Joseph Turner’s Post

"What more do city councils want in a city manager?" Don Menzel asks this question in this opinion piece... Beyond the education and experience, a successful manager needs to acquire a host of other hard and soft skills. Menzel writes that: "His/her personality must align with the council’s dispositions and outlook. A successful applicant must convey a pleasant disposition, leadership confidence, and a management style that fits the local government workforce. He/she must know how to delegate responsibility and ensure accountability." "Other qualities necessary to become a successful city manager include the ability to maintain a sense of humor and a tough skin to deal with criticism and sometimes, attacks on his/her management ability." ---- As Don articulates in this piece, being a successful manager is difficult. You can be extremely smart and talented -- but fail miserably. And I would argue that quite a few managers who aren't that smart or talented perform well because they are highly skilled at fostering and maintaining strong relationships with their electeds. h/t to Michael Halpern for sending this editorial to me. ---- Have you checked out my new YouTube channel? Check it out here: https://lnkd.in/eeCZY4M5 and subscribe today. https://lnkd.in/ejgDSA5A

Dear Aspiring City Manager: A Missouri city couldn't find any applicants for its city administrator position -- so they repealed the requirement to have one. What if you had bet on yourself, applied, and got the job? In 5 years you could be earning $175,000 plus with this formula: ✅ Spend two years racking up some wins and building your resume, ✅ Jump to a larger city and land a salary north of $125K ✅ Spend 2-3 years there racking up some wins and ✅ Jump to a larger city and land a salary of $175K I made a career change/pivot. A full tear-down. And I landed my first city administrator gig in a small town of 1,700 back in July 2019. My starting salary: $60,000! YIKES! You read that right. Two years later, I jumped to a town of $2,500 for a salary of $95,000. In February of this year -- less than 5 years after getting the 'title', I was offered a city manager gig with a starting salary north of $200,000 -- but I turned it down because it didn't meet my number. I am no longer taking discounts for the value I bring to an organization. My point is that you have the ability to change your life dramatically in a very short period of time in this climate. All the rules -- conventional wisdom -- throw it out the window. The game has changed and there has never been a better time for aspiring city managers to enter the ranks. ---- And if you are an aspiring city manager -- you need to pay special attention to the announcement Micah Gaudet and I are making in the May 1st episode of the City Manager Unfiltered Podcast. it is time to bet on yourself and surround yourself with people who want to help you achieve your goals and aspirations.

Is a being a City Manager like being a CEO of a Company? 🤔 hmmm ... Before I delved into local government a few years ago, I didn’t fully understand the role of a City Manager. However, after connecting with various city managers, I realized their job is akin to that of a CEO in a company. Just like a company CEO, a City Manager has: 👉 Customers == Residents 👉 Stakeholders == City Council 👉 Employees == City Staff 👉 Products == Strategic Initiatives & Programs 👉 Budget == City Budget 👉 Company growth == City's Economic Development ..... and the list goes on City Managers are responsible for delivering services to residents, managing feedback, launching new initiatives, balancing the budget, handling public relations, communicating progress ..... the list goes on. It’s a role that demands versatility and resilience. Being a City Manager is far from easy. Success leads to more responsibilities and higher expectations from stakeholders. If something goes wrong, even beyond their control, they bear the blame. The role of a City Manager "is like" being a CEO of a Company. 💪 They have similar responsibilities, stakeholders, and the pressure. From my conversations with City Managers, it’s clear they are dedicated individuals who genuinely strive to improve their communities. While every field has its exceptions, the majority are committed to making their cities better places to live. Next time you enjoy a safe walk in your neighborhood, visit a community center, experience a farmers market, or relax in a park, take a moment to appreciate the city officials who make it all possible. A simple thank you can go a long way in recognizing their hard work and dedication. #citymanagers #localgovernment

