Never has local government leaders been challenged to perform as much as they have since the COVID 19 pandemic affected their economy and their community. Coronavirus has, in many communities, inspired new industries, created new careers, and revealed incompetence of many local government leaders across the nation.
These local governments face a complex and challenging future and will be responsible for developing a new tech sensitive and transparent approach to governance (and local leadership) that caters to the priorities of all community groups. This is the newly realized local leader in government, and these skills will be necessary to succeed in this post “new world”. This shift must happen in all aspects of local government services including community development, regulatory compliance, public works and public safety. By developing new strategic goals, changing public service delivery and “leaping forward” in operational effectiveness a new age in governing will emerge.
“Restorative Management” within local government is the key, and communities will have to hold their leadership responsible to choose effective governance over the potential desire of negative self-interest. Realistically, positive self- interest can be an incentive for local government administrators with career concerns in mind. This positive self-interest can be reflected in the way by which management applies their efforts; this exemplifies their self-interest in their role. Effective local governance is efficiency in the practices and procedures that maximize community safety and economic performance, and the local administrator’s self-interest should fuel this process. Effective and responsible governance provides a structure that works for the benefit of everyone concerned by ensuring that the organization adheres to community needs, ethical standards and newly developed best practices, yet negative self-destructing self interest costs lives.
About the author: Marcus Kellum, MMPA CCEA
Marcus Kellum has worked with local governments, private businesses and professional organizations across the country to train their regulatory, compliance and enforcement officers and inspectors. He spent nearly three decades in public service working with various cities and counties in Georgia, Colorado and the City of New York. He has held positions as code division manager, chief of enforcement, and department director. Marcus is a Certified Code Enforcement Administrator and holds a BS in criminal justice administration, and a master’s degree in management and public administration.
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