March 2010
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The Texas City Management Association is pleased to send you this month’s edition of the Management Messenger. It features recent changes in city management positions around the state, current job listings, names of new members, information about upcoming educational events, and news about our colleagues. The newsletter and past issues are also posted at www.tcma.org/newsletter.htm.

You play an important role in the ethics process. Acquaint yourself with the Code of Ethics and its Rules of Procedure for Enforcement .

Please remember to browse through YOUR Web site, www.tcma.org.

If you have some interesting news that you would like to see included in the Management Messenger, please e-mail messenger@tml.org.

• 2010 TCMA Annual Conference
• TCMA Annual Conference New Professional's Scholarship
• New Member Applications
• Management Transitions
• Sympathy
• TCMA Membership Directory Update
• Member News
• Memos on Meetings
• TCMA Educational Events: Save the Dates
• City Management/City Manager
• TML Tidbits

2010 TCMA Annual Conference

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TCMA Annual Conference New Professional's Scholarship

The New Professional's Scholarship is designed to assist new local government management professionals interested in continuing their professional education and development to attend the TCMA Annual Conference. Up to five scholarship recipients will be selected each year by a panel of local government professionals. The scholarships include complimentary conference registration and reimbursement up to $500 for travel and lodging expenses.

Criteria and Eligible Applicants:

• Must be a TCMA member.
• Must be employed full-time by a local government or related agency.
• Must be employed by the current employer for at least one year.
• Past recipients are not eligible to receive this scholarship.

An application is available on the TCMA home page at www.tcma.org. Application deadline is May 14.

For more information, contact Kim Pendergraft at kim@tml.org or 512-231-7400.

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New Member Applications

TCMA Board policy requires that names of new member applicants be published each month in the Management Messenger. Any written objection during the subsequent 30-day period will be reviewed by the TCMA Membership Committee. If no objections are received during this time, the names will be submitted for Board approval at the next scheduled Board meeting. Written objections can be mailed to TCMA, Attention: Membership Committee, 1821 Rutherford Lane, Suite 400, Austin, TX 78754.

Applications received for the month of February:

Full: Donald R. Warschak, P.E, City Manager, Columbus

Associate: Guy D. Andrews, Director of Community Development, Conroe; Traci E. Leach, Assistant to the City Manager, Farmers Branch; Mary Ann Miller, Management Assistant, Longview; Cynthia Raleigh, Executive Assistant to the Assistant City Managers, Schertz; Gina Roberson Rivon, Assistant to the City Manager, Baytown

Cooperating: Octavio A. Garza, Assistant City Engineer, New Braunfels

Student/Intern: Mickey Ary, Texas Southern University; Jonathan Blackman, University of Texas-Arlington; Phil Wagner, Management Assistant I, Sugar Land, University of Kansas

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Management Transitions

Chris Bratton (current police chief) is the interim city manager for the City of Elgin.

Karen Lou Graham is the interim city manager for the City of Stamford.

Ralph Hendricks is the new city manager for the City of Marble Falls.

J.C. Hughes has resigned as the city manager for the City of Pilot Point, effective April 30. He will begin serving as the public works/utility director for the City of Marshall.

Kevin O'Carroll is the city superintendent for the City of Calvert.

Leonardo Olivares is the interim city manager for the City of Weslaco.

John Palacio is the new city administrator for the City of Mason.

Phil Patchett is no longer the city manager for the City of Trinity.

Dianne Peace is the new city administrator for the City of Granger.

Oscar Ramirez is no longer the city manager for the City of George West.

Vicky Rudy is the new city administrator for the City of Oak Ridge North.

John Steelman will retire at the end of May as the city manager for the City of El Campo.

Jay Stokes is no longer the city manager for the City of Gladewater. He is the new city manager for the City of Deer Park.

Visit tcma.org to see if you qualify for TCMA In-transition Services. For a list of current city management job openings in Texas, please visit http://www.tcma.org/jobs_openings.html.

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Sympathy

Debra Brooks Feazelle passed on February 25. Debra's public service career spanned almost 30 years. She retired in 2007 after serving as the city manager for the City of La Porte. A short memorial service will be held at 1:30 p.m. on Saturday, March 6, at the First Methodist Church, located at 9601 West Fairmont Parkway in La Porte.

In lieu of flowers, the family requests contributions in her memory go to the Komen Foundation at Susan G. Komen for the Cure, 5005 Lyndon B. Johnson Freeway, Suite 250, Dallas, Texas 75244, or the Debra Brooks Feazelle Internship Fund, University of North Texas, P.O. Box 310617, Denton, Texas 76203. The university will accept online donations at https://development.unt.edu/givenow/givenow_gen.php. If donating online, please designate it for Debra Feazealle or use #794. Cards and notes can be sent to the family at 2601 S. Broadway #41, La Porte, Texas 77571. Please keep Paul and the family in your thoughts and prayers.

