ENCINITAS — The City of Encinitas, California has announced that City Manager Karen Brust had hired Jennifer Campbell, the assistant city manager of Glendale, to lead the city’s park division.

Campbell has been in her current position since March 2014, providing leadership overseeing Development Services, Public Works and the Water Department. She has more than 18 years of government experience, most of which is in parks and recreation.

Jennifer Campbell
Photo courtesy city
of Glendale

She replaces Lisa Rudloff, who had served as the parks and recreation director for nearly five years before resigning abruptly on March 7.

“I’m excited to be joining the dedicated team of civic leaders at the city of Encinitas,” Campbell said.  “I know how much residents and the broader community value their parks, beaches and trails. I look forward to collaborating with residents and city staff to provide meaningful experiences for everyone enjoying these community treasures.”

Prior to her assistant city manager position, Campbell rose through the ranks in parks and recreation, first as a recreation Coordinator, recreation and aquatics supervisor, and superintendent before being promoted to Community Services Director in the city of Maricopa, Ariz.

Campbell has a master’s degree in education with an emphasis in leadership and public administration from Northern Arizona University and a bachelor’s degree in recreation management from the University of Arizona.  She is a certified parks and recreation professional, a certified public manager, possesses a Smartscape Certification and is a Parks Maintenance Management School graduate.

She has also been an adjunct professor at a community college teaching recreation classes since 2003.

“Ms. Campbell brings a wealth of experience with a focus on customer service,” Brust said.  “Her warm and approachable communication style will foster a supportive and customer serving environment for the community to enjoy.”

Source: The Coast News

Robert Patrick, CPM, has been appointed as the Director of the Public Works Division for the City of Amarillo, Texas. According to MyHighPlains.com, Patrick last served as Assistant City Manager in Midland, Texas. His 20-plus years of experience includes fleet services, facilities, sanitation and landfill, utilities, capital project development and management, engineering and city management. A native of the Panhandle, Patrick has served communities throughout Texas.

He earned his BS Degree in Business Administration, is a Certified Public Manager, and holds a Class A Water Certification from Texas Commission on Environmental Quality (TCEQ). Patrick also served in leadership positions with several professional organizations including the Texas Municipal League, the Texas City Managers Association and the Panhandle Regional Municipal Solid Waste Advisory Committee.

As Director of the Public Works Division, Patrick will oversee Streets, Drainage, Fleet, Sanitation and Landfill, and Traffic Operations.

Arkansas Governor Asa Hutchinson signed a proclamation on May 9 declaring May 16-20, 2016, as Certified Public Manager® (CPM) Recognition Week in the State of Arkansas. Representing the program at the event were Arkansas Public Administration Consortium Executive Director Jolie Busby and CPM Program Manager Anna Swaim, Arkansas Society of Certified Public Managers® board members, and CPM Advisory Council members. 

Following is the text of the proclamation:

Whereas: Arkansas is committed to excellence in government and providing its citizens with efficient, production and professional services; and

Whereas: Arkansas recognizes that improving the skills, knowledge and professionalism of public managers and supervisors promotes better governmental services; and

Whereas: The Arkansas Public Administration Consortium (a collaborative effort of the University of Arkansas at Little Rock, University of Arkansas and Arkansas State University) has, for more than three decades, offered the Certified Public Manager program, a leading, nationally accredited training and development program for public sector managers and supervisors; and

Whereas: The Arkansas Society of Certified Public Managers declares May 16-20, 2016, as Certified Public Manager Recognition Week, designating this as a time for acknowledging the contributions of Certified Public Managers to their respective governmental agencies, boards and commissions;

NOW, THEREFORE, I, ASA HUTCHINSON, Governor of the State of Arkansas, by virtue of the authority vested in me by the laws of the State of Arkansas, do hereby proclaim May 16-20, 2016, as

CERTIFIED PUBLIC MANAGER RECOGNITION WEEK.

For more information contact Anna Swaim, CPM Program Coordinator.

April 20, 2016 -- Shirley M. Simonis announced she will run for re-election as Portage County (Wisconsin) clerk. Simonis is currently serving her third term as county clerk and previously served as the deputy county clerk. 

In her announcement she said that “The University of Wisconsin Certified Public Manager Program has provided me with specific skills to execute my duties as a public manager.” 

- See more at: http://www.pcgazette.com/Content/Default/News/Article/Simonis-will-seek-re-election-as-Portage-County-clerk-/-3/1/855#sthash.ch75DyLc.dpuf

The Trotwood Ohio City Council appointed  Quincy E. Pope, Sr., CPM, as their new City Manager on March 21, 2016. Mr. Pope is a graduate of the Ohio CPM Program. Read more here: Trotwood selects new city manager.

The Newsletter of the New Hampshire Department of Environmental Services featured an Askew Award winning Capstone Project. 

Click here to view article.

George Mason University Launches New School

George Mason University (GMU), located in Fairfax County, Virginia, has merged its former Department of Public and International Affairs and School of Public Policy to create a new School of Policy, Government and International Affairs (SPGIA).

The Virginia Certified Public Manager® program is housed at SPGIA.

See full article here.

Florida Governor Rick Scott declared July 21-27, 2013  as “Certified Public Manager“ Week in Florida.” This is the 4th year in a row that there has been similar declaration.  

The highlight of the week for the Florida Certified Public Manager® Program was their first Level 8 graduation ceremony of the summer on July 25, 2013 in Tallahassee.  There were 90 grads and nearly 350 people attending the ceremony (lots of agency heads and supervisors of the grads, plus families).  There will be a second  Level 8 graduation in August, in Clearwater, with 20 grads.
As a lead-up to the week, the Tallahassee Democrat’s long-time Capitol Bureau Chief, Bill Cotterell, did an article on the importance of professional public management training.

Click here to see the article from the Tallahassee Democrat.