Newsletter Archive

Management Messenger
Online News of the Texas City Management Association

Reach Out to Your Colleagues
Have you contacted an intransition member? A call, card, or visit to a colleague who finds him or herself in between jobs or just facing a difficult challenge can make a positive difference. Pick up the phone, jot down some encouraging words in a note or extend a lunch invitation. These seemingly small actions can make a big impact. Do not underestimate the value of hearing from someone that cares. Click here for a list of current in transition members.

September 2005

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, as well as news about our colleagues.

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, http://www.tcma.org

MANAGEMENT TRANSITIONS…

Terry Kinsworthy is no longer Town Administrator in Talty. City Secretary Susan O’Brien has been named Interim Town Administrator.

Ken Lane, Mayor of Haskell, was named Acting City Manager there on July 25.

Craig Lonon is no longer City Manager in Cedar Park, effective August 1. Assistant City Manager Brenda Eivens has been named Interim City Manager there.

Olen Petty has been appointed Interim City Manager of Corinth, effective August 4.

Kevin Lahner, former Director of Governmental Relations for Flower Mound, has been named Assistant City Manager in Keller, effective August 8.

Marcus Jahns, former Budget Director in San Antonio, has been appointed Interim City Manager of New Braunfels.

Jack Jones has resigned as City Manager of Chandler, effective August 12.

Tommy Gonzales has resigned as City Manager in Harlingen, effective August 12. Assistant City Manager Gabriel Gonzales will continue to serve as Interim City Manager there.

Nathan Davis is no longer City Administrator of Hamilton, effective August 19. Larry Shaw has been named Interim City Administrator there.

Bill Tackett resigned from his position as City Manager in Jacksonville on August 22.

Brant Gary is no longer City Administrator/City Secretary of Piney Point Village, effective August 31.

Jim Dunaway is no longer City Manager of Elgin, effective September 1.

Judy Tokar has resigned as City Administrator in Helotes, effective September 9.

Jared Miller, former City Manager of Crosbyton, has been named City Manager in Snyder, effective in late September.

Connie Goodwin will retire as City Manager of Royse City on September 30.

Kathy DuBose will retire as Assistant City Manager in Denton on September 30. She has accepted a position as Finance Director for Corinth, effective October 1.

CURRENT OPENINGS…

For a list of current city management job openings in Texas, please visit http://www.tcma.org/jobs_openings.html ..

WITH SYMPATHY…

Our sincere condolences are extended to the family of Dennis Bowne Moore, husband of Mary Kaye Moore (City Manager in Bryan). On August 10, Dennis passed away after a long fight with cancer, heart disease, and respiratory difficulties. Dennis retired from Texas A&M University in 1994 and was a member of the Army National Guard. He was active in the Bryan Morning Lions Club, the Bryan Elks Lodge, and was on the board of Keep Brazos Beautiful. The family requests that memorial donations be sent to Hospice of Brazos Valley (502 West 26th Street, Bryan 77803), the Brazos Valley Chapter of the American Cancer Society (3207 Briarcrest Drive, Bryan 77802), or Keep Brazos Beautiful (1733 Briarcrest, Suite 202, Bryan 77802).

PLEASE WELCOME…

Join us in welcoming the following new members of TCMA, whose memberships were approved by the Board at their meeting on August 19:

FULL
John Hubbard, City Administrator, Cockrell Hill
John McDonald, City Administrator, Ovilla
James Nuse, City Manager, Round Rock
Ronald Olson, Deputy City Manager, Arlington
Jerry Reed, City Manager, Venus
Dennis Sparks, City Manager, Silsbee
Don Wilson, City Manager, Eastland

COOPERATING
H. Lee Bodehamer, Senior Vice President, Centre

STUDENT/INTERN
Harvey Porretto, Student, Mountain State University, West Virginia

TCMA TIDINGS…

• The 2005-2006 TCMA Directory has been mailed! If you haven’t received your copy, please contact Kyle Jung at kyle@tml.org or 512-231-7450.
• Don’t forget that TCMA members are eligible to receive financial planning services and employment agreement advice and support through the TCMA-TCG (Total Compensation Group Advisors, LLP) Financial Planning project. We are pleased to report that, as of mid-August, TCG was already working with 21 TCMA members and had scheduled four presentations explaining the service at TCMA regional meetings. If your region is interested in hosting a TCMA Financial Planning Service educational program at a regional meeting, please contact Kyle Jung at kyle@tml.org or 512-231-7450. For further details, you can visit http://www.tcma.org/ppt/2005FinancialPlanning-TCG.ppt . Also, TCMA members can download an application form for the services at http://www.tcma.org/pdf/2005FinancialBrochure-TCG.pdf (instructions on completing and submitting the document are included).

