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HomeMy WebLinkAbout1991-07-22 91-294 RESOLVEDate soencg r.mn oItem No. 91-296 Item/Subject: RESI Antlnrisim pca i ipatimt in tler Bff rive (ioveewr Project of � Maine ldmicipal Asawiatiat Responsible Department: City M®mgx Commentary: A rumter of nagaUs ago, the City vss by Chris Dcxa aoel of MMA regardbag posaible gw t ipation in thed effs vcr ( Project, g'hie vas subsapantly diacusaed with W. lrc ceccrd at a worl®hop session. At tlat rive, there vee itmexeac fn aueh pavticipat on the Fact of that Coorleil. Subsectugaralt1y, an curs 4 of Tis project vas prwtrind by MMR asset ggedle available m the Cwra11. � ^+t i,a far ascrectad. -Thai3ty'a par Ip ties in tFc Faogt®v seat enact over the-swaoer due-tsUetime oaraitumrs xsyuu'ed by the amoralbudget pxac fes. HIM is evw orgrrrti9`"g the sel phase of tide project ami the City of Pangor, d£ it clmeee, can be a iarticipxintj city. The project de aLned at dsvelapiig a training peagraa tailored speciffcg ilY m the iamrtified nerve of the BareAr sty Ca A mid ie tl®ignai to iapaoveilav the Oclvr.il operates aM the narmer fn width it addreaees its reeprnaibilitiea. It wtll mglttre a ca®itmesvt w coopiere a survey, be fntervi by the Pmject Reecarca %rest aesig i m earvpr (war 1llrely Juliet Car, a prior »' City MBINepaej, a 2-3 bels recast, and several training aeeeiwa. (Con'd m seer: page) u[^vn, n[Innn'' Manager's Comments: N" nA.. , S Cox e...axr Associated information: Resolve;,Project Description, Project Steps Budget Approval: lira aOirc Legal Approval �'1•d/Ciitiy $oli[imr xr Introduced For Opassage ❑First Reading page_of— ❑Referral x believe patticiP tine fn such a Peeress would be valuable £or the Cwrcil aM City. xt ehwld he1P ve identify aevae twee we need m i:gaova our proceesPs eM Peoceduxa w inauze betG_r rn� Identify Peat which eequixe solutions. I world � your appy al of H it®. 91-296 ASSIGHED COUNCILOR 22, 1991 CITY BANGOR (TITLE.) PwltlC,- B prizing pmticipetfpn, in rx effecttpe. Gbvammre Project of Municipal msociatim, By Ma City Caunvii 0W City ofBayW: BBSOLVBD, M@�r5• flu City of Bmn ss, lure all Maine nunicipalities, is a erimeing dramatic grooth fn the snips ani miplaeity of issues falling within the sphere of groenmmtel ,espansib aitOo;; M�n6, municipal gomnnmvs face financial strains fueled by ton currant recession, inescapWole obligations from mandates mal laying for local serviwe thrrvgh the property Tru; M�a4, Providing laedazship in the face of tl now malities raquires a new policy role and rear sets of skills for elecfred city 000cilora; Mmieg6, local elected officials can b fit from leadership training which will help better equip rima TO dml with their ongoing policy ami decision making skills, to help tMm operate noxa effectively aM effioi y. un a the:. new work load; M®V6AS, the Mahe Mnocipil memiation aM Mono nevelopamwt Pn�rviatf,m have developed an 'effaKi a Governance Project" to inlp local officials identify pressing governance issues ani than provide the narssary trai ung to councils ani mania; MMR&S, MR ad MM have offered the "@££active G Project' m the city of eengar a< re opt w the city an pare o£ a pilot projst; M@I�r„g, ton city council is very imerested in the pmje;t, Molding lemership skills, ingxVvinl policy making, ani the eff vewum s of our mmiclpol � and will rnnsit the rr sary time to H project's w hope area trainvg p yme; fl$J, 'If@I�fOPC, m ion )ff von Sfwt the city ommcil of Basgor will participate in the Mm ab MA+'Sffactive Project-. 91-294 RESOLVE In City Council July 22.1991 Passed mtlnn In t EffectiveGovernance Project ofthe hP Maine Municloal Association City Clezk / / 1AlA YM1Xx�tA�� MAINE NUNICIPAL ASSOCIATION MAINE DEVELOPMENT FOUNDATION EFFECTIVE GOVERNANCE PROSECT Proposed Steps in the Project 1. council/Board adoption of Resolution to participate in the Effective Governance Project. 2. Individual Council/Board member completion of Project survey. 3. Individual Council/Board member interview with Project Resource Person to discuss survey and needs. 4. Council/Board retreat - 2 to 3 hour retreat to discuss and prioritize collective needs for training or professional development. S. Generic Training/Professional Development Seminar - the Project will deliver a general Leadership Training/Team Building seminar to the Council/Board. 6. Specialized Training Seminars - the Project will deliver seminars tailored to the priority needs identified by the Council/Board J. Evaluation and Follow-up. I IM EFFECTIVE GOVERNANCE MOJECT sponsored by the Moves Municipal Association and the Maine Development Foundation Draft, April l7, 1991 Hackerwsnd Maine municipalities are experiencing dmmatie growth in the scope and complerity of issues falling within the sphere of their governmental responsibilities. Local communities are expected to meet a growing number of state and federal mutation, frequently in areas that are unfamibm to Nem. The old familiar issues, trash for example, have taken on dmmafic new technical complexities. Public attitudes toward the siting of new public facilities, mining or other major bmues have become aggressive, and citizen groups have become well organized powerful forces to be dealt with. It is difficult to build a public consensus around complex issues. This is all occurring at a