Braggin' Rights
By Lynn Tipton, Executive Director

Florida was the first state association to lead the nation, and then the world, in ICMA Credentialed Managers.  From the beginning of the credentialing process, we led the way.  We’ve lost that braggin' right to North Carolina –and I want to challenge each non-credentialed manager to help us change that!  Firstly – are you eligible to be a credentialed manager?  If not, I hope one day that you will be eligible and want to pursue this distinction.  Secondly, if you are eligible, what's holding you back?  I know it is a substantial time commitment, or maybe you think there's too much paperwork.  I'll agree the early format led to lots of questions, but the process is pretty streamlined and accessible, and we've Floridians as advisors to those going through the process – just a phone call or e-mail away.  We also have regional training events year-round to help you earn your hours, along with ICMA Practices-based workshops at the annual conference and Winter Institute.  You can read books and use on-line programs, too.

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Planning for the Future of DeLand: DeLand 2050
This project will receive the Award for Program Excellence for a population of 20,001 – 50,000 at the FCCMA Annual Conference.

Unique and collaborative planning is something that the City of DeLand is no stranger to. Back in the 1970’s the State Legislature passed the Greater DeLand Act, the purpose was to provide for the health, welfare and safety of the citizens of the area long term, wherein the city could ultimately provide the area with municipal services. In 1995, the city and county entered into an utility service agreement with different boundaries than the Greater DeLand Act connecting the utility service area and the Greater DeLand Act area, thus being referred to as the “Greater DeLand Area” to avoid a proliferation of privately or publicly owned water and sewage operations in the surrounding unincorporated area of DeLand. The city has also participated in many efforts with the county on various items of importance for residents of the DeLand area.  Read More...

FCCMA Annual Conference
Conference is two weeks away! See below for what is happening. You don’t want to miss it! All information is available online at www.fccma.org or email Lynn Lovallo at llovallo@flcities.com.

FRIDAY NIGHT SOCIAL: SUPER HEROES FESTIVAL
Join your fellow caped crusaders for an epic evening of fun, food, dancing, games and more! We will start the evening with a scavenger hunt and the first person who completes the squares will get a prize. Jeopardy is next on the schedule. Each district will have a representative playing so come and cheer on your rep. Hope your rep knows his/her Florida and FCCMA trivia. The winner and runner up will each get a prize. Come prepared to fight crime in your city or county wearing your favorite super hero costume and tell your kids to dress up also. Prizes will be awarded to the best adult and child costume. If you don’t dress up that’s ok, still come enjoy the food, music and fun. Fee included in your registration.

SO YOU WANT TO BE A CITY/COUNTY MANAGER?—WEDNESDAY, MAY 30
A free one-day session on Wednesday, May 30 for anyone interested in the profession. You do not have to be a FCCMA member to attend so if there is someone in your organization who might benefit, send him or her! Lunch is included.

PRE-CONFERENCE WORKSHOP: BEST PRACTICE APPROACHES IN THE NEW ECONOMY—WEDNESDAY, MAY 30, 1:00 – 5:00 PM
Our world has changed and past strategies to add vitality in our cities and towns are failing in a globalized society. Taught by Dave Ivan, State Specialist with the Greening Michigan Institute at Michigan State University, and based on the successful approaches of real people in real communities, this interactive and engaging presentation will provide leaders and citizens with meaningful ideas to position their community for success in today’s new economy. The presentation is a result of nearly two years of research and site visits to more than 65 smaller- and mid-sized best practice communities in 20 states across the country. Registration Fee: $80.

THURSDAY ONLY ATTENDANCE AT THE ANNUAL CONFERENCE
Don’t miss the FCCMA Annual Conference. Even if you can’t attend the whole conference, we have a special one-day conference price of $145.

Thursday begins with the Opening General Session and Futurist Glenn Hiemstra. He will explore future trends as they impact our communities and governance. The big trends – economy, population, energy, environment, technology, food security – influence the future of cities and counties in surprising ways, and offer both challenges and opportunities.

A special Legislative Session is being planned. It will not be the usual recaps of this year’s session, but a look toward the future.

