentor at the conference -‐ more info in conference materialsforthcoming. I would like to take a moment to recognize our new VLGMA members: Ms. EdenE. Freeman, Winchester City Manager and Ms. Karen L. Pallansch, AlexandriaRenew Enterprises CEO. -‐Brenda Contact Brenda Garton Tedd's Take

Life's Highs and Lows

The last couple ofweeks have displayedlife's whimsy -‐ bothjoyous and then bedeeply troubling in theblink of an eye. Letsstart with the latter, and

close on an up note. What can be more disheartening than

A DAO in the Life Fall is my favoritetime of year, mostlybecause of sports. Thinkabout it... what othertime of the year canyou watch both collegeand professionalfootball, the WorldSeries, and the start ofthe NBA season all atthe same time? I personally have wornthe last channel button out on my TVremote over the last several of weeks.

one of our most respected, humble, anddedicated peers passing away too soon? James "Mac" McReynolds was that and somuch more. I can think of no one whobetter personified all that is good aboutour profession, who cared less abouthimself than everyone else, and whogave so willingly of his time andtalents. I cannot believe he's no longerhere. He had so much left to give. On a more positive note, someonewas recognized recently for hisnumerous contributions in publicservice, but he, too, like Mac, is waytoo humble to let many people know. John Thomas, my boss, but more my co-‐worker and friend, received theLifetime Achievement Award at the VCUWilder School's annual Excellence inVirginia Government Awards programlast week. John delights in workingbehind the scenes in so manycapacities. He is the great enabler, asdirector of the Weldon Cooper Center atUVA, and virtually everywhere seriouswork is being done in Virginia aboutimproving government and governance. His is truly a professional lifetime ofachievement, now duly noted for itsexcellence.Contact Tedd PovarCertificate News

T.S. Eliot oncewrote, "April is thecruelest month." Formost students,November is prettycruel too. This is the month when finalprojects and presentations are comingdue in the mad rush to the end of thesemester. Our students are good and willsucceed; however, now is certainly thetime for encouragement. Of course, the students can onlysucceed because of the work ofdedicated faculty members and advisorsand the program has a number ofexcellent announcements. Dr. John

Couple that with the nip in the air andthe brilliance of the changing leaves,and it confirms the Fall season providessomething for everyone. Not only are the leaves andtemperatures changing, but so is localgovernment. Our hands are always fullwith changes in funding levels, newfunding requirements, new communityneeds, new Board members, newpolicies...and the list goes on and on.However, how we choose to deal withthese changes defines us as localgovernment managers. Do we remainconstant with the "way we have alwaysdone things" motto or do we think"outside the box" with resiliency andcreativity to take ownership of change?As local government managers we mustbe flexible and evolve into theenvironment that change has created. As DAOs the pressure and stresscreated by change is often absorbed bythe CAO. The CAO is often at risk toinitiate change, and as DAOs we need tobe mindful of that fact. With that said;however, DAOs are often thecommunicators and implementers of thechange. As such, it is important for us tohave the ability to anticipate thechanges that will impact theorganization. We must involve theappropriate staff in planning andimplementing changes in a way that isconsistent with the organization's visionand to clearly communicate the reasonand process for making the changes.Change can be hard regardless ofwhether it is perceived as good or bad.As DAOs we should strive to fosterchange and remain strong, as strongleadership is essential to ensuringpositive change results. As the hockey legend Wayne Gretzkystated "You miss 100 percent of the shotsyou never take." So take your shotswhen given the opportunity to affectchange, something great may happen.

