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• ICMA Annual Conference
• Management Transitions
• Congratulations
• Nominations and Elections
• Member Recognition
• Scholarships
• Regional Training Fund
• TCMA at TML Annual Conference
• Educational Events
• Memos on Meetings

International City/County Management Association Annual Conference

From September 9-13, 2006, the International City/County Management Association (ICMA) held its annual meeting at the Henry B. Gonzalez Convention Center in San Antonio. Approximately, 3,900 delegates attended the event.

TCMA members played an important role in pre-conference planning and onsite support during the conference. Made up of many city managers and staff members in Texas, the 2006 ICMA Annual Conference Host committee, which was chaired by Frances Gonzalez, Assistant City Manager, San Antonio, ensured that attendees enjoyed themselves and experienced the unique opportunities available in San Antonio and the surrounding region.

During the ICMA Annual Conference, the TCMA Executive Committee, chaired by President Mark McDaniel, held a meeting with representatives from ICMA’s Board and staff to continue discussions on such important topics as the ethics process, form of government funding, and association communication.

TCMA played a large role in supporting the ICMA Annual Conference. This support included direct financial contributions to the Host Committee, sponsorship of the Saturday night reception at the Institute of Texan Cultures, funding 26 scholarships for TCMA members to attend the conference, and coordination of a state association reception at the Tower of the Americas during the conference. In total, TCMA members directly contributed more than $65,000 to financially support the ICMA Annual Conference in San Antonio.

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Management Transitions

Hank Brummett is the acting city manager for the City of Leon Valley.

Mark Roath is no longer the city manager of the City of Wylie. Mindy Manson is the city manager there.

John Joerns is the interim city manager for the City of La Porte.

Kevin Farley is the city manager for the City of Pottsboro.

Rickey Childers is no longer the city manager for the City of Longview. Chuck Ewings is the interim city manager for the City of Longview.

James Stroud is no longer the city manager for the City of Stinnett. Mike Lamberson is now the city manager for that city.

Gary Pelech is no longer the city manager for the City of Floresville. Andy Joslin is the interim city manager.

George Campbell is the new city manager for the City of Denton.

David Watkins is the new city manager for the City of Bryan.

Jeffery Snyder is the city administrator for the City of Idalou.

Donato Medina is no longer the interim city manager for the City of Elsa.

Jimmy Burnett is the city manager for the City of White Settlement.

Clovia English will be the city manager for the City of Corinth beginning November 6.

David Harris will be leaving his position as city administrator for the City of Hill Country Village in November to fill the position of assistant city manager for the City of Schertz.

Jesus Olivares is no longer the city manager of the City of Eagle Pass. Marga Lopez is the interim city manager for that city.

Jim Blanchard will no longer be the city manager for the City of Mount Vernon beginning October 27. He will be the city manager for the City of Pittsburg.

Joe Portugal is no longer the city manager for the City of Jacksboro.

Paul Shelley is the city administrator for the City of Clear Lake Shore.

Click here to see if you qualify for TCMA Intransition Services.

For a list of current city management job openings in Texas, please click here .

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Congratulations

The TCMA Management Messenger would like to congratulate TCMA members who have been selected for the Leadership ICMA Class of 2008. This program is designed to cultivate key competencies needed for successful leadership in local government management.

Katie Corder, Assistant to the City Manager, City of Rowlett

Jennifer Fadden, Assistant City Manager, City of Weatherford

Jack Harper, City Manager, City of Hillsboro

Christal Kliewer, Assistant to the City Manager, City of Grand Prairie

J. Ryan O’Connor, Assistant to the City Manager, Dallas

Stephen Seidel, Budget/Administrative Services Manager, City of Colleyville

Shelli Siemer, Assistant City Manager, City of Allen

Melissa Valadez-Stephens, Assistant to the City Manager, City of Cedar Hill

Congratulations to Tom Muehlenbeck, city manager for the City of Plano. Tom has been nominated for the 2007 position of ICMA vice president for the mountain plains region.

Congratulations to Larry Dovalina, city manager for the City of Laredo. Larry has been elected president of the Board of Directors for the International Hispanic Network.

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2007-2008 Nominations and Elections

The TCMA Nominations/Elections process will begin December 22, 2006. The statewide offices will include President-Elect, Vice President, and Director-at-Large. As you consider your decisions, please keep in mind the following: active involvement in TCMA, active involvement in TCMA region, years of municipal government service, committee service, desire to serve, level of regional support, and prior TCMA Board service. The committee shall consider each person’s candidacy in light of the current composition of the Board and strive to achieve a balance among such factors as geography, size of city, ethnicity, and gender.

