PA320_Syllabus_Fall2015_FINAL

PA 320_Syllabus_Colangelo/Baker

Class Title: Local Government Administration – The Professional Manager in a Political
Environment
Semester: Fall 2015, University of Vermont
Location and Time: Lafayette L200, Mondays, 5:00pm – 8:00pm
Description: This course will explore instruments public sector CEO’s use to further policy
objectives by providing insight into the skills professional managers need to
successfully implement change. Students will explore the inherent tensions between
effective management practices and democratic principles. Topics will include:
management practices, municipal law, decision making analysis, human resource
management, intergovernmental relations, public safety management, and public
works management.
Goals & Objectives: Students are expected to come away from this class with a strong, general overview
of local government operations, specifically in Vermont. This class is taught by local
government practitioners and will, therefore, place greater emphasis on
professionalism and less on academia. Readings and assignments will be structured
like work assignments. Ideally, upon completion of the class, students will be able to
step immediately into a number of local government roles, including management/
administration, elected or appointed office, and impact the decision making process.
For students not specifically interested in local government, this class will assist you
in interacting effectively with local governments no matter what industry you work.
Instructors: Jessie Baker, City of Montpelier, Assistant City Manager, 802-760-9123 (cell), 802-
262-6250 (office), jbaker@montpelier-vt.org
Jessie Baker has over ten years of experience in municipal management,
performance management, and program evaluation. Prior to joining the City of
Montpelier in 2013, Jessie held several management positions with the City of
Somerville, MA including Senior Analyst in the performance management
department, Aide to the Mayor, Acting Health Director, and Director of Human
Resources. Jessie has also served as the Performance Improvement Manager at the
Vermont Department of Health and did program evaluation for the Massachusetts
Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Children. Jessie sits on the Vermont
City/Town Management Association’s Board of Directors. She has a bachelor's
degree in psychology and anthropology from Columbia University and a master's
degree in policy and planning from Tufts University.
Joe Colangelo, Town of Shelburne, Town Manager, 802-355-6848 (cell), 802-985-5111
(office) jcolangelo@shelburnevt.org.
Joe Colangelo has been a local government manager in Vermont for 9 years. He
started his career as a Management Intern in Barre Town, spent 3 ½ years as
Middlebury’s Assistant Town Manager, 3 years as Hinesburg’s Town Administrator,
and currently serves Shelburne as Town Manager. Joe sits on Vermont City/Town
Management Association’s Board of Directors and was president for two years. Joe
also serves the Board of Directors for the Vermont League of Cities & Towns
Employment Relations Board (VERB). He is a graduate of Hunter College, City
University of New York and the Rockefeller College of Public Affairs and Policy,
University at Albany.


Assignments and Grading:
1) Reading and Class Participation 33% of grade
Students are expected to attend all classes prepared and actively participate. Below,
readings are outlined for each session. These readings should be completed before the class
so that students can fully participate in the discussion. The classes are structured to
maximize dialogue between instructors and students. Many classes will feature guest
speakers and students will have the opportunity to have discussions with these experts in
their relevant fields. Reading assignments are subject to change/modification during the
year.
2) Weekly Memos 33% of grade
Everyday Municipal Managers are expected to write succinctly and clearly to communicate
complex issues to select boards, city councils, and residents. Each week students will be
expected to write a short memo, as if written to a city councilor or resident, reflecting on the
previous class’ discussion and related readings. These memos are to be 1 page, single
spaced and approximately 400 words. Weekly memos are to be emailed to Jessie and Joe by
noon on Sunday. These will be briefly reviewed at the beginning of each class. Homework
assignments are subject to change/modification.
3) Semester Project – Memo and Presentation 33% of grade
Over the course of the semester students will be expected to track a single local government
topic through the multiple perspectives discussed. This project will culminate in a final
policy memo written from the perspective of the student as manager to the council or select
board. The students will be expected to give a final presentation to the class as they would
at a meeting of the council or select board. Details of this assignment are provided at the
end of this syllabus.
Class Schedule:
Aug 31 1) Introduction to Local Government Management – During this class we will
provide a general overview of the semester, set expectations, and facilitate
introductions. We will go on to review and analyze how different local governments
are organized and how that organization impacts the balance of powers and the
decision making process. Students will become familiar with municipal charters and
various forms of local governments.
I. Readings (as a follow-up to the first class): (1) Title 24 Vermont State
Statutes: Municipal and County Governments; (2) Town of Shelburne Town
Charter; (3) City of Montpelier City Charter; (4) Town of Brattleboro Town
Charter; (5) VLCT Handbook for Vermont Town Officials: An Overview of the
Duties and Responsibilities of Vermont Local Government Positions, July
2014.
II. Assignment: Please prepare a 1 page memorandum comparing the following
municipal charters: Montpelier, Shelburne, and Brattleboro. Compare,
contrast, and analyze the authority and responsibility of the legislative body,
mayor (if there is one), and Town Manager (if there is one). Explain the role
of a Town Manager in Vermont and describe the decision making and
management differences between the municipalities listed above. Dissect
how these differences may impact the decision making process and the
political atmosphere within each community.


