MEETING THE ETHICAL AND POLITICAL CHALLENGES OF THE NEXT DECADE
Sponsored by Texas State University’s William P. Hobby Center for Public Service

Nearly 120 Texas CPM alumni, faculty, and students gathered in Round Rock, Texas on Friday April 7, 2017, to learn, share and network at the Annual Texas Certified Public Manager (CPM) Conference.  The Conference, which was held at the Texas State University Avery Center, featured the William P. Hobby Distinguished Lecture and a plenary session on Texas Politics & Policy Issues.

The Hobby Distinguished Lecture is always a highlight of the annual conference. This year's honoree, Alan Bojorquez, is the Chairman of the Texas Center for Municipal Ethics, as well as, Principal and Chief Executive Officer of the Bojorquez Law Firm in Austin Texas. Read more about the conference and view videos here.

28 Local Government Managers Attend the North Central Texas Council of Governments (NCTCOG) CPM Program in Arlington, Texas

By: Dr. Howard Balanoff, Professor & Director, William P. Hobby Center for Public Service, Texas State University

On January 12, 2017 Texas State University began a new cycle of courses in the Texas Certified Public Manager (CPM) Program. At the present time twenty eight local government managers and leaders are enrolled in the 2017 CPM Program offered at the North Central Texas Council of Governments in Arlington, Texas.

The Director of the Texas CPM Program in Arlington, Texas is David Tees. The following managers are enrolled in the CPM Program in Arlington:

Darwin Archer, City Manager, City of Cisco, Texas

Jeff Bell, Fire Chief, Fairview Fire Rescue, City of Fairview, Texas

Dennis Brown, Inspector, City of Kennedale, Texas

Alexander Busken, Management Analyst, City of Benbrook, Texas

Brett Clark, Finance Director, City of Burleson, Texas

Chrystal Davis, Human Resources Director, City of Carrolton, Texas

Keith Davis, Lieutenant, Police Department, City of Texarkana, Texas

Kyle Dooley, Public Works Director, City of Texarkana, Texas

Heath Haseloff, Project Engineer, Town of Highland Park, Texas

Kenneth Hedges, Assistant Fire Chief, City of Denton, Texas

Michelle Hicks, City Secretary, City of Lacy Lakeview, Texas

Trish Holley, Director of Administration, City of Burkburnett, Texas

Larry Hoover, Streets Superintendent, City of Kennedale, Texas

Esmeralda Hudson, City Secretary, City of Waco, Texas

Shirley Jaster, Assistant City Manager, City of Texarkana, Texas

Carrie Jones, Assistant to the City Manager, City of Denison, Texas

Mathew Jones, Director of Community Development, Town of Argyle, Texas

William Jordan, City Manager, City of Ferris, Texas

Albert Lawrence, Assistant City Manager, City of Red Oak, Texas

Gary Lester, Revenue Manager, City of Rowlett, Texas

Mark Morris, Human Resources Director, City of Balch Springs, Texas

Kelly Neal, Finance Director, Town of Prosper, Texas

Mike Shaffstall, City of Lake Dallas, Texas

Cheryl, Taylor, City Engineer, City of Colleyville, Texas

Gretchen Vasquez, Senior Engineer, City of Cleburne, Texas

Darwin Wade, Grants Coordinator, City of Arlington, Texas

Mike Whaley, City Manager, City of Burkburnett, Texas

Brett Williams, Executive Director of Community Services, City of Killeen, Texas

The Texas CPM Program is currently offered by 5 Texas Universities in 7 cities throughout the State of Texas. The Texas CPM Program is accredited by the National Certified Public Manager Consortium. CPM Programs are offered in 40 states in the United States. Since the CPM Program began in Texas in July 1995 over 1700 public sector and not for profit sector managers, leaders, supervisors etc. have graduated from the Program which is operated under the umbrella of Texas State University’s William P. Hobby Center for Public Service.

For additional information about the Texas CPM Program in Arlington, Texas please contact Dr. David Tees at dwtees@gmail.com or 817/683-8764. For information about the Texas CPM Program in general explore the CPM website at www.txstate.edu/cpm and/or contact Dr. Howard Balanoff at hb02@txstate.edu or 512/245-3453.

Participants in the Texas CPM Program attend class at the North Central Texas Council of Governments located in Arlington Texas.