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TCMA Membership Directory Update

It's time for the annual update of the TCMA Online Membership Directory and the printed directory. It is important for all members to review their contact information in order to have accurate records. Please complete this process by Friday, April 2, for the corrections to be included in the printed directory.

To review and update your TCMA directory information, please follow these instructions:

1. Go to www.tcma.org.
2. Click on "Roster," located in the table of contents.
3. Click on "Online Membership Directory."
4. Enter your name, scroll down, and select "Submit."
5. Check your contact information on the initial screen and then click on your name.
6. Check your entire record of information, including work history, education, and more.
7. You can make corrections in one of four ways:
   1. Log in directly to your membership account at www.tcma.org. Click on "Roster," located in the table of contents.Scroll to the bottom of the page and click on "Click here to update your membership information."
   2. E-mail to database@tml.org.
   3. Fax to 512-231-7494 or 95.
   4. Contact Kim Pendergraft at kim@tml.org or 512-231-7400.

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Member News

Ron Crabtree, city manager for the City of Deer Park, celebrated his retirement at a reception on February 17. Ron began his career in city government in 1973. He has been the city manager for the City of Deer Park since 1988. He also served four years as city manager for the City of Burleson. Congratulations are extended to Ron for his accomplishments and support for the city management profession.

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Memos on Meetings

The Legacy Leaders Task Force will meet March 26 at the Texas Municipal Center in Austin.

The Membership Committee will meet April 1-2 at the Texas Municipal Center in Austin.

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TCMA Educational Events: Save the Dates

William "King" Cole Series—Session II: Advanced
March 25-26, 2010, DoubleTree Hotel Campbell Centre, Dallas

TCMA Annual Conference
June 25-27, 2010, Moody Gardens, Galveston

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City Management/City Manager

Written and submitted by Gary Brown, City Manager, City of Floydada

"What is city management?" The professor did ask.
Preparing students for employment, this is his task.
After much thought the students began to talk,
Through their ideas about city management they each began to walk.

Many ideas were presented and most were on track,
The professor was pleased with the students' understanding and tack.
When thoughts about city management were no longer being spoken,
The silence, by the professor, was about to be broken.

"Now that your ideas about city management are known,
I want knowledge about what a city manager is to be sown.
City management and city manager are not the same,
I want you to know what is required when you have this name."

The students looked bewildered and then they recognized,
What the professor had said and then they realized
That there really is a difference between the two.
Get the students thinking, "Is this what I really want to do?"

The discussion began and different traits came out,
Different students seeing differently about this bout.
None seemed to know what a city manager really was,
Nor exactly what it is that a city manager does.

One student finally spoke up speaking very clear,
You could tell to him the subject was very dear.
"Your ideas are great, but that is not what a city manager is,
I know, for all my life, my Dad, a city manager's job is his."

The student moved to the front of the room to give his speech,
This would be an impromptu talk with which he would teach.
The other students about what they should expect
In this field of hands-on and high tech.

"Passion, desire, and willingness to sacrifice,
Being able to keep a job is sometimes like rolling dice.
You will be living in a house that is made of glass,"
Was the way the student started speaking to the class.

He then went into detail about different parts of the job,
"Are you willing to let the job time from the family rob?"
Aspects about the job that the students did not know,
Were what the speaker was beginning to show.

"You have to be able to lead, follow, and get out of the way,
Speak to the citizens watching what you say.
Please the council and employees, too,
Is just a part of what you will have to do."

At the end of the day, someone, maybe yourself, will ask,
Did you do your best at each and every task?
Were the results, whether completed or yet to be done,
The best for all, each and everyone?

There is only one person who is the hardest to please,
It is the person in the mirror that the manager does see.
"You will not please everyone, no matter had hard you try,
I have seen my dad at day's end just sit down and cry."

Maybe over a job that did not go just exactly right,
Or an employee did or said something that caused him fright.
Could it have been disciplining or even dismissal of a friend
That brought this sadness to his day's end?

You will know within yourself when the day does end,
By the feelings that your pride outward does send.
The job is tough, but for those who dare,
You can show the citizens that you really care.

Now go forth and apply yourself to your best,
Take the challenge, stand up to the test.
Years from now, when your career is winding down,
Know within yourself you have helped improve your town.

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TML Tidbits

Please make a note of these upcoming TML educational events:

Webinar, April 7

Diboll, April 16, and Wharton, April 30

Austin, April 22-23

We also encourage you to visit the entire TML Web site at www.tml.org.

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