Mel Gillies

Nalbandian has confirmed that he willcontinue as a Professor of Practice andcounselor to the Certificate program,joining us again next August for theLocal Government Conference.Stephanie Davis has also officiallyrejoined the Certificate team and willbe coordinating efforts to develop anonline version of the program. The Certificate program will alsowelcome Anthony Romanello, StaffordCounty Administrator, as a new facultymember this coming spring. He hastaught courses in local government atGeorge Mason University and will beteaching the HR and Finance course inFairfax for the Certificate. Anthony trulyhas a passion for local government andfor bringing up the next generation ofleaders. He will surely be a greataddition to the team. With so many positive moves for theprogram, now is a great time to thinkabout becoming part of the Certificatefamily. The deadline to apply for thespring semester is January 1, and BobStripling would be happy to speak withanyone about the program. He can bereached at [email protected] or 540-‐448-‐1102. Find the Certificate online:

Certified Public Manager Program(CPM)

School of Policy, Government andInternational Affairs

George Mason University

On November 7th, George MasonUniversity's School of Policy,Government and International Affairs(SPGIA) will launch the newly-‐created

Contact Tim FitzgeraldInnovation Edge

Albemarle County Wins 1st Place at COVITS for IT as Efficiency Driver

I love to have the opportunity toshow off Virginia cities and counties.This month, read about AlbemarleCounty taking First Place in theInformation Technology (IT) asEfficiency Driver -‐ Government toGovernment category at the 17th annualCommonwealth of Virginia InnovationTechnology Symposium (COVITS). Theproject was funded through the county'snewly established Innovation Fund, andCrystal Rejonis, Technology TrainingSpecialist in the IT Department, put thefunds to good use in developingthe Technology Training Anytime,Anywhere. Spreading best practices andinnovation is what it's all about!Congratulate Tom Foley and AlbemarleCounty, and read more about theirsuccess on the Alliance web site here. Questions? Comments? Please reachout to me [email protected],or 800-‐777-‐2509 with any questions. Visit the Alliance for Innovation formore information.Mel's Poetry Corner

The Paramail Box

A patient herald on the roadside

watching the day'sactivities go by,

comfortably living as akind of paradox

both our friend and foe-‐ the ambivalent mailbox.

Enveloping messages to simply discardor perhaps, a treasure to

Certified Public Manager Program (CPM).This program is designed to enhance thecareers of those in public servicemanagement. The curriculum meets thecriteria to be certified by the NationalCPM Consortium and is calibrated toprovide management and leadershiptheory and practice to all enrollees. The curriculum will focus on 12critical topics including strategicmanagement, public budgeting andfinance, governance and ethics. Courseswill meet in person twice per month for12 months to enable workingprofessionals to spend meaningful classtime with a cohort of peers exploringpublic administration managementtheory and strategy. Successfulparticipants will earn the distinction as aCertified Public Manager enabling theuse of the CPM following their name. The first class is being recruited frompublic safety agencies in NorthernVirginia. With the experience gainedfrom administering the first class, GMUwill look to expand the CPM Programstatewide. It is anticipated that theprogram will be offered by region whena sufficient number of students registerfor the CPM Program. The VLGMANewsletter will be one of several waysof promoting the CPM Program. There isan Advisory Board for the Program andVLGMA has appointed to the Board as itsrepresentative Cindy Mester, AssistantCity Manager, Falls Church. TheProgram is being organized by TonyGriffin, Mason's Practitioner-‐in-‐Residence and former Fairfax CountyExecutive at Mason's Centers on thePublic Service: 703-‐993-‐9377 [email protected] Mourns the Loss of One of Their

Own -‐ Mac McReynoldsBy Ali RockettDaily Press York County Administrator James

keep and guard.Each day it's up to me to choosethe impact I give this day's hand

delivered news.

As you open the parameters of your mind,

what mail do you discover and find?Junk accumulating to simply

throw away or perhaps ahidden, heavenly communiqué?

To access what waits patiently and silently inside

requires a receptive state of mind.Spirit has left an invitation to explore

eternity through Mind's open door.

