ICMA Conference

I recently attended the International City and County Management Association’s (ICMA) annual conference. This year’s conference was held in Richmond, Virginia. It was fitting to meet in Virginia since 2008 represents the 100th anniversary of the founding of modern city management in the United States. In 1908, the City of Staunton, Virginia hired Charles Ashburner as a city manager, heralding the reform movement in city government and serving as the initial step in the establishment of the council-manager form of government that is so prevalent in the United States today.

Clearly, the focus at this year’s conference was the turmoil in the country’s economy and the credit crunch that has created a crisis in the financial markets. A great deal of uncertainty and concern exists on the impact that this crisis will have on the ability of municipalities to issue bonds and the overall fiscal health of states and localities. The upcoming presidential election was also a timely subject of discussion at the conference.

The ICMA conference is an excellent opportunity to stay up to date on emerging trends in municipal government, to network with other local government managers and to renew one’s commitment and enthusiasm for democratic, ethical and professional service.

The conference in Richmond also represented the end of my tenure on a three-year term on ICMA’s Executive Board. It was my privilege to represent city and town managers from the northeast region of the United States on the Board and to promote professional local government in general.