time when local budgets are reaching the breaking point. Local government's primary source of revenue, the property hist is severely overburdened. Yet the demand for and cost of local services continues re incr. mer. The costs of new mandates are inescapable obligations. The financial strains added by the current recession may well mean that municipalities are faced with downsizing thea local governments. How can getups of part-time, volunteer councilors and selectmen, often with an spatial training in governance a technical staff, find the time, sldlls aM patience to effec ively address Nese competing issues? The mstdting increased stress on IoW government manifests itself M rapid tumover of elected officials, difficulty in recruiting qualified candidates and voter revolts (tax, zoning, petition or recall). Providing leadership in the face of these new realities requires a new policy role and a new set of stills for municipal officials. Existing professional development training programs continue to provide necessary technical information un the many laws and regulations that local governments must work within. However, local elected officials could also benefit from a broader form of leadership training that would better equip them to and with thea ongoing policy making and decision malting skills, to help them operate more effectively and efficiently under thea new work load. Therefore, MDF and MMA have developed the Effective Governance Project to help IoW elected officials Identify (heir most pressing governance issues and Nen provide the necessary training to boards or councils. Ctr1� The purpose of the program is to help lural elected officials be able in cope mole effectively and efficiently in today's environment and thmeby do a betterjob of fulfilling thea responsibilities as leaders and policy makers. The capacity -building approach will provide a mild foundation of practical information and training for effective management of the public business and for policy leadership. It will help municipal officials: identify Ne specific steps which caa be taken to strengthen thea mmmitmmt of excellence in public service; to provide efficient and effective leadership; b be mom responsive to changing community needs; and to conduct the public's business in an open, participatory and supportive environment. The desired outcomes are a reduction of stress and frustration for officials and an improved policy process for communities. N 1991, the program will work with a burl of four or five boards of selectmen and/or mwn and city councils in selected municipalities. The program will be repeated in 1992 with frau or more other municipalities. program representatives will visit the community to explain the program and determine the level of interest and commitment of the board or council. Although there is m Cort NO participating municipalities for the training, the program does require a commitment of time and involvement. Ona selected, participating municipalities are assigned a former elected official who will serve as a resource person throughout the program. Individual selectmen and council members complete a survey designed to help them examine the strengths and weaknesses of thea board or council. Upon completing the profile, each member meds with their resource person in review their findings. Next, the more board or ouuncil meed with the resource person and a meeting facilitator to identify the areas of need and interest thin the board or council would like to work on. Such areas may include: • How to run efficient and effective meetings. • How to work better as a team. • How in set goals and implementation strategies for the community. • How to use the budget as more of a policy making tool. • How in establish more effective relationships with other gimps (school board, community groups, business groups, od w communities). • How tc work more effectively with municipal staff. • How m manage a public process for a major policy debate, • How to develop techniques for conflict resolution and consensus building. The program does not deal with individual or specific problems such as slang a new landfill or meeting a particular some requirement, but instead focuses on more general areas of governance that are applicable m a variety of particular issues. N addition b me training topic selected by the board or council, participants will receive a workshop fmcused on broader issues commonly faced by volunteer and elected boards. All training is funded by the project. The board or munch is, however, aspected an commit the necessary time, which might mean 24 meetings of 33 boom catch. Training is delivered in the community at times arranged with the group. - Participants are expected on report can the progress and results of the program a the MMA convention and to bear their own expenses for travel to and from the convention. The Effective Governance Project will use the experimem in the pilot sites to provide ongoing training to more muaidpalities in the future. in addition to providing training, the project will produce a video program with wide applicability and develop a cadre of resource people for other communities. The MMA and MDP will work be establish a financial mechanism to make the project an ongoing program a the and of the two-year period.