THINK LONG-TERM, REWARDS ARE GREATER! It was a sunny chilly morning in December in Hemet, California some 30 years ago. I can still see myself, sitting there in an unassuming yet comfortable office chair next to a modest wood conference table. I remember being proudly dressed in my new navy blue suit, white shirt, and… Read More »

MILLENNIALS REINVENTING GOVERNMENT . . . FROM THE INSIDE OUT This blog article is NOT about politics, or about reinventing government politically (from the outside in). It’s also NOT about state or federal government administration. Plus, I’m NOT going to be reading the report card of Baby Boomers who have been in charge of government… Read More »

WHY CHOOSE A CAREER IN MUNICIPAL GOVERNMENT? Listen to Podcast There are so many careers to choose from in life. Some statistics say you will change careers 5-7 times during your working life. Younger people will change jobs more frequently than older people. But regardless of where you are now, I encourage all of you… Read More »

3 REASONS WHY YOU SHOULD STAY OUT OF POLITICS AS A MUNICIPAL EMPLOYEE I received a great piece of advice years ago from a former City Manager about working in municipal government as a first-time Director. He told me that you have to budget your words. He said: “Don’t say everything. Speak very little.” The… Read More »

3 Steps to Redesign Your System When Layoffs Loom “It’s a recession when your neighbor loses his job; it’s a depression when you lose your own.” – Harry S. Truman This quote from the thirty-third president of the United States, some 70 years ago, is never more relevant than today. While we’re not in a… Read More »

You Know You’re in a Recession When Your Neighbor’s Out of Work, But You’re in a Depression When You’re Out of Work! The last 6 economic recessions have taught us much about what happens at City Hall and other municipalities during financial downturns. Rather than simply relying on seniority, bumping rights, and MOUs, why not… Read More »

Dear municipal partners, MuniTemps has expanded it’s CitySpeak blog to include a Podcast available on iTunes, Spotify, and Amazon. The CitySpeak is also available on the MuniTemps YouTube channel as a video blog. The CitySpeak blog, podcast, and video will appear every Thursday, to continue to expand the educational, professional, and community-based content that we… Read More »

WHY WOULD I WANT TO WORK HERE? This is a question I asked a City Manager during my final (one on one) interview in 2006 for a Finance Director job. He told me I was one of two finalists for the position. After an hour of meeting together, he asked me the usual final question… Read More »

You know it’s serious when your banker tells you HE’S stressed from today’s economic uncertainty. Nothing makes sense. The relationships between economic indicators, interest rates, the stock market, inflation, unemployment, none of it makes sense. It’s as if you’re on the X2 roller coaster, and it’s your first time. Not knowing what’s next can cause… Read More »

JOB IS MORE VALUABLE THAN MONEY IN THE BANK  PDF Version   This is no time to panic.  Stay focused on doing your job, especially if you can do it safely and according to CDC guidelines.  Look for ways to quantify how you are adding “value” to your organization or company, because your job is… Read More »