How Did We Get Here? A History of the City Management Profession

Dan Johnson, City Manager City of Richardson, Texas Originally delivered by Terrell Blodgett

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Acknowledgement • Sincere Appreciation to Terrell

Blodgett • Book: “City Government that

Works” by Terrell Blodgett • MPA from Syracuse University • City Manager: Waco & Garland • Texas Governors service • KPMG/Peat Marwick Principle • M. Hogg Prof. in Urban Mgt. at

LBJ School, UT Austin • State and National

Awards/Recognition 2

Terrell Blodgett

Origin of “Public” • We are generally

social creatures • We thrive in groups • Group-living gives

rise to shared features (public) for the group’s benefit

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1900

2007

2030

2050

Globally: 1.4 million new people are

moving into cities every week.

People are drawn to cities as centres of economic activity, social connection, opportunity, and

innovation.

10% 90%

50% 50%

60% 40%

70% 30%

FORMS OF CITY GOVERNMENT 5

Mayor - Council • Oldest form • Corruption rampant in late 1800s • Mayor is political and

administrative head • Sometimes employs administrator

• Largest cities in U.S. • New York City • Los Angeles • Chicago • Philadelphia

• In Texas • Only Houston, Pasadena, Texas City,

Conroe • About 20 smaller cities

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Commission • Galveston Flood – 1900 • Small elected body (3-5 members) performs both legislative

and administrative functions • Together - the commission is the legislative arm • Separately – each commissioner heads a department

• Commissioner of Fire and Police, etc. • Following Galveston, adopted by many cities in Texas and the

Nation • Houston, Dallas, Fort Worth, San Antonio, Austin

• Popularity rose and fell like a meteor • Today Portland, Oregon is the only major city • In Texas: no cities

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Council-Manager • NOT: “City Manager” Government • NOT: “Weak Mayor” Government • Urban growth in early 1900s • Cities needed an Executive

• Not a Mayor who tried to fill two roles • Nor a Commission who split duties

• Council-Manager plan emphasizes: • Unity of authority • Policy in Council • Administration in Manager • Skills and Training – Body of Knowledge

• Most early City Managers were Engineers

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OUR PROFESSION’S HERITAGE 9

Council-Manager Adoption • Beginnings

• Ukiah, California – 1904 • Staunton, Virginia – 1908 • Sumter, South Carolina - 1912

• Advocacy Groups • National Municipal League (Now National Civic League)

• Publishes model city charter - Now in 8th edition

• Texas First • Amarillo • From 2000 to 2012, several cities celebrating 90 years of Council

Manager Government, including: • Denton, Taylor, Sherman, Yoakum, Tyler, San Angelo, Brownsville,

Beaumont, Bryan, Lubbock, Lufkin, Stamford, Tulia 10

Large Cities in Texas with Council-Manager • Fort Worth – 1924 • Wichita Falls – 1928 • Austin – 1926 • Dallas – 1931 • Corpus Christi – 1945 • San Antonio – 1951 • Laredo – 1981 • El Paso – 2004 • Latest Medium Size City: League City 2010

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Other / Non-Texas Large Cities with Council-Manager • Phoenix and Tucson,

Arizona • Oklahoma City, Oklahoma • Des Moines, Iowa • Sacramento, California • Kansas City, Missouri • Charlotte, North Carolina • Norfolk and Virginia

Beach, Virginia

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Advantages of Council-Manager Plan • How to “help elected officials

translate policy and vision into results”

• Unity of authority – Not divided gridlock

• Professionalism • Manager • Department Heads

• Continuity • Objectivity • Separates (for the most part) –

Policy and Administration 13

The City Management Profession • International City / Council

Management Association • Originator – Amarillo City Manager M.H.

Hardin • Texas Municipal League – 1913

• Elected Officials • Managers started meeting in 1916

• Texas City Management Association – 1925

_____________ • Importance of Association Membership • Duties and Benefits of ICMA/TCMA

Membership • Obligations to the Code of Ethics

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What is a “Profession”? • Common Body of Knowledge /

Skills / Competencies

• Licensing or Accreditation

• Code of Conduct/Ethics

• Enforcement of that Code

A Professional Entrusted with portions of our most physical essence

Profession Essence

Doctors Health & Life

Attorneys Our Freedom and Wealth

Accountants Our Wealth & Economy

Engineers Our Health & Safety

City Managers Our Community Commonwealth

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Remember Our Duty: “Responsible for the Things that Make Communities Thrive” • Life, Well Run… • Make Tomorrow Happen • Turning it into Reality • Thinking About Life’s Details • Crafting Plans • Turning Policy Into Great

Achievements • A Place we are proud to call

“Home”

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The City Management Profession - Skills • Managers’ backgrounds have broadened • Today: generalists, finance, and planning backgrounds as well as

engineering • Graduate education for managers

• Syracuse University • Texas A&M • University of Kansas • LBJ School at UT • Texas Tech • WTSU • University of North Texas

• Certified Public Management Program – Texas State University • “The wave of the future for many smaller communities”

• Consider ICMA’s “Credentialed City Manager” Program

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ICMA’s 18 Core Competencies: Your Ongoing Checklist! • Staff Effectiveness • Policy Facilitation • Function/Operation Expertise &

Planning • Citizen Services • Performance Measures/Quality

Assurance • Initiative, Risk Tacking, Creativity,

Renewal • Technological Literacy • Democratic Advocacy and

Engagement • Inclusion

• Budgeting • Financial Analysis • Human Resource Management • Strategic Planning • Advocacy and Interpersonal

Communication • Presentation Skills • Media Relations • Integrity • Personal Development

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TCMA Today • Affiliate of Texas Municipal League • 974 TCMA Members • 20% of the membership are female • 18% of the membership are minorities • 56% of the membership work in cities

with 10,000 or more population • 76% of city managers in cities with

10,000 or more population are TCMA members (177 managers)

• 70% of the membership is 40 years of age and older

• 32% of the membership are ICMA members 20

The Future • Council-Manager: most popular form of local government

• In United States – 50% plus • In Texas

• 350+ home rule cities • 330+ Council Manager

• Challenges • There is turnover in managers • Big City Dynamics • Medium and smaller cities

• Reasons for popularity of plan • Effectiveness • Managers’ Professionalism • Your Professionalism

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• Shakespeare's The Tempest quote that links past to present/future

• Heritage is powerful context • What City Manager’s did in

1927 still matters today! • We owe so much to our

predecessors… • Science/Skill of our Craft • The Power of Associating and

Pillars of a Profession/Ethics • We/You are the guardians of

that trust today • You will help us deliver it to

“tomorrow”

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The Athenian Oath

• We will never bring disgrace to this our city by any act of dishonesty or cowardice, nor ever desert our suffering comrades in the ranks;

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• We will fight for the ideals and the sacred things of the city, both alone and with many;

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• We will revere and obey the city’s laws and do our best to incite to a like respect and reverence those who are prone to annul or set them at naught;

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• We will strive unceasingly to quicken the public sense of public duty;

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• That thus, in all these ways, we will transmit this city not only not less, but greater, better, and more beautiful than it was transmitted to us.

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• Commitment of Time • Trust in this Opportunity • Fully participating for self

and each other • For your future reference and

testimony • For your personal growth • For the quality of our

profession • For the communities we

serve 28