Our heart can read between the linesand inspiration, even revelation, find.Like the mailbox, simply silently abide

and feel the love arrive.Contact Mel GilliesP3 Leadership Workshop ScheduleP3 Leadership Workshop

Leading SuccessfulPublic-‐Private

Partnerships (P3) November 7, 2014

Workshop Schedule:9 AM Registration and Breakfast 10 AM CULTURE: Understanding cultureis a fundamental tool in the P3 toolkit.What are the characteristics of cultureas understood by public and privatepartners and how can we betterleverage the key components of cultureto maximize P3 success? 11 AM The PUBLIC: How do we define"the public" and what is important tothem? If residents, businesses, tax andrate payers, facility users andconsumers, and perhaps others are all"the public," how can P3s create themost optimal value for our communities?

McReynoldsdied October 19th ofan apparent heartattack, accordingto county officials.He was 59. McReynolds,known by most assimply "Mac," had been the county'stop official since 2001. He held theposition longer than any ofhis predecessors, said a statement fromthe county. "Mac was good man," said SupervisorSheila Noll, who was on the board whenit named McReynolds administrator. "Macwas an excellent public servant. Hethought about others before himself.People had confidence in him. That hada lot to do with his success." Sunday (Oct 19th) was Yorktown Daymarking the 233rd anniversary of thepivotal battle where independence waswon in America. The celebrationand holiday that follows on Monday arenow marred by the sad news ofhis passing, said Supervisor GeorgeHrichak. But Yorktown, maybe more thananywhere else in the county, is whereMcReynolds' footprint is largest. "Underhis leadership, we have come a longway," Hrichak said mentioning thetransformation of Yorktown's waterfrontinto a mixed-‐use, commercial hub andthe county's AAA bond rating -‐ "a hugereflection of his leadership," Hrichaksaid. The news of his death came as asurprise. County officials said theyhadn't heard of any illness. "He had astrong heart," Hrichak said. "That's why itwas a double shock." Sheriff Danny Diggs said he andMcReynolds has always had a greatworking relationship. "He alwaysunderstood the need of public safety,"Diggs said. "He will certainly be sorely

12 PM Lunch 1 PM SHARED SPACE: A successful P3consists of highly functional physical andideological shared spaces. What dothese unique shared operational anddeal-‐making spaces look like, how dothey work and why are they absolutelycritical to P3 success? 2 PM TRUST: There is no substitute fortrust. Trust sets the tone for thepartnership and the project. What arethe values and techniques for buildingand sustaining trust to ensure P3success? 3 PM Conclusion and feedback www.spia.vt.eduRegistration Fee: $250For registration information, pleaseemail Rosa Krewson at [email protected] WebinarBefore You Say "Yes"

to Serving on theBoard Know What is

Expected!

The Virginia State Bar, the GreaterRichmond Bar Foundation, and SandsAnderson PC are pleased to announce aFREE webinar series for nonprofit boardmembers, executive directors, officers,attorneys and other key players in thenonprofit field. The webinar listed below is the thirdin the series and focuses on whatnonprofit leaders and board membersneed for effective governance and bestpractices. If you have joined us for priorwebinars this fall or this will be yourfirst, join us by registering today! Board Governance and Leadership -‐ 9Key ComponentsNovember 19, 2014

missed and it will be difficult to replacehim" McReynolds spent more than 30 yearsworking with the county. He started asan accountant in 1983 and becamedirector of budget and accounting in1988. He directed the financial andmanagement services, one ofthe county's five major departments,from 1992 to 2001, when he wastapped to replace long-‐timeadministrator Danny Stuck who left thecounty to become city manager inPortsmouth. "His background in financehas kept the county on the right pathduring some really hard times," Nollsaid. McReynolds was born in NewportNews, raised in Hampton andgraduated from Bethel High School in1973. He went on to earn abachelor's degree in accounting at theCollege of William and Mary in 1977, andworked as the college's assistant directorof general accountingbefore being employed by York County.He lived in York County with his wife,Pam, and is also survived by twochildren, James and Melissa. Contingency plans are in place forthe county to continue to operate in theabsence of its county administrator, thestatement said. The Board has namedAssistant County Administrator MarkCarter as Interim County Administrator. "It's just going to be a differentworld," said James Barnett, the county'sattorney. Barnett said the two workedclosely while McReynolds wasadministrator. "The guy cared about hisjob and he cared about the county,"Barnett said. "No matter what time Iworked, he was in there with his lighton. He had a personal sense of missionfor the county. I think the county wasextremely well served by him."

