Voices in Local Government

In this episode of Voices in Local Government, Phil Kiraly and Julia D. Novak, ICMA-CM answer the critical question at the heart of our profession: why council-manager government matters now more than ever. They discuss how ICMA's Future of Professional Management Fund supports advocacy and how to educate residents when defending and adopting council-manager government comes up on the ballot.
 
Key Takeaways:
Why council-manager form of government is effective and how to best educate residents
What is ICMA's Future of Professional Management Fund, what it's used for, and why it matters for members
How a "team sport" approach of advocacy led to success defending council-manager government in Illinois
Excitement to continue the conversation on form of government and more at ICMA Annual Conference
 
Featured Guests:
Phil Kiraly - ICMA-CM - village manager of Glencoe, Illinois
Julia D. Novak - ICMA-CM – CEO and executive director of ICMA
 
Voices in Local Government Podcast Hosts:
Joe Supervielle and Angelica Wedell

Resources:
ICMA's Future of Professional Management Fund
PM Magazine: Making Big Strides in Advocating for Council-Manager Government
ICMA Annual Conference, October 25-29 in Tampa.

Key Takeaways for local government AI:
Why policy might not be the best starting point... start doing!
Get in the figurative sandbox and to play and test AI with small teams for real outcomes.
Official policy documents and templates can be found (and copied!) via the GovAI Coalition.
 
Featured Guest:
Parth Shah – CEO and Co-Founder, Polimorphic
 
Voices in Local Government Podcast Hosts:
Joe Supervielle and Angelica Wedell

Resources:
ICMA Annual Conference, October 25-29 in Tampa. 
Multiple AI trainings on the ICMA Learning Lab.
AI policy, templates, and more tools from the GovAI Coalition

Voices in Local Gov Episode: GovAI Coalition -  Your Voice in Shaping the Future of AI

Key Takeaways for local government's emergency management and response:
Best practices in governmental preparedness.
How to address the entire community.
Ways to leverage technology to enhance information management and situational awareness.
Cooperation with FEMA.
Implement actionable review and continuous improvement.
Featured Guest:
John Antapasis, Emergency Management Director, Fire Rescue, City of Tampa
Voices in Local Government Podcast Hosts:
Joe Supervielle and Angelica Wedell

Resources:
ICMA Recovery Resources
ICMA Annual Conference, October 25-29 in Tampa

Key Takeaways for local government's data and software:
Be intentional during idea stage with disciplined winnowing.
The difference between a platform and a tool - and what will best serve your needs.
Sunk cost fallacy and resisting the urge to double down.
Featured Guest:
Raman Shah – Owner, Raman Shah Data Science
Connect with Raman on LinkedIn
 
Voices in Local Government Podcast Hosts
Joe Supervielle and Angelica Wedell

Resources
Learn more from Raman in his three-part blog series, Software Trouble.
ICMA Annual Conference, October 25-29 in Tampa.

Key Takeaways for Retention and Workplace Wellness:
How mental health impacts employee engagement, retention, and workplace culture
Practical leadership strategies to create a mentally healthy environment
What leaders, managers, and peers can do to support each other
How local governments can address burnout—and prevent it from driving people away
 
Featured Guest:
Adrienne Wise – CEO of Wise Choice Counseling and Consulting Services; trauma-informed care consultant, emotional wellness expert, and global public speaker
 
Voices in Local Government Podcast Hosts:
Joe Supervielle and Angelica Wedell

Resources:
Mental health services from ICMA affinity partner, Cope Notes.
ICMA Annual Conference, October 25-29 in Tampa. With sessions on mental health in the workplace and more. Registration opens June 25.
Voices in Local Government: Mental Health Ask Me Anything with Johnny Crowder