III. Semester Project: Jessie and Joe will spend the last part of class reviewing
the Semester Project expectations.
Sept 7 NO CLASS
Sept 14 2) Foundations of Municipal Law – Jim Barlow, City Attorney for the City of South
Burlington, will join the class as a guest speaker. Mr. Barlow will provide an
overview of municipal law in Vermont with a specific emphasis on Open Meeting
Law, Public Records, and Conflicts of Interest. We will review the difference
between Home Rule and Dillon’s Rule.
I. Readings: (1) “Municipal Law Basics”, Vermont Secretary of State’s
Office, March 2009; (2) Town of Shelburne Ethics & Conflict of Interest
Ordinance; (3) Vermont Open Meeting Law 1 V.S.A §310 et seq., VLCT
2014
II. Assignment: Describe the legal framework under which a Vermont
municipality operates, how are Vermont municipalities different than
municipalities in most other States in relative to the extent of their
power? Discuss the Open Meeting Law, Public Records, and Conflicts of
Interests and describe the role they play in municipal government.
Sept 21 3) Ethics and Management Perspectives – Students will become familiar with
ICMA’s Code of Ethics and we will use the Code of Ethics as a mechanism to explore
the importance of professional ethics for local government managers.
I. Readings: (1) ICMA Code of Ethics with Guidelines © 2015 by the
International City/County Manager’s Association; (2) “Reflections from Afar”
by Michael Willis, ICMA-CM, September 2014 Public Management
Magazine; (3) “Ethics, Front & Center”, Troy Brown, September 2014 Public
Management Magazine; (4) “Celebrating 90 Years of Professional Ethics”,
Martha Perego, September 2014 Public Management Magazine.
II. Assignment: Please write a 1 page memorandum answering the following
questions: Why should Town/City/County Manager’s subscribe to a
Professional Code of Ethics? Based on a review of the ICMA Code of Ethics,
what do you find in it that strikes you as most appropriate? What do you find
in it that strikes you as overstepping personal freedom or as most
inappropriate (if you had to identify at least one item)? Justify your
reasoning. What are the benefits of the Town Manager form of government
versus having an elected municipal Chief Executive Officer? What are
potential benefits of having an elected municipal CEO opposed to an
appointed City Manager? Why might a community choose one form of
government over another?
III. Semester Project Check-in #1: With your weekly memo, please submit a
short paragraph on your proposed topic for the Semester Project. These will
be discussed and approved in class.
Sept 28 4) Financial Tools and Risk Management – Robert Giroux, Executive Director of the
Vermont Municipal Bond Bank, and Ken Canning, Director of Risk Management
Services for the Vermont League of Cities and Towns, will join the class to talk
about financial and risk management tools available to municipalities.
I. Readings: (1) Title 24, Chapter 119: Municipal Bond Bank; (2) Financing the
Capital Budget, Vermont Municipal Bond Bank White Paper; (3) Public


Entity Pooling – Built to Last, Public Entity Risk Sharing Authority of
California
questions: More often than not, the Vermont Municipal Bond Bank (VMBB)
goes out to issuance each July; typically, somewhere in the neighborhood of
$30,000,000 - $40,000,000 of Vermont municipal debt is sold and then
subsequently purchased on the open market. As you know from class,
roughly 90% of all Vermont municipal debt is purchased by Vermonters
because of its double-tax exempt nature. You are the Town Manager of
Palaia, Vermont, and you are preparing to place a ballot item on the Town
Meeting Warning asking voters to consider approving $4,000,000 in debt for a
new library. It’s November now and the Town Meeting vote is the first
Tuesday in March. What steps do you need to take to ensure a successful
bond voting process and, presumably, a positive vote? If the bond is passed,
how much will this add to the tax rate and how much will the property tax
payer need to pay per $100,000 of assessed homestead value? First thing
you’ll need to do is contact Bob Giroux at the Bond Bank to receive an
estimated payback schedule for a $4,000,000 over a 20-yr term. Facts: 1) 1₵
on the tax rate = $147,000 in property tax revenue.2) If the tax rate increases
1₵ the cost to the property tax payer = $10 per $100,000 of assessed
homestead value (if I own a $400,000 house my taxes would increase
$40).Assuming the bond passes, you want to begin work on your project as
quickly as possible but you won’t have access to your $4,000,000 from the
bond bank until summer, what might you do to get short-term funding until
then so you can being the construction project?
Oct 5 5) Trends in Local Government – Former Director of the Vermont League of Cities
& Towns, Steve Jeffrey, will attend class as a guest speaker. Mr. Jeffrey will review
trends in Vermont local government over the past few decades, his experience as a
lobbyist, and the interaction between state government and local governments.
I. Readings: TBD
questions: What are the emerging issues for municipalities? What can we
learn from the trends over the last few decades in municipal government
about what we can look forward to as municipal leaders? What are some of
our greatest challenges and opportunities as municipal leaders?
Oct 12 6) Management Practices – Students will become familiar with performance
management practices and data-driven decision making processes that can be used
across municipal departments. Students will be asked to explore data sets and
develop analysis and recommendations based on this information.
I. Readings: (1) The CitiStat Model: How Data-Driven Government Can
Increase Efficiency & Effectiveness,” Teresita Perez and Reece Rushing,
Center for American Progress, April 2007. (2) “The Seven Big Errors of
PerformanceStat,” Robert D Behn, Rappaport Institute for Greater Boston,
February 2008. (3) “Did Performance Measurement Cause America’s Police
Problem?” Katherine Barrett and Richard Greene, Governing, June 4, 2015.
II. Assignment: Complete the data analysis exercise and prepare a presentation
outlining the findings and recommendations.


