Pat’s PIECE October 2023
As a new school season starts each Fall, it is a good time for us to reflect on our own professional development and commitment to life-long learning. Each Fall we have opportunities to attend ICMA, VML, VACO and likely many other conferences related to your professional affiliations in addition to VLGMA. I caught one of our past president’s recently getting credits to keep his CPA and another was preparing for a teaching assignment in one of our affiliated programs.
Professional development is one of the key strategic priorities of our association. We have a Professional Development Committee dedicated to hosting two very well-planned conferences each year that are also very well attended. We also have two DAO sessions each year that provide excellent content and highlight particular jurisdictions across the Commonwealth. Likewise, we are able to support the UVA Senior Executive Institute programs, the VA Tech Certificate Program and the Women’s Leadership Institute among others, to promote professional development. I encourage you to participate in any of these programs when you have an opportunity and don’t put them off for the various sundry reasons that we can all come up with. Investing in yourself is one of the best investment that you can make.
I would also encourage you to participate in the ICMA Credentialed Manager Program. This is a voluntary program that recognizes professional local government managers who are committed to life-long learning and professional development. This program acts as an accountability tool that allows participants to commit to specific professional development activities through the year, prepare a plan for continuous personal improvement, reflect and document what we are actually learning (and doing) as a result of these activities and finally have an opportunity to get peer review and feedback on our actions.
Just as we ask our direct reports to prepare a work plan and to improve their skill sets each year, it is important for us to model through our own actions the importance of these activities. I include my life-long learning program requirements when negotiating for a local government position and place the ICMA-CM program in my work plans that I present to City Council each year. This helps keep me accountable.
This month I want to give a “Pat-on-the-Back” to ICMA Distinguished Service Award recipients, Robert J. O’Neill Jr. and Kimball Payne III. This award recognizes retired managers that have made an outstanding contribution to the management profession and local government. It is conferred by the ICMA Executive Board to recognize exceptional service and major contributions beyond direct service to local governments. Bob spent a significant portion of his career in Hampton and Fairfax County before serving for 14 years as the ICMA Executive Director. He was VLGMA President in 1993-94. Kim served Spotsylvania County and Lynchburg for over 30 years and currently serves as an ICMA Senior Advisor. Kim was VLGMA President in 2010-11. VLGMA is also recognizing these accomplishments (and probably no better examples of commitment to life-long learning) with contributions to the VA Tech Certificate Program and the Women’s Leadership Institute in honor of these two gentlemen. Thank you, Bob and Kim, for your lifelong contributions to our profession!
Join me in welcoming the following new VLGMA members this month:
Keli Reekes, Town Manager, Town of South Hill
Kate Trask, Assistant Town Manager, Town of Leesburg
Matthew Whitmoyer, Deputy Town Manager, Town of Occoquan