This rookie city manager made a huge blunder with respect to negotiating his contract. Please learn from him so that you do not repeat it. He started the job without having the terms of his contract negotiated and agreed upon. According to the article (link: https://lnkd.in/ehPpismf), Shawn Anderson started as Farrell’s city manager on May 1. However, Farrell officials are still working out the details of his contract. ---- Yikes. Never start a new job as a city manager until you have hammered out the details of your contract and in particular -- your severance agreement. When you start the job before agreeing to terms -- you have given up all of your negotiating leverage. It is foolish. ---- Imagine you were a finalist for a city manager vacancy negotiating your contract and you were also a member of the American Association of Municipal Executives. Wouldn't it be amazing if you could jump on a Zoom call with some peers to review your contract language and discuss negotiation tactics and strategies? You will be able to do that and more as a member of AAME.org. Sign up today to become a founding member.

The repercussions of empty downtown offices are beginning to play out in Boston. Tax revenue generated from commercial real estate in the city is projected to decline by $1.5 billion over the next five years as many of the empty buildings have now lost their value. The mayor of Boston, Michelle Wu, is hoping to make up for the shortfall by proposing a tax rate increase on commercial properties. A proposal that would also include a home rule petition to shield homeowners from facing a tax increase to offset the projected deficit. While the act, if approved, would in theory address the short-term problem, it’d still be but a bandage on a larger and growing issue – commercial real estate has changed forever. Employees aren’t going back to work in not nearly the numbers they did prior to the pandemic, and in light of massive corporate layoffs, many of the jobs that were once there no longer exist. Downtowns that once relied on this revenue are in trouble. https://lnkd.in/eJiFrWE7 #commercialrealestate #restuaranttrends #tagex #liquidations #foodindustrynews #foodserviceindustry #foodindustrynews #kitchenquipment #restaurantequipment #commercialkitchenequipment #restaurantauctions #furnitureauctions #furnitureliquidations #equipmentliquidations #equipmentauctions #businessliquiditions #restaurantclosures #cfo #coo #foodindustry #foodindustryequipment #liquidaterestaurant #openrestaurant #expandrestaurant #foodoperations #restaurantclosure #restaurantremodel #restaurantliquidation

City managers suck at negotiating their own contracts and I have the evidence to prove it. I read hundreds of articles a month about city managers and other public sector executives -- with a heavy emphasis on compensation and contract negotiations. Do you know how often I read an article about a finalist and a city council not being able to come to terms on a contract negotiation? Hardly ever! Like -- less than five instances in a year. That is how rare it is. That is terrible negotiating on our part as a collective group of professionals. What a terrible bell curve! That means we aren't pushing hard enough and we are too eager to accept the job and the offer that comes our way. Why are we being so desperate in an environment where the job has grown increasingly less attractive over the years and the bargaining power for executives has never been stronger? If you were buying a car or a house and the seller accepted your first offer -- you would and should be kicking yourself in the ass in 98% of the cases. Do you want to be the "easy lay" that gets taken home by some dude at "last call" who just wants to smash and doesn't care about you? Or, do you want to be play hard to get a little bit, show them that you have some self-respect, and make them want and value you more? In February -- I was the finalist for a city manager vacancy. I turned down a job that would have paid me more than $200,000 a year. To put that in perspective -- I was making $60,000 in my first city administrator job back in the 2019 and I was earning $100,000 in July 2023. Not only was I asking for salary that was significantly more than what my predecessor made, I asked for other concessions. To their credit, they came up a significant percentage from the initial offer. But, they did not come up enough to meet me at my number and so we reached an impasse. And I don't feel bad about it -- nor do I have any regrets -- even as I sit here unemployed. I am the prize. I am the solution to their problems. They are not the solution to my problems. I am not discounting my skill and talents anymore. I am charging a premium. And you should, too!

