| Building livable communities that improve people's lives |  |
| Leadership and Management
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- Why bosses should stop trying to be right
Good leaders care less about being right than about figuring out what actually is right in any given situation, writes Art Petty. That implies a less authoritative approach to leadership, with bosses focusing less on imposing their will and more on soliciting opinions and perspectives before making decisions. "Effective leaders bite their tongues and ask before they tell," Petty writes. ArtPetty.com
(11/4)
- Mass. city council sets redistricting map
The Boston City Council approved a redistricting map by an Oct. 31 deadline, after two years of negotiations and working through superstorm Sandy. The council is required to approve a redistricting map every 10 years, after U.S. census data are released. Each district must have a balanced number of residents -- between 65,000 and 72,000 this time -- and the map must comply with the Voting Rights Act. Wicked Local/Roslindale, Mass.
(11/5)
| Budgeting and Finance
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- Incorrect data to state will cost Va. city $1M
Portsmouth, Va., has been asked by the state to pay back $1 million by year-end to make up for incorrect information from the city that caused the state to overpay for Portsmouth's 911 services. Councilman Steve Marzolf says the board does not think the error was purposeful, noting that other cities made similar mistakes. However, none came close to the amount paid to Portsmouth. The mayor blames the former city manager for the error, which originated in the Police Communications Office. WAVY-TV (Portsmouth, Va.)
(11/6)
| Emergency Management and Public Safety
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- Mich. fire department upgrades ladder trucks
Ladder trucks at the Dearborn, Mich., Fire Department have been retooled to enable advanced life support, such as airway procedures, cardiac electrical therapy and IV fluids. The effort, which took about a year, was a joint move by the Fire Department and the firefighters union. Almost all department employees are certified paramedics. "The upgrade ... ensures that no matter how many other Fire Department vehicles are out assisting the public, a resident who calls 911 will always have access to [advanced life support] services without delay," the fire chief said. Patch.com/Dearborn, Mich.
(11/5)
| Economic Development, Restoration and Sustainability
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- Calif. city will consider plan to retain downtown retail space
The Palo Alto, Calif., City Council asked city staff to come up with a proposal that would retain ground-floor retail in key parts of downtown and near the transit center. "Right now, the office market is incredibly strong, and there's strong economic pressure to convert from retail to office," the vice mayor said. "So, we need to look carefully at where we could lose retail in the downtown." Palo Alto Daily News (Calif.)
(11/6)
| Legislation, Policy and Grants
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- Fla. city council takes aim at neglected properties
The Sanibel, Fla., City Council is considering drafting an ordinance that would keep neglected or abandoned properties from becoming a nuisance. Although neglected properties are not a huge problem in the city, the council has received increased complaints from residents about certain properties. Under city code, Sanibel can deal only with properties that are thought to be dangerous. The News-Press (Fort Myers, Fla.)
(11/5)
| Public Works and Infrastructure
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- Parking cost in Pa. city might change
A Pittsburgh city councilman introduced a resolution commissioning a study to determine appropriate pricing for parking in the Oakland neighborhood. Through the study, officials hope to determine an hourly rate that allows for 80% utilization of spaces around Carnegie Mellon University and a conservatory, even if that means the price changes during different times of day and different days of the week, based on demand. Pittsburgh Post-Gazette
(11/6)
| Recognitions and Transitions
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- Texas town government rakes in awards
ICMA's Community Sustainability Award was bestowed upon Westlake, Texas, for its Westlake Windows initiative. The town was also honored with the 2012 City Council of the Year Award from the Texas City Management Association and the 2012 Community Economic Development Award from the Texas Economic Development Council. Fort Worth Star-Telegram (Texas)
(11/5)
| ICMA News
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Thursday's Web conference will focus on attracting and retaining retailers
As the economy rebounds, communities have a dual role: Attract new businesses, while keeping existing businesses healthy and strong. During the ICMA Web conference "Economic Development: Attracting Retailers and Keeping Them," scheduled from 1 to 2:30 p.m. Eastern on Thursday, you will discuss how to target retailers, partner with developers and commercial brokers, and use incentives to stimulate development. The event will feature Lisa Hill, vice president of Buxton's public-sector division; Steven Lantsberger, economic-development director for Hesperia, Calif.; and Jeff Fleming, assistant city manager for Kingsport, Tenn. Register.
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ICMA University: Invest in training, not travel
A critical part of building your organization is training your staff, but finding the time to do so can be tricky. ICMA University is here to help! In one afternoon, your staff can receive specialized training across a broad range of topics that enables them to increase professional knowledge and skills. Topics include Ethics, High-Performing Organizations, Performance Measurement, Management, Citizen Engagement, Staff Development, Personal Development, Leadership and Innovation, and Planning, Budgeting and Finance. These workshops are a low-cost, high-payoff professional-development opportunity that can be brought to your office, conference or meeting. Whatever your experience level -- whether you're fresh out of graduate school or you're a seasoned manager -- ICMA University has something for you. Visit the ICMA University website to review the full selection of training opportunities.
| SmartQuote
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 | It's impossible to move, to live, to operate at any level without leaving traces, bits, seemingly meaningless fragments of personal information."
--William Gibson,
American-Canadian author
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