Mr. Chris Hartung, Owner & President of Hartung Consulting (front of room) provides information on recruiting and selection of employees to participants in the Texas CPM Program in Arlington, Texas.

 September 15, 2016 - Aiken, SC

Michelle Shepard, a Certified Public Manager®, has been appointed as the Public Works Director for the City of Aiken, South Carolina. She will report directly to the City Manager.

Source: Aiken Standard

FREEHOLD, NJ - Sheriff Shaun Golden is pleased to announce the graduation of six employees from the distinguished New Jersey Certified Public Manager® Program from Rutgers University School of Public Affairs and Administration. The ten month class which met one work day per week teaches public servants how to deal with the complex issues of an agency, as well as become more efficient, effective, fair and ethical, as they manage day to day operations within their divisions.

“As public servants, it’s vital that challenges are dealt with in the most professional and effective manner,” said Sheriff Shaun Golden. “This program does that by providing the core skills our participants can grow and build on as committed leaders. By attaining this coveted certification, it helps ensure that Monmouth County residents will receive the highest standards of service.”

Graduates included Sgt. David Wentworth, Sgt. Jose Rivera and Sgt. Joel Fischer of the Law Enforcement Division, Capt. Rene Roberts and Lt. Jason McCauley of the Correctional Division and Andrew Calvo, IT Director.

“I’m grateful to have been provided with such a great opportunity,” said Sgt. Jose Rivera who was a nominee for the Askew Award, which recognizes recipients for exceptional work.

“The CPM program enabled me to enhance my understanding of the responsibilities I have as a sergeant and excel in the necessary skills needed to become an effective leader.”

Sgt. Denise Palmisano, a former graduate in 2014, was a recipient of the Askew Award for the 2012-2015 class.

Source: AHHearld.com

Scott Wall, CPM, was hired as city administrator by the Willow Park City Council on Tuesday, August 9, 2016.

Wall has more than 25 years of experience in city management. His career began in 1992 as city manager of Hondo, located near San Antonio.

In 1999 he became assistant city manager of Lancaster. He was promoted to city manager a year later.

Wall was then hired as the city manager of Sherman, a position he held for five years.

In 2007 Wall became city manager of Leander.

Two years later he was hired as assistant city manager of Tyler, where he stayed for about a year before taking the city manager position in Crandall in 2011.

Wall holds a Bachelor’s degree in Public Administration from West Texas State A&M and a Master’s degree in Interdisciplinary Studies from Texas State University. He was the first city manager in Texas to complete the Certified Public Manager® Program from Texas State University’s William P. Hobby Center for Public Service Academy, according to his biography.

Wall is also an International City Management Association Credentialed Manager.

Read more here: http://www.star-telegram.com/news/local/community/weatherford-star-telegram/wt-news/article94946452.html#storylink=cpy and here: http://www.weatherforddemocrat.com/news/local_news/willow-park-names-new-city-admin/article_fb2cce35-6a84-5218-9c33-3d069093e9ad.html

James Fisher, CPM, has been appointed as the new city manager of Forney, Texas.

Fisher served as the city manager for Murphy, Texas from 2008 until his resignation in March 2016. During his eight-year tenure, Fisher saw the city’s population explode from approximately 11,000 to 20,000.

Fisher previously worked for the cities of Port Aransas, Castroville, Muleshoe, and Bee Cave, Texas,” according to a bio released by the City of Forney last month.

He is a Texas Certified Public Manager® and is a member of the Texas City Management Association where he has served as the Ethics Chairman and as President for Regions 4 and 7, according to the bio. He is also a member of the International City/County Management Association. Fisher holds a master of public affairs from the University of Texas at Dallas and a bachelor of business administration in management from West Texas A&M University.

See more at: http://inforney.com/local-news/item/4657-forney-city-council-appoints-new-city-manager

Omaha, NE - Douglas County has received the prestigious Certificate of Achievement for Excellence in Financial Reporting from the Government Finance Officers Association (GFOA) for its Comprehensive Annual Financial Report (CAFR) for fiscal year ended June 30, 2015, Douglas County Clerk/Comptroller Dan Esch announced today. Dan Esch, CPM, is the Douglas County Clerk/Comptroller and a 2010 graduate of the Nebraska CPM Program. Douglas County is the most populous county in the state.