The optics on this story are terrible. A woman with decades of municipal experience passed over for a veteran with "no municipal experience." BUT -- did they really make the wrong choice for city manager? There is a lot to unpack here -- here's a rundown. A Navy executive by the name of Colin Kennedy was selected on a split vote to be the next city manager for Newport, Rhode Island. This has irritated some members of the governing body because he has "no municipal experience." However, according to this article (https://lnkd.in/eh74pGC5) Kennedy has served in an executive capacity for two decades. Most recently as the CEO of the Navy Reserve Center Newport. He previously worked as the: ➡️ director of operation training and performance for the Commander Naval Surface Force Atlantic ➡️ chief executive officer for Navy Operational Support Center in Milwaukee ➡️ director of travel for the Navy Reserve Forces Command. He was selected over Laura Sitrin who has served as the interim city manager for 10 months and as the long time finance director. By all accounts she seems to have performed very well in her role as finance director and as the interim manager. Kennedy also landed a salary that makes him the highest paid city manager in the state -- and significantly higher than his predecessor who was earning about $186,000 with many years of city management experience. Here's the rub. The charter apparently requires the city manager to be have "experience in and the knowledge of generally accepted practices in municipal administration.” Kennedy's selection re-inforces what I have often said about this job market, career pivots, and compensation. But -- if your charter requires an individual with municipal experience I don't know how you can hire someone who doesn't have that -- regardless of their professional bonafides in the private sector or military. I feel like you have to honor the charter. ---- If you are a veteran seeking to become a city manager -- you are invited to become a founding member of the American Association of Municipal Executives. We have a membership tier for aspiring managers and will help you grow your professional network and prepare for your career pivot. Sign up at AAME.org today.

Chicago Property Values Outside of Core Office District Jump 27% : Property values rose 27% in a big chunk of Chicago that includes the burgeoning neighborhood of Fulton Market dozen neighborhoods situated west, southwest and northwest of the Loop, the city’s central business district : Fulton Market former meatpacking district that has been transformed into a bustling spot, is among those that is experiencing huge growth : four Michelin star restaurants can be found there : Chicago, like cities across the globe has faced commercial property distress in the Loop assessment for that area is expected to be released later this year : home to fast-food chain McDonald’s headquarters and tech giant Alphabet’s Google regional hub : City is undergoing first assessment since the end of pandemic : Appraisals signal how residents, businesses divvy up taxes : total assessed value in the region rose to about $10 billion from roughly $8 billion a year earlier

Fort Worth, TX City Manager David Cooke is set to retire in February 2025, prompting the City to begin the search for his successor. However, as a former City Manager, I am puzzled by the decision to have the Human Resources Department spearhead this recruitment process. Here's why this approach may not be the best choice: - The HR department reports to the City Manager, and this process can create awkward dynamics during the search and long lasting impacts to staff if the process experiences bumps in the road. - External recruitment firms offer candidates a more reliable and confidential process, as well as expertise in City Manager recruitments. - Outside firms are better positioned to effectively navigate the decision-making process with elected officials, ensuring consensus and maintaining credibility. - Recruitment firms possess valuable networks, attending relevant events and conferences to identify top candidates and weed out unsuitable ones. - Experienced recruiters can provide insights on candidate suitability and handle confidentiality concerns adeptly. I have personally experienced recruitments as a candidate run by the City and those run by outside recruiting firms. Outside recruiting firms are much better suited for this assignment. While no process is perfect, City Manager recruitments are too precarious and sensitive to be run by even the best internal HR Department. While cost-saving is important, investing in an external recruiting firm for critical decisions like this can be invaluable. In my view, a City Manager search should not exceed $40,000. For transparency, my firm, Sumter Local Government Consulting, specializes in recruiting, staffing, and consulting for local government entities, and we certainly benefit from local government who choose to use us for the expertise external firms bring to such searches. Read more about Fort Worth's search for a new City Manager here: #CityManager #Recruitment #LocalGovernment #HRManagement

As a City Manager, I found this article very interesting. If you get an opportunity, send a “thank you” note to your local city manager and give him or her your encouragement and support for continued success in addressing the challenges in your community, I assure you, this will be of great appreciation. I regularly reach out to other City Manager's to do a quick check-in or just to send positive vibes to them, just because. #P3GROWTHPROCESS