The terms for Board representatives from TCMA regions bearing odd-numbered designations will be ending at the TCMA Conference in San Antonio on June 24, 2007. Each of these regions is responsible for the election of its representative in accordance with the TCMA Constitution. The name of the new regional director shall be submitted to the TCMA President no later than January 31, 2007.

It is important to keep in mind the following Board-approved policies regarding the TCMA nominations process:

• In order to place a person’s name into consideration for a board vacancy, a member shall forward either a signed personal letter or a petition with his/her legible signature on it to the TCMA Nominating committee c/o TCMA staff in Austin. Names may be placed in nomination by a petition signed by at least 15 FULL classified members. Names for the Director at-Large position may be placed in nomination by a petition signed by at least 15 voting members.
• Each member is limited to endorsing (by petition or letter) only one person per statewide Board vacancy. Any person whose signature appears in the endorsement of more than one candidate for a statewide office shall have the endorsement deleted from each candidate’s count for said office.
• The Nominating Committee is not required to provide an endorsement when there are two or more candidates who have submitted the appropriate petitions for a statewide Board position.
• A petitioned candidate for a statewide TCMA office cannot serve on the TCMA Nominating Committee.
• The earliest the petition used as part of TCMA’s election process will be available to prospective candidates is January of the election year.

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Member Recognition

Joyce Wilson, city manager for the City of El Paso, was selected to be inducted into the National Academy of Public Administration. She was nominated by her TCMA Colleagues Lenneal Henderson, Terrell Blodgett, and Mike Conduff.

The National Academy of Public Administration is an independent, nonpartisan organization chartered by Congress to assist federal, state, and local governments in improving their effectiveness, efficiency, and accountability. For more than 35 years, the Academy has met the challenge of cultivating excellence in the management and administration of government agencies.

The Academy’s most distinctive feature is its membership of 550 Fellows. They include current and former Cabinet officers, members of Congress, governors, mayors, state legislators, diplomats, business executives, local public managers, foundation executives, and scholars. They form the heart of the Academy’s studies from inception through implementation serving on project panels and guiding other major activities.

Linda Groomer, city manager for the City of Farmers Branch, and Gary Kellar of Brisbane, Australia, were honored by Texas State Representative Jim Jackson during their visit to the Texas State Capitol. They were presented with a Texas flag that had flown over the Capitol on significant dates in Texas and American history. A certificate was also awarded that stated the date the flag had flown. One was flown over the Capitol on September 11, 2006, and the other was flown on Texas Independence Day, March 2, 2006. See photo below.

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Scholarships

Applications for the Clarence E. Ridley and Barney L. Knight Texas Certified Public Manager scholarships are available in the "Programs" section of this web site. The deadline for application is December 15, 2006.

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Regional Training

The Regional Training Fund is intended to help TCMA Regions pay the costs of eligible educational opportunities. A total of $5,000 has been allocated for July 1, 2006-June 30, 2007. Grants will be available on a first-come, first-served basis. Any interested TCMA region may request and receive funds. Applications are available in the "Regions" section of this web site.

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TCMA at TML Annual Conference

It’s not too late to register for the Texas Municipal League 94th Annual Conference and Exhibition, October 25-27, 2006, in Austin at the Austin Convention Center. TCMA will be hosting the following educational sessions on Thursday, October 26.

9:00 - 10:15 a.m.
Legislative Strategies 101: Preparing and Testifying Before Legislative Bodies.
Speaker: Snapper Carr, Consultant, HillCo Partners, Austin

10:30 - 11:45 a.m.
Alternative Revenue Sources: Leasing Public Property
Speakers: Katie Corder, Assistant to the City Manager, City of Rowlett: Cell Towers; Quentin Hix, Gas Well Inspector, City of Denton: Gas Wells; Monette Burke, Director of Community Services, City of Midland: Selling Advertisements and Naming Rights for Sports Facilities, Scoreboards, Marquees Register online at www.tml.org.

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Educational Events

William “King” Cole Series—Session I: Basics
November 30-December 1, 2006, TML office, Austin

William “King” Cole Series—Session 2: Advanced
Date and Location TBD

TCMA City Management Clinics:

• February 15-16, 2007, Stagecoach Inn, Salado
• March 1-2, 2007, Hangar Hotel, Fredericksburg

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Memos on Meetings

Please visit the "Committees" section of this web site for complete meeting minutes.

The TCMA Ethics Committee met at the TML office on August 31.

The TCMA Public Relations Committee met at the TML office on September 7.

The TCMA Professional Development Committee met on September 8 in San Antonio.

The TCMA Membership Committee met at the TML office on September 29.

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