The Arizona Municipal Clerks Association (ACMA) Executive Board announced Darcie McCracken, Deputy City Clerk  of Glendale, Arizona, was selected as the first recipient of the Arizona Municipal Clerks’ Deputy Clerk of the Year Award.

The honor was awarded July 26 at the AMCA’s annual conference in Fountain Hills. Nominees were evaluated based on examples of outstanding service, which includes finding innovative ways to serve their municipality, profession or community. 

McCracken has been a member of ACMA for 11 years, serving on the board in a variety of positions, including as president, vice president and treasurer. She holds master municipal clerk, public manager and elections officer certifications.

McCracken assists with the process of conducting city elections, processes public records requests, and assists the tasks of managing and retaining records for the city. She also works closely with the mayor and councilmembers.

McCracken has worked in Glendale for 30 years and has been Deputy City Clerk for Glendale since 2004 and an AMCA member since 2005. She received her Master Municipal Clerk in 2011 and is certified as an AMCA Municipal Election Official, as well as a Certified Election Officer through the Secretary of State’s office.  

McCracken is a graduate of Glendale High School and also graduated Summa Cum Laude with a bachelor of science degree from ASU in Administration of Justice and holds an Associate’s Degree in General Studies.  She continued her education with certification as a Certified Public Manager® and is currently taking classes through the ASU Management Leadership Institute.  

The full story can be found here: Link to story.

The University of Georgia's Carl Vinson Institute of Government is launching a new Certified Public Manager® program to strengthen leadership skills for local and state government managers in Georgia.

The inaugural class will begin this month with Fulton County. A state program will begin in October 2016. Both programs' classes will take place at the UGA campus in Gwinnett.

"The institute's Certified Public Manager program is filling a gap in training needs for public employees in Georgia," said Institute of Government Director Laura Meadows. "Through these classes, employees can now develop their professional skills so they can serve their communities more effectively."

The CPM program is associated with the National CPM Consortium and is designed to improve the quality and efficiency of government agencies by developing the effectiveness and professionalism of its managers. Individuals completing the program earn the prestigious Certified Public Manager credential from UGA.

Two articles: UGA Today and Atlanta Business Chronicle

MEETING THE 21ST CENTURY CHALLENGES OF THE PUBLIC & NOT-FOR PROFIT SECTORS

Nearly 120 Texas CPM alumni, faculty, and students gathered in Round Rock, Texas on Friday April 8, 2016, to learn, share and network at the Annual Texas Certified Public Manager (CPM) Conference.  The Conference, which was held at the Texas State University Avery Center, featured the William P. Hobby Distinguished Lecture and a plenary session on Texas Politics & Policy Issues.

The Hobby Distinguished Lecture is always a highlight of the annual conference.  This year's plenary session was no exception, with the 2016 honoree Dustin Haisler providing the lecture. Click here for his Presentation Abstract and Click here for his lecture "Texas State Exponential Government".

Dustin Haisler is the Chief Innovation Officer for e-Republic. Prior to that, Dustin was President of KlabLab, Product Strategy Director for Spigit, Inc. and the former Assistant City Manager and Chief Information Office (CIO) for the City of Manor, Texas. Dustin can be reached at dhaisler@gmail.com

Dustin works with numerous government agencies, academia, private companies and non-profits across the globe on innovation and engagement strategies. He is a frequent speaker on innovation and also serves on numerous public and private boards throughout the world.

• His Innovation programs were recognized by the White House.
• He is recognized as one of the Top 25 Doers, Dreamers & Drivers of Technology in the nation.
• His accomplishments have been highlighted in Government Technology, Center for Digital Government, Wall Street Journal, Fast Company & Inc. Magazines.
• He launched the first open innovation portal in the public-sector in the United States.

The opening plenary session was delivered by Mr. Harvey Kronberg, noted Texas political analyst and editor of the Quorum Report http://www.quorumreport.com informed and entertained attendees with insights to current politics (including the recent primary elections in Texas).  As a self-proclaimed "equal opportunity offender of both Democrats and Republicans" Harvey’s observations are always candid, insightful and give us the opportunity to take a humorous look at ourselves, each other and Texas politics. You can watch Harvey’s comments here. Harvey can be contacted at kronberg@quorumreport.com