November 17, 2006 the Executive Board nominated and approved the appointment of David Garcia to ACMA's Executive Board of Directors. David Garcia, County Administrator of Yuma County, was nominated to fill the vacancy on the board as a result of Steve Peru's resignation earlier this month. Read more

The Arizona City/County Management Association (ACMA) announces the addition of a new annual professional achievement award for its members. This award is specifically designed to recognize members who contribute to the profession, their organization, and the ACMA, at an Assistant rather than at the CEO level. This award will be conveyed annually to the successful recipient at ACMA's annual Winter Conference beginning in 2007. Read more

The Innovation Groups has prepared special pricing for ACMA and IG/ACMA members to take advantage of the January 31, 2007 Satellite/ Webcast Training (STV), "Redeveloping Downtown".

As the attraction of downtown living grows, redevelopment has become a leading issue in government. We are currently experiencing a resurgence of the need for an epicenter in a community and it makes good sense that the central place be the downtown's that were previously abandoned as development moved out to the suburbs in the last few decades. Read more

November 17, 2006 after several months of consideration, the ACMA Board of Directors approved the formation of a new committee. The International Committee was established in response to a need for an international component to ACMA. Board members recognized that while each country's approach to local governance might embody a different perspective; all local government managers would stand to gain by learning about these various perspectives. Read more

The 2007 Winter Conference is quickly approaching. The Winter Conference Planning Committee met in October to sketch out the details for the upcoming conference, Wendy Kaserman, Committee Chair led this year's conference planning meeting. The planning meeting concluded when the committee decided on the theme for this year's conference: "Changing Times, Trends and Technology." Read more

Former host of CNN's NewsNight with Aaron Brown and current John J. Rhodes professor in Public Policy and American Institutions at ASU, will speak to Arizona Managers on crisis communication and how to deal with the media. With more than 26 years of journalism experience, Professor Brown offers an extraordinary opportunity for city and county managers to learn first-hand the importance of crisis communication and to practice skills critical to surviving an encounter with the media. Read more

By Marsha Petrie Sue, MBA

Do you ever feel like an alien in your own environment? Many leaders and employees hope Generation X (between the ages of 25 and 40) workers will miraculously turn into to something they recognize and understand. Have you learned how to cope with these different people? Do you realize the cost if you have not? Read more

MEMBER OPINION
By Jason Baran
Intergovernmental Relations, City of Tucson

Local governments have the greatest impact on the daily lives of Arizona residents and are the most responsive to an evolving vision for Arizona. Our elected leadership and staff believe this. It is our basic message to the rest of the world. Read more

The League of Arizona Cities and Towns proudly presents its 2007 Municipal Policy Statement, which Arizona's 90 cities and towns collaboratively chose for their legislative policy positions and action items. These issues represent the priorities of Arizona's municipalities for discussion and action within their communities, at the State Capitol and in Congress. Please feel free to contact a member of the League staff if you would like more information about any of the issues contained in the Policy Statement. We look forward to working with you to accomplish these priorities and improve the lives of all Arizonans. Read more

The University of Arizona Water Sustainability Program in collaboration with the Arizona Water Institute and The University of Arizona Superfund Hazardous Waste Program is offering a one-day workshop to inform participants about "Trace chemical contaminants in water and wastewater - semiarid perspectives." Geared to the needs of water managers and decision makers, this workshop will provide the latest on emerging water contaminants of concern in the state. Read more

Three important positions at the League of Arizona Cities and Towns have been filled, according to Executive Director Ken Strobeck. The appointments include: Read more

Active Members:
Martin Roush, City Manager, City of Benson
Paul Poczobut Jr., Assistant Town Manager, Town of Taylor
Rodney Rinehart, Interim Town Manager, Town of Wellton

Associate Members:
Dawn Irvine, Budget Analyst, City of Peoria
Erik Kropp, Deputy Public Works Director, City of Phoenix
Ruth Giese, Assistant to the City Manager, City of Apache Junction
William Emerson, Assistant City Attorney, City of Peoria
Connie Stepnitz, Management Assistant to the Deputy City Manager, City of Goodyear

If you are an ACMA member in transition and would like your contact information featured in this section, please contact Mary Vinzant at 602-258-5786 or mvinzant@azleague.org.

Membership dues for in-transition members are waived for one year and in-transition members receive complimentary registration to a summer and winter conference. ACMA members are encouraged to contact these individuals to offer support and/or information about employment opportunities.

Lanny Sloan
Former Town Manager, Star Valley
P.O. Box 1423, Carmen, ID
(928) 916-1197

Michael D. Maag
Former City Manager, Show Low
711 N. 39th Dr., Show Low, AZ 85901
(928) 537-2489

County Administrator
Yuma County

Where are you originally from?
I was born in Heidelberg, Germany. My father was an Army officer at the time and stationed there for one of his first assignments. I grew up on military bases across the United States and Europe. My family is from San Antonio, Texas that is where I generally call home.

Why did you decide to pursue a career in local government?
While I was in graduate school at the University of Texas in Austin (2006 National Champions!) I worked for the City of San Antonio for my internship. I met Henry Cisneros there who was a City Councilman at the time. Shortly before I graduated he was elected to his first term as Mayor of the City and formed the Office of Special Projects. I was hired as one of the first employees right out of college. It was a great opportunity and experience. Read more