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Kepoki <br />OcTuiiiiU \ oi.. II. IssfL J <br />Council -Manager -Citizen Relations : <br />A Contemporary Look - /.> ihmcycr <br />T n I W.V 1 wrote an article lor /W1 <br />I Mii/iizine entitled 'Counul-Mana^:er <br />JL Relations Time lor Adiiistment <br />Before It Is Too Late ' I he article was <br />intended to emphasize to Citv Managers <br />and Administrators the importance of <br />recognizing* and reacting to the ever <br />changing political environments m <br />which they operate <br />Lociking at the expectations ol the <br />elected oHicials from twenty years <br />as compared to today it is apparent <br />that more than ever, the effective man­ <br />ager IS the perceptive manager that is <br />willing to take some risks 1‘he trend <br />today IS toward a more participatory <br />government one that reflects changes <br />in society and repiesents what citizens <br />now expect of their elected officials A <br />contemporarv' approach to city gover ­ <br />nance pairs the Council and Manager <br />in an effort io meet the growing expec ­ <br />tations of citizens to have a voice in <br />local government <br />The Past <br />Throughout my 35 year career as a <br />City Manager executive search con ­ <br />sultant, and City Councilmemher 1 <br />have obserxed what city councils <br />expect from managers in temts of orga ­ <br />nizational skills and management st>*le <br />In the late 1970s and early '80s elected <br />officials looked for managers with <br />experience in ec»momic development <br />union relations and skills in grantsman- <br />ship An aura of authoritx* and a low <br />profile were desirable traits as was a <br />steady career path and skills in working <br />with the governing body as a single- <br />unit By the late l^)80s and early 90s. <br />the big issues were traffic, recycling <br />and the environment neighborhcwid <br />development technology goal setting <br />and customer serx ice Courxils sought <br />manageis with persuasive skills and <br />high levels of energ\' Skills in conflict <br />resolution and sensitivitv' to political <br />realities kept managers out of trouble <br />In the mid t(» late 90s the shift was to <br />a visionarx' stvle of management with <br />specific attention on long range plan­ <br />ning development and redevelopment <br />C ities were providing more leisure <br />amenities and citizens were participating <br />in increasing numbers Staff develop ­ <br />ment K-came more important and <br />effective managers were expected to <br />share the leadership and empower the <br />employees Diversity gender sensitivity <br />and a strongly held value s\ siem were <br />highly desirable qualities <br />What is Evolving <br />Today our cities require more intellectual <br />and creative approaches to problem <br />solvir;* Rightsizing" an organization <br />often leads to discussions about <br />combining services and exploring <br />privatization options Cities are taking <br />a more regional approach m an attempt <br />to economize yet strive to keep deci­ <br />sion making local <br />i^ublic Involvement <br />W hile public administrators cannot take <br />t)n the entire role of c-stablishing a vision <br />for their communities they can push <br />elected officials for thoughtful and <br />continuing discussions about preparing <br />for the future Public participation in <br />the planning and design of a project <br />has become a crucial component of <br />the economic development and