Forty years ago, I was taught in business school that interest rates represent the “price of money”.  Every commodity in the market has a price.  The price of gold, wheat, soybeans, pork bellies, and even money, all these commodities have a “price”.  The “price of money” is interest rates.  The other thing I learned in… Read More »

Crisis doesn’t knock politely before barging into your community. One minute everything’s fine, the next you’re staring down a natural disaster, a public health emergency, or an infrastructure meltdown. In those moments, how you communicate can make the difference between keeping public trust intact or watching it vanish overnight. Think about it: when panic spreads… Read More »

Since retiring from the City of Imperial Beach in 2006, I have worked as an interim Finance Director, through MuniTemps, helping many city organizations while they recruit their permanent employees.  The Finance Department team I am leading currently is working overtime to implement a new ERP accounting system, while also closing the books for the… Read More »

Prior to the year 2020, local governments received very little federal grant funding outside of CDBG (Community Development Block Grants) and DOJ (Department of Justice) grants for law enforcement.  When COVID-19 hit us five years ago, this changed through the ARPA (American Rescue Plan Act) grants, which totaled $65.1 billion that went to communities across… Read More »

This topic of political risk management is an unusual one for me to be discussing as a City Finance Director.  As a matter of fact, since 1990 when I began my career in municipal finance, it was ingrained in me to embrace the “politics-administration” dichotomy of our 28th US President, Woodrow Wilson, which basically instructed… Read More »

What would happen if your most experienced team member called in sick tomorrow? Or took a well-deserved vacation right in the middle of a critical deadline? If your answer is a nervous laugh or a quiet “we’d be in trouble,” you’re not alone. In many city departments, just one person holds the keys to essential… Read More »

At MuniTemps, we’ve spent decades in municipal staffing and consulting, helping cities find the professionals who keep local government running smoothly. Our mission is simple: to deliver skilled municipal talent that strengthens communication between leadership and community. That’s exactly what this article is about, helping government employees, like you, plan and execute town hall meetings… Read More »

There are cities that have for decades maintained fiscal discipline, embracing conservative financial management, “living within their means” to strengthen their balance sheet and the fiscal capacity of their organization and their community.  These cities have plowed back positive cash flows in their General Fund, funding their long-term liabilities and minimizing the deferral of maintenance… Read More »

Think about this for a moment, when was the last time the data your city collected truly improved someone’s everyday life? Not just tallying up permits or logging the number of meetings held, but actually making a meaningful difference. I’m talking about real impact: whether someone feels safe walking home, whether families can afford to… Read More »

Here’s something to think about: when was the last time you felt truly connected to what’s happening in your community? Not just scrolling past a headline, but actively taking part in the decisions that shape your neighborhood? If you’re like many people, the answer might be “it’s been a while” and that’s okay. Civic engagement… Read More »