Concurrent sessions begin Thursday afternoon at 2:00: Session 1 - Help Build the Florida of 2032, Session 2 - New Rules for Economic Development and Session 3 – Communicating the Gap Between Employee Benefit Changes and Employer Cost Control Savings. The next round of concurrent sessions begins at 3:45: Session 1 – Ethics: Is There an App for That? Session 2 – Reinforcing Confidence in Government and Session 3 – Biogasification: A Successful Public/Private Partnership with the City of Sanford for Sustainable Biosolids Management.

INSPIRATIONAL BREAKFAST: PERSEVERANCE—THURSDAY, MAY 31, 7:15 – 8:15 AM
Join FCCMA past president and former member-in-transition William Whitson as he relates his experiences during tough times and how perseverance is required for a positive outcome. Registration Fee: $35.

CAREER DEVELOPMENT LUNCHEON: YOUR PROFESSIONAL ROADMAP—THURSDAY, MAY 31: 12:30 – 2:00 PM
Faye Outlaw, County Administrator for St. Lucie County, followed a fortuitous, nontraditional track to the administrator’s office. Her comments, insights and recommendations will highlight a discussion on building your professional roadmap and career plan. Don’t miss this great opportunity to network with other professionals. Registration Fee: $35.

RESUME REVIEW APPOINTMENTS THURSDAY
Are you curious to know if your resume has what it takes to get an interview? Renee Narlock, S.E. Regional Vice President of Bob Murry and Associates Executive Recruiters has agreed to host resume reviews on Thursday. We have had some cancellations so there are a couple of appointments open. To request an appointment with Renee, please email Lynn Lovallo at llovallo@flcities.com.

FINANCIAL PLANNING APPOINTMENTS—THURSDAY AND FRIDAY
It is never too early to review your finances. A certified planner will be at the conference offering free consults. You do not have to be a current participant in a retirement program, but all can benefit from advice on how to plan for your future. Contact Lynn Lovallo at llovallo@flcities.com for an appointment.

May 18 Webinar

The last webinar for this program year will be held on May 18 from 2:00 p.m. – 3:00 p.m. and the topic is Pension Changes for Local Government.

"Local pension plans have been one of the biggest challenges facing Florida's cities in recent years and is clearly an unsustainable financial burden for many cities. Last month, FCCMA members listen to a webinar by Paul Shamoun that explained this issue in detail. This May 18th webinar is the perfect follow-up to Paul's presentation. It will provide valuable information on what three Florida cities have actually done to address this issue. Attendees will learn what obstacles had to be overcome and the process that was followed in each city to gain support for "real pension change" in their cities. This is a must session for city representatives who are wrangling with pension costs and benefits. Panelists include: Florida League of Cities Paul Shamoun, St Pete Beach City Manager Mike Bonfield, Naples City manager Bill Moss, and Hollywood Finance Director Matt Lalla.

All webinars are free. To access the webinars, go to http://florida.acrobat.com/coaching. Select the radio button next to the “Enter as a Guest.” Dial-in: 1-877-685-5350 and the passcode is 461944.

FCCMA Members-In-Transition

New Members

The following membership applications have been received.  If no current member comes forth with a reason why this applicant should not be approved as a member, they will be invoiced for dues.  Matthew Campbell, District VII, Assistant to the City Manager, City of Dunedin, Full Member; Gary S. DeMarzo, Subscriber Member; Enterprise Fleet Management, District V, Doran Veith, Senior Account Executive, Corporate Member; Rachel Glick, District I, Master’s of Public Administration, Florida State University, student member; John Gucciardo, District VI, City Manager, City of Bonita Springs, Full Member; David Hebert, District V, Assistant City Manager, City of Homestead, Full Member; Ricky G. Helms, District VI, County Administrator, Highlands County, Affiliate Member; Douglas Hewett, District V, City Manager, City of Hollywood, Full Member; and Edward Lavallee, District VI, City Manager, City of Venice, Full Member. 

Positions

Utility Services Director - Indian River County Board of County Commissioners — (Pop. 138,694)  Salary:  $78,961 - $118,822 DOQ.  Open Until Filled. www.ircgov.com/utility-director.