MEMO ON MEETINGS…

• The TCMA Board met in Austin on August 19, and minutes will be posted soon at http://www.tcma.org/Current_brdmin.htm. During the meeting, the Board:
  1. Approved the creation of a University Relations Task Force and identified its mission. If you are interested in volunteering to serve on this new task force, please contact Mark McDaniel, Deputy City Manager in Tyler, at mmcdaniel@tylertexas.com or 903-531-1250.
  2. Directed the TCMA staff to pursue an updated Partnership Agreement or Memorandum of Understanding with ICMA to detail expectations of each organization.
  3. Adopted 2005-2006 budgets for both TCMA and the Texas Foundation for Local Government.
  4. Directed the TCMA Nominating Committee to develop ballot language reflecting a change in the TCMA Constitution to combine the Associate and Affiliate membership classifications and establish annual membership dues for this category at $2.00 per thousand dollars of base salary.
  5. Approved a revised TCMA Annual Conference Sponsorship Policy that incorporates the TCMA Hospitality Suite Policy.

ETHICS EMPHASIS...

This month, the TCMA Board shines the spotlight on Tenets 1 and 2 of the TCMA Code of Ethics:

“Tenet 1: Be dedicated to the concepts of effective and democratic local government by responsible elected officials and believe that professional general management is essential to the achievement of this objective.”

This is the first tenet for a reason. It is the quintessential statement about the city management profession; that managers believe representative democratic government is the best method of governing their communities and that professional management of those communities is the essential component. It reminds TCMA members to respect the elected officials chosen by the citizens to represent them. Managers as professionals are key to the success of this partnership because they base service delivery on need rather than demand; focus on the long-term needs of the community as a whole; promote equity and fairness; recognize the interconnection among policies; advance broad and inclusive citizen participation; and adhere to the highest standards of honesty, integrity, and political neutrality.

“Tenet 2: Affirm the dignity and worth of the services rendered by government and maintain a constructive, creative, and practical attitude toward urban affairs and a deep sense of social responsibility as a trusted public servant.

Advice to Officials of Other Local Governments Guideline: When members advise and respond to inquiries from elected or appointed officials of other governments, they should inform the administrators of those communities.”

The city management profession has been referred to as “a calling,” because to work in this endeavor one must share the value that public service is worthwhile and public trust is paramount.

The guideline for Tenet 2 focuses on a very practical concern for local government managers: how to handle requests for advice or information from elected or appointed officials in other jurisdictions. The contact may come in more informal channels, such as a chance discussion about a local government issue at a social gathering or Rotary Club meeting. Many other times, the contact is a very direct request for guidance on an issue facing that community via an e-mail or phone call. Regardless of the method of contact or the intent of the elected or appointed official making the contact, the manager should let the appointed administrator in that community know that he/she has had a discussion with their mayor, councilmember, or staff member. Extending this professional courtesy to colleagues will be appreciated.

TML TIDBITS…

• The “TML Municipal Technology Summit” is quickly approaching! It will be held at the new Marriott Resort in Horseshoe Bay near Marble Falls in Central Texas on September 15-16, and it isn’t too late to register at http://www.tml.org/ed_tech.html .
• A Small Cities Problem-Solving Clinic will be held in Graham on September 30. To learn all the details and register, click on http://www.tml.org/ed_smallcities.htm .
• Read all about the 93rd TML Annual Conference, scheduled for October 26-29 at the Gaylord Texan Resort and Convention Center in Grapevine. Visit http://www.tml.org/ed_ac_general_info.html to obtain more information about this year’s excellent program and to register on line.
• Make a note of TML’s upcoming “Public Funds Investment Law Workshops.” They will be held on December 8-9 in San Antonio, and on February 9-10, 2006, in Corpus Christi. Details and online registration are available at http://www.tml.org/ed_pubfunds.html .

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

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