Presenter: Phyllis KatzPanel: Jesse Bausch, Ali Fannon

Register here For more information about thewebinars, please contact:Karl Doss at Virginia State Bar: 804-‐775-‐0522 or [email protected]

Upcoming Events

VML Legislative Day VLGMA Meeting -‐Jan. 28, 2015 at 1:30p.m. in the 8thFloor West Conference Room -‐ House

VACo Legislative Day VLGMA Meeting -‐Feb 5, 2015 at 1:30p.m. in the 5th FloorWest Conference Room -‐ House

2015 VLGMA Winter Conference -‐ Feb.11-‐13 at the Stonewall Jackson Hotel inStauntonMore Dates Save the Date

Save the date forthe VRAInfrastructureFinancing Conference December 10-‐12,2014 in Roanoke. Contact Jean BassFuture Newsletter Articles

A goal of this e-‐newsletter is tokeep youinformed onactivitiesrelative to ourprofession. Aswith any membership-‐basedorganization, contributions by membersare welcome and encouraged. Topicscan range from a recent achievement inyour locality to an upcoming event withnetworking potential to human intereststories about current or retiredmembers. To contribute simply sendyour brief e-‐newsletter content (~5

sentences or less) via email to MollyHarlow.

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P3 Leadership Workshop

Friday, November 7, 2014Virginia Tech Research Center900 N Glebe Rd, Arlington, Virginia

P3 Leadership

Virginia Tech’s School of Public and International Affairs (SPIA) is pleased to announce its fi rst P3 Leadership Workshop on Friday, November 7, 2014 at the Virginia Tech Research Center in Arlington, VA. This is an opportunity for professionals in various technical and leadership capacities to examine and engage in discussions surrounding the role of leadership in successful public-private partnerships (P3s).

There is no question P3s are emerging as a primary public policy choice for infrastructure, facilities and public services across the Commonwealth. But while the benefi ts of a P3 approach are recognized, such as increased creativity at decreased costs, so too are the challenges, such as complexities of commitments and shortened time frames. An outside observer may note several signifi cant differences between partners – in language used to describe the deal, in fi nancial metrics and expectations, in understanding the project and its impact on community and in the defi nition of transparency. Where does a leader need to concentrate? This workshop brings together practitioners from both the private and public sectors who have experienced these leadership challenges fi rst hand to discuss the critical elements of P3 success – culture, the public, shared space and trust – to describe what works and what doesn’t.

Workshop participants will engage in group discussions, examine case studies and be challenged to consider P3s as more than just mediums for transportation and utilities projects. Rather, the workshop will describe ways in which P3s are transforming a new “social infrastructure” where the focus is to maximize public land assets with higher density mixed use development in order to provide public value in the larger context of a community.

Workshop Schedule:9 AM Registration and Breakfast

10 AM CULTURE: Understanding culture is a fundamental tool in the P3 toolkit. What are the characteristics of culture as understood by public and private partners and how can we better leverage the key components of culture to maximize P3 success?

11 AM The PUBLIC: How do we defi ne “the public” and what is important to them? If residents, businesses, tax and rate payers, facility users and consumers, and perhaps others are all “the public,” how can P3s create the most optimal value for our communities?

12 PM Lunch

1 PM SHARED SPACE: A successful P3 consists of highly functional physical and ideological shared spaces. What do these unique shared operational and deal-making spaces look like, how do they work and why are they absolutely critical to P3 success?

2 PM TRUST: There is no substitute for trust. Trust sets the tone for the partnership and the project. What are the values and techniques for building and sustaining trust to ensure P3 success?

3 PM Conclusion and feedback

www.spia.vt.edu

Registration Fee: $250For registration information, please email Rosa Krewson at [email protected]

Leading Successful Public-Private Partnerships (P3s)