Celebrating work anniversaries this week - Tricia Guarino, Code Enforcement Officer - 6 years.
Thrive in "25 Challenge - Join us every day in January for a simple way to improve your health or make a difference in our community. Visit Thrive Excelsior for the list. #1Connect, #2 Shovel a Neighbor's Sidewalk, #6 Apply for the Citizens Leadership Academy - it is designed to help YOU learn more about your community & how to become more involved. If you've ever wanted to learn more about the ES community & how you can help make a difference, this program is for you! This 7-session interactive experience is designed for new & seasoned community leaders. You'll see ES in a new light as you particpate in community field trips & learn from community leaders on a wide range of important topics. Learn more & apply online at www.bit.ly/ThriveCLAinfo
What does the City Manager's job look like - The City Manager is hired & directed by the elected city council to oversee the daily operations of the city. The appointed manager is nonpartisan & nonpolitical. They oversee the day-to-day business of the city in an ethical, efficient, & transparent manner. Much like executives who direct private-sector corporations, professional local government managers provide leadership, vision, & a focus on results that is needed to create better communities by managing financial & human resources, planning strategically for community development & using performance metrics to drive continuous improvement. While their responsibilities may vary from community to community, professional city managers are typically responsible for working with elected officials (mayors/city councils) to develop sound approaches to community challenges by bringing together resources that produce results that matter. Helping the governing body develop a long-term vision for the community that provides a framework for policy development & goal-setting.
- Preparing a comprehensive annual budget & capital improvement program & managing staff, budgets, programs, & projects.
- Overseeing the delivery of local government services, which include public works (streets, stormwater, transportation); police, animal control, fire/ems, emergency management & community development (building trades, planning, neighborhoods & economic development); services for all ages & abilities; sanitation; & utilities (water/sewer). Parks/Recreation is excluded from the City Manager's responsibilities & is governed by the PR Board.
- Applying for & administering federal, state, & private foundation grant funding.
- Recruiting, hiring, & supervising the workforce, including key department heads.
- Preparing council or board meeting agenda materials.
- Bringing a community-wide perspective that considers past & future challenges to policy discussions.
- Encouraging inclusion & building consensus among diverse interests (including those of the elected officials, the business community, & citizens) by focusing on the needs of the entire community rather than the interests of only a few individuals.
- Promoting equity & fairness by ensuring that services are fairly distributed & that administrative decisions (such as hiring & contracting) are based on merit rather than favoritism.
- Developing & sustaining organizational excellence & promoting innovation.
- Ensuring that laws & policies are enforced fairly throughout the community & that the government runs ethically & transparently.
Professional city managers establish a commitment to excellence within the local government organization that sets the tone for all employees. These individuals expect staff at all levels, from department directors to line employees, to meet high standards in service delivery, accountability, & ethics. Together, they look for more effective & efficient ways to serve the members of their community. The responsibilities are broad & could not be done well without strong department heads to work effectively between the manager & department staff.
