By Lynn Tipton, Executive Director
I’m appealing to our members for two different stories this week – please read:
Most of you have been reading the updates to the ICMA Life, Well Run campaign, and I recently had a conference call with the ICMA staff working on it. I was saddened to hear that few – only two – Florida stories have been posted or shared so far within the Professional Management stories part of the campaign (see link: http://lifewellrun.org/join-the-campaign/ ).
Maybe you haven’t contributed your story because you didn’t know they are being collected – well, now you do! What makes you proud to be part of this profession? What is an ‘aha!’ moment that you want to share about your city or county and your experiences? What kind of legacy are you striving to leave within the profession? Please take a moment and help Florida be part of this national tapestry of excellence in public management. Your president, Russ Blackburn, has formed a task force this year to work on advancing professional management across Florida’s local governments and this campaign is an important part of the task force’s strategy. More news on this in the very near future!
The second story I need from you as members: The Florida Local Government Coalition has scheduled Friday, September 6th as Local Works Day, in which the 28 associations that comprise the Coalition can demonstrate how much local government staff give back within their respective communities. The Coalition’s project this year is civics and civic engagement. Do you guest teach classes on civics at one of the schools in your area? Are you a volunteer for the speaker’s bureau when local organizations want something explained about your county or city programs? Are you a volunteer on your days off for projects in your area? Do you work with the Youth Council or Citizen’s Academy in your county or city? Please let me know what you are doing so that we can toot the FCCMA horn on September 6th. I know you are modest and not seeking the attention for yourself, but this day is about our professional associations and the many projects and programs we hold on behalf of our members. So, please help FCCMA show its civic face proudly! I’ll look forward to hearing what you are doing to make a difference within your local government.
