Craig’s Corner August 2021
I hope your summer is going well, and that you’ve had an opportunity to escape from the office for a few days for some much-needed rest and rejuvenation. My wife and I spent a few days in Asheville, NC in mid-July, and it felt (almost) like pre-COVID times again. We saw a number of people in masks, but many, many more who were without masks, as well as those who were no longer practicing any form of social distancing. Regardless of the mask choice, it was very obvious that folks felt “free” from restrictions and were ready to return to what feels like normal.
However, as our universities and public schools reopen in a few weeks, and variants of the COVID-19 virus continue to circulate in our communities, we must realize that our “normal” in local government now means we must be prepared to work with our public health community to once again minimize the spread of this disease, and protect our citizens as best we can. Performing this responsibility in an arena that is highly politically charged is a challenge; it is my hope that the elected officials in our communities will work together to address the challenge in each community in a manner that reflects well on our local governments, and that allows you to address the issues with minimal political interference.
Our leadership team in Montgomery County has been working on how we can perform as a stronger team, and we are using Patrick Lencioni’s book “The Five Dysfunctions of a Team: A Leadership Fable” as a reference text. It’s a great read, and one point in the book really resonated with me – a comment that “success is not a matter of mastering subtle, sophisticated theory, bur rather of embracing common sense with uncommon levels of discipline and persistence.” Most of us are blessed to have very strong department heads and team leaders who are well trained and experienced; however, the highest performing (and thus, successful) organizations are those that focus on discipline and persistence, along with a healthy dose of common sense.
As we work together during this year in VLGMA, please let me or your executive committee members know how we can help you hone your skills as a professional manager. We welcome the opportunity to help you focus on those areas of discipline (and persistence), through professional education and conference programs that help you learn and grow as a local government professional. And, be sure to allow for time to “reconnect, refresh, and recharge;” after the past year and a half, we all deserve some time to ensure that we are the best versions of ourselves!
Please join me in welcoming the following new members to VLGMA over the past month –
Matt Arcieri, Manassas Director of Planning & Community Development; Diane Bergeron, Manassas Finance Director; Michael Burnette, Franklin Assistant County Administrator; Trenton Crewe, Bluefield Town Manager; Amy Dill, Woodstock Deputy Town Manager; Dusty Forbes, Chase City Town Manager; Scott Garber, Staunton Chief, Fire & Rescue; Lisa Henty, Fauquier Management & Budget Director; Angel Jones, Portsmouth City Manager; Doug Keen, Manassas Chief of Police; Ashley Reynolds Marshall, Charlottesville Deputy City Manager for Racial Equity, Diversity & Inclusion; Susan McCulloch, Buchanan Town Manager; Chris Miller, King George County Administrator; Dylan Powell, Independence Assistant to Town Manager; Carl Rush, Loudoun Chief Equity Officer; Monica Smith-Callahan, Henrico Deputy County Manager; Cari Tretina, Henrico Assistant to County Manager and Jon Venn, Staunton Chief Human Resources Officer.
I wish you all the best as you enjoy the remaining weeks of summer –
With respect and appreciation for what you do,
Craig