Tim’s Thoughts July 2022

Preview of the Year Ahead

What a great summer conference we had in Virginia Beach just a few weeks ago.  I would like to thank Eric Pollitt, Town Manager Town of Tappahannock and Joseph Quesenberry, Town Manager Town of Warsaw for their work as co-chairs of the conference, as well as Deborah Kendall and the professional development committee for a great program. I found myself re-energized as a result of the conference and I hope those of you who were able to join us did as well.

As I begin my year as president I would like to thank all of the VLGMA members for entrusting me to serve this great organization over the next year. VLGMA has always been welcoming and many of you have welcomed me since the first day I joined. I would like to especially thank a few retired managers that pushed me to get involved with VLGMA, Pat Coffield, Steve Owen, both former VLGMA presidents, and the late Bill O’Brien were particularly supportive of me and encouraged me every day.

Our 30th President Calvin Coolidge once said “what we need is not more Federal Government, but better local government” I could not agree more and VLGMA as an organization and its members are providing for better local government throughout Virginia.

As we move forward this coming year I am hopeful that we can continue to build our membership back after managing through the most difficult time that we as local government leaders have ever had to deal with. I am also hopeful that we can focus more on the next generation of local government leaders and I intend on working to try to represent and introduce VLGMA to more university programs across the state to encourage the next generation to have interest in local government.

Thanks to each of you for your support and trust in me as I take the Presidents role, I feel honored to follow the past great leaders that the organization has had and I will do my very best to be available and to support you over the next year.

I would like to welcome new members, Vic Carpenter, County Administrator, County of Goochland; Mike Cochran, Town Manager, Town of Abington, and Judi Green, Senior Exec. Assistant & Deputy Clerk of the Board, County of Mathews.