Oct 19 7) Committees and Group Work and Facilitation – Judy Warriner Walke, expert in
the field of government in Vermont and group dynamics, will join the class.
Excellent facilitation skills and the ability to work in groups are central to the
success of a Manager. Managers must understand group dynamics and how to lead
a group of individuals to an end goal. In this session we will focus on facilitation
strategies and how, in the role of Manager, one may be asked to use them with
elected or volunteer strategic community partners. We will also review the key
committees, boards, and commissions that serve most municipalities and outline
their regulatory and advisory role.
I. Readings: A short case study will be provided at the October 12th class to read
and reflect upon in preparation for small group work in class.
questions: How do advisory committees and regulatory bodies differ? What is
the manager’s role in working with groups? What do you see as the key
leadership characteristics that managers and committee chairs must possess
to be successful?
III. Semester Project Check-in #2: We will spend the last section of class
discussing the progress of the semester projects. Please come prepared to
give a 2 minute overview of your issue.
Oct 22 and 23
Vermont Town and City Management Association Fall Conference
MPA students are invited (highly encouraged) to participate in this Fall Conference
to be held at the UVM Davis Center. An agenda will follow.
Oct 26 8) Human Resource Management – Hiring, arguably, is the most important thing
managers do. Dealing with staff issues can be daunting. Most municipal managers
also face the challenge of working with several bargaining groups or unions. In this
session, students will become familiar with key human resource concepts such as
hiring, discipline, union environments, and negotiations. Students will discuss
management practices and explore examples of real-life personnel scenarios.
I. Readings: (1) “Municipal Employment Law Handbook: A Guide to Human
Resource Management,” Vermont League of Cities & Towns, 2007. (2)
Montpelier’s Department of Public Works Union Contract;
II. Assignment: Prepare a 1 page memo on a case study provided in class using
the human resource practices discussed in class. Outline potential concerns
and how you would approach these issues.
Nov 2 9) Strategic Community Partners, Planning, Development and Public Private
Partnerships – Erik Hoekstra, Development Manager at Redstone, will join us to
discuss public private partnerships and the challenges and opportunities of working
with local government. Students will become familiar with Planning and
Development practices at the municipal level. Often cooperation between the public
and private sector is necessary to achieve a community’s goals. . We will also watch
a 30-minute video called “The History of the Cross Street Bridge,” which details a
public-private partnership between the Town of Middlebury and Middlebury
College.
I. Readings: (1) Burlington, VT Master Plan adopted in 2014; (2) Title 24
Municipal and County Government, Chapter 117 Municipal and Regional
Planning and Development


