American cities are a basic part of the fabric of our democratic traditions. Many of these cities are served by professional city managers and administrators. Cities that succeed at an outstanding level often employ professionals. Yet the average American knows little about the role of these professionals. City managers have seldom written about their experiences. Blueprint for Building Community is a rare look at the career of a city manager. This career portrait is set in two Illinois communities --Park Forest and Woodridge--communities which hold high aspirations for their residents. City managers, partnering with elected leaders and citizens in these communities, have worked to fulfill those aspirations. This book highlights the values and relationships that must be cultivated by the city manager to successfully build community. Although the focus is on the role of the city manager, other key participants such as elected officials, citizens, and employees can gain from the insights. Community building requires connecting the key groups in the community to the mission and "sacred things" dear to residents. Harnessing the energy of all the players produces tremendous results. For the many people who worked to build Park Forest and Woodridge, and so many communities across this country, this book is a tribute to their efforts. This book is written to encourage the next generation of city managers to pursue the challenge of building communities. The author chronicles the lessons and principles that add to success as a city manager. He conveys the inspiration, passion and excitement to those who consider public service.
BLUEPRINT FOR BUILDING COMMUNITY
LEADERSHIP INSIGHTS FOR GOOD GOVERNMENTBy JOHN PERRYAuthorHouse
Copyright © 2010 John Perry
All right reserved.ISBN: 978-1-4520-0625-3Contents
Acknowledgments..........................................................................viiForeword.................................................................................ixPreface..................................................................................xiChapter 1 Fulfilling Dreams..............................................................1Chapter 2 A Place To Call Home...........................................................13Chapter 3 Leader Values-Valued Leadership................................................33Chapter 4 Leadership Team Unified for Success............................................43Chapter 5 Engaging Citizens in Building a First Class Community..........................55Chapter 6 Strategies For Building Community..............................................79Chapter 7 Aligning People and Organization Propels Community Forward.....................97Chapter 8 Doing Good Things and Telling People...........................................109Chapter 9 Teammates in Fighting for the City's Ideals....................................121Chapter 10 Building the Community of Tomorrow............................................151
Chapter One
FULFILLING DREAMS
The Last Lecture a video and book about Dr. Randy Pausch, a computer science professor, who died at 47 of pancreatic cancer, captured our hearts and spirits two years ago. The book had special meaning for me. I lost my sister to pancreatic cancer at 47. The Last Lecture is a story about fulfilling dreams and passing along some lessons for life. This book may never have the impact of Randy Pausch, but it is about fulfilling dreams, a tribute to those who shared them along the way, and some lessons for life.
"Life is a paradox." "Fact is stranger than fiction." "Never say never." All these catch phrases are a clear indication of the ironies of life. We just celebrated the 200th birthday of Abraham Lincoln; our most respected and admired President. Mr. Lincoln might find irony in being from Illinois, the state which competes for topping the list for all the values contrary to the Lincoln tradition. Lincoln brought honor to Illinoisans through his service and sacrifice. He stood for integrity, accountability, and commitment to country. Residents of Illinois would prefer to hold onto this ideal of leadership rather than what we have been dealt in state leaders in recent decades.
Adding to the irony, we have inaugurated a new President from Illinois. He is also our first African American President. Barack Obama has called for a commitment to a new generation of public service. He has asked for "our service and our active citizenship." The energizing of the younger generation has been quite impressive, and, hopefully, a harbinger of things to come. For some of us from the "older" generation, we welcome this renewal. For those of us who have committed our lives to public service since the 1960s, however, we see an irony in that we have continued to carry the "torch" and never have lost the fire of commitment to community.
While the national stage may see an ebb and flow to the value of public service, there is one arena in which that commitment to public service glows brightly. This arena is the community in which each of us calls home. While all politics is local, the governance and management of our communities are marked by a steadiness of purpose and service that sets them apart.
The philosophical swings of national politics have taken on cataclysmic proportions almost daily. Services at the community level continue unabated. A resident is burglarized, calls the police department, and an officer responds. A fire alarm triggers the engines to roll. Public Works sends the salt and plow trucks to clear the newly fallen 4" snow fall. You step into the shower in the morning and turn the faucet, the running water helps start your day. No, the shifts of national politics don't dramatically change what residents in our communities see happening each day and the continuing need to deliver these services.
Local government, the "lost" level of government in the federal system, still quietly goes about its business. Oftentimes, communities progress in spite of Washington policies. The steadiness and quality of our communities is a tribute to the contributions that elected officials, citizens, and professional staff make to building and maintaining our communities.
DeTocqueville, in his nineteenth century assessment of American life, considered local governments as the training ground for our democracy. The leadership challenge for communities, however, grows as resources diminish and the political polarization at higher levels of government does nothing to address local needs. We need to better understand why and how we come together at the community level to best serve our residents.
For thirty seven years I have been immersed in the dynamic profession of city management. As I reflect on my career and the outstanding people and opportunities that have been part of that experience, I hope to share the insights that may guide communities-their elected officials, residents, and professional managers-through the difficult challenges ahead. I will briefly describe in this book the why, who, and what associated with the best practices that I observed during my thirty seven year career.
What is the purpose of our work in local government? Work in local government is distinctive from work at the state and federal levels. There is an intimacy and closeness at the community level that is different from the connection at any other level of government. President Obama wants to renew the citizen connection-but must rely upon media that are more distant, less interactive, and unable to simultaneously convey the mutuality of emotions present. Whether the city manager encounters residents at a public hearing, the local grocery store, or down the street from his home, the city manager is there in person. The city manager is connected in time and space to the citizen. The city manager is always "available" and at hand.
The setting and environment of the work for the city manager is different from state and federal government work. You are directly accountable, personally present, each and every day. The local government manager is working in the environment originally conceived for bringing people together in community. Early Greek models for democracy were built on a small scale around the notion that all citizens were actively involved in the affairs of the city. This opportunity to build a community that fulfills the early ideals of community, providing for the basic well-being of the citizens and the environment where they could develop their full potential as people uniquely belongs to those who work in local government.
Broadly, three elements shape the success of the city manager in building community. First, the manager needs to grasp the aspirations of the community served. Second, the manager needs to demonstrate the values that build confidence in the role that he fulfills in the community. Third, he must find ways to link and connect all the community stakeholders and support their aspirations. The remainder of this chapter will expand on these three elements and close with one real-life example of how these elements played out in Woodridge.
City Management-The...