questions: How does community master planning impact development? What
opportunities and challenges do communities face when undertaking public
private partnerships? Consider “The History of the Cross Street Bridge,” and
identify how public-private partnerships can provide benefits to the public
good.
Nov 9 10) Village and Town Relationships – William Shepeluk, Municipal Manager of the
Village and Town of Waterbury, VT will join the class to discuss the unique
relationship and organizational structures within the municipality of Waterbury and
walk students through a management case study.
I. Readings: (1) Waterbury, VT 2015 Town Report; (2) Educating Local
Government Managers for the Twenty-First Century: A Preface to the
Symposium, Journal of Public Affairs Education
II. Assignment: Write a 1-page memorandum taking into account Mr.
Shepeluck’s management case study and the reading “Educating Local
Government Managers for the Twenty-First Century,” and consider your own
graduate school education up to this point. In what ways have you been
properly trained to become a public sector CEO and in what ways has your
training been deficient. Identify important aspects in the management case
study and in the reading that you find particularly interesting.
Nov 16 11) Managing Municipal Police Departments – Colchester Town Manager, Dawn
Francis, and Colchester Police Chief, Jennifer Morrison will join the class to discuss
public safety management in Vermont. They will address the emerging issues
public safety issues across Vermont face and the tools used to manage departments,
budgets, and public messaging.
I. Readings: “The President’s Task Force on 21st Century Policing,” May 2015.
II. Assignment: Please write a 1 page memorandum reflecting on the key
emerging issues in local policing. How are these challenges handled by small
departments?
Nov 23 NO CLASS
Nov 30 12) Public Works: Stormwater Management and District Heat Montpelier – Megan
Moir, Stormwater Program Manager for the City of Burlington, VT, will join the
class to discuss municipal stormwater management and the new regulations facing
municipalities. Additionally, Jessie will provide an overview of the recently
implemented District Heat Montpelier energy utility.
I. Readings: (1) “Stormwater 101: An Introduction to the Vermont Stormwater
Program”, Vermont Department of Environmental Conservation; (2) Review
stormwater section of Title 24,Chapter 117; (3) 2015 District Heat Montpelier
Annual Report; (4) 2015 Montpelier Annual Report – Public Works sections.
questions: What were the community benefits of implementing the District
Heat Montpelier utility? How is this utility similar to and different from
municipal water utilities?
III. Semester Project Check-in #3: We will spend the last section of class
discussing final questions about the semester projects.


Dec 7 13) Attributes of High Performance Local Government Leaders – Jim Bennett, City
Manager of Biddeford, ME, and Bill Fraser, City Manager for Montpelier, Vt will
join the class to talk about the city management profession. James Bennett,
ICMA Board President, will present “10 things I wish I knew earlier in my
career.”
I. Readings: No readings for this class.
II. Assignment: Write a 1 page memorandum answering the following, “based on
what you learned in this class, identify your strengths and weaknesses that
will help you become an effective and/or pose difficulty in your ability to
become an effective public sector CEO.”
III. Semester Project Check-in #4: Semester Project Papers due in class.
Dec 14 14) Final Presentations – Students (as managers) will individually present their
Semester Projects to the class (as the council or select board.)


Semester Project (33% of your grade)
Municipal government management requires the ability to see community challenges and opportunities
from a variety of angles. As a local government CEO your responsibility is to collect information and
guide decision makers and community stakeholders to outcomes that meet the needs of the community.
Over the course of the semester you will be asked to track one policy issue in a local community and
address how many facets of the community address, interact, and affect a decision.
This is meant to be a semester long project and not a final paper. To that end there will be a series of
check-ins throughout the term to track progress. We also encourage you to read local media coverage of
your policy issue and consider attending (in person or virtually) public meetings on your issue. Check-ins
will be as follows:
 September 21: With your weekly memo please submit a short paragraph on your proposed topic.
These will be discussed and approved in class.
 October 19: We will spend the last 30 minutes of class discussing your progress. Please come
prepared to give a 2 minute overview of your issue.
 November 30: We will spend the last 30 minutes of class discussing final questions about the
semester projects.
The Final Project will be in two parts:
1. A policy memo written from the perspective of the manager to the city council or select board.
These memos should include an overview of the issue from the differing perspectives and the
recommendations you, as manager, offer. This policy memo should be between 5 and 8 pages,
single spaced not including relevant attachments. DUE: December 7, 2015.
2. A PowerPoint presentation presented to the class from the student as manager to the class as city
council or select board. This presentation should include an overview of the issue and the
recommendations made. This presentation should be between 3 and 5 minutes with up to 10
minutes for discussion and questions. DUE and Presentations Made: December 14, 2015.
As you track the policy issue you should consider the following perspectives and facets of decision making:
 Elected Officials
 Management – Resource deployment, budget implication, operational consequences
 Downtown or Business Associations
 Education and Faith Based Community Partners
 Media
 Legal or ethical concerns
 Data-driven decision making
 Public safety and risk management
 Community master planning
Potential topics
 Topic identified in your local community – check with Jessie and Joe
 Development of former Burlington College Lakefront property
 Montpelier Zoning Rewrite – Sabin’s Pasture Development
 Downtown Smoking Bans
 Central Vermont Public Safety Authority – regionalization of Dispatch
 Use of tasers
 Dog park development

PA320_Syllabus_Fall2015_FINAL

More Related Content

Similar to PA320_Syllabus_Fall2015_FINAL (20)

PA320_Syllabus_Fall2015_FINAL