Managing Local Government: An Essential Guide for Municipal and County Managers

by Kimberly L. Nelson, Carl W. Stenberg

Overview

Managing Local Government: An Essential Guide for Municipal and County Managers offers a practical introduction to the changing structure, forms, and functions of local governments. Taking a metropolitan management perspective, authors Kimberly Nelson and Carl W. Stenberg explain U.S. local government within historical context and provide strategies for effective local government management and problem solving. Real-life scenarios and contemporary issues illustrate the organization and networks of local governments; the roles, responsibilities, and relationships of city and county managers; and the dynamics of the intergovernmental system. Case studies and discussion questions in each chapter encourage critical analysis of the challenges of collaborative governance. Unlike other books on the market, this text’s combined approach of theory and practice encourages students to enter municipal and county management careers and equips them with tools to be successful from day one.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781506323374
Publisher:	SAGE Publications
Publication date:	09/05/2017
Edition description:	First Edition
Pages:	304
Product dimensions:	6.00(w) x 9.00(h) x 0.20(d)

About the Author

Kimberly L. Nelson is associate professor of public administration and government at the School of Government at the University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, following six years in the Division of Public Administration at Northern Illinois University. Her research and teaching interests focus on local government management, local government form and structure, and innovation in local government. Her research on the effects of form of government on municipal performance and innovation have been published in leading journals including The American Review of Public Administration, Urban Affairs Review, and State and Local Government Review. She is also the author of book chapters and a regular presenter and participant at the conferences of the International City/County Management Association and the American Society for Public Administration. Dr. Nelson uses her research experience to inform her client work with local governments in strategic planning and improving local government-administrative relations, as well as to train local government leaders in promoting innovative practices. She received her Ph.D. in public administration from North Carolina State University.

Table of Contents

Preface
Acknowledgments
About the Authors
Chapter 1 • Managing Local Governments in a Dynamic World
Purpose and Organization of the Book
The Contemporary Context: Continuity and Change
The Intergovernmental Landscape: Who’s in Charge?
Managing Challenges: Critical Competencies for Closing the Gap
Chapter 2 • U.S. Local Governments in Historical Context
Early Development of American Cities: 1700–1900
Urban Population Growth
The Progressive Era
Post-Progressive Era Metropolitan Development
Looking Forward
Chapter 3 • Types, Functions, and Authority of U.S. Local Governments
U.S. Local Government Authority
Local Government Types and Distribution
Regional Models of Local Government Structure
Local Forms of Government
Chapter 4 • Working across Boundaries
Stressed Local Structure
Reform Perspectives
The Manager’s Key Transcending Role
From Cooperation to Governance: Snow White and the 17 Dwarfs
State Restructuring Incentives
Regional Cooperation: Looking Forward
Chapter 5 • The Career of the Local Government Manager
Local Government Manager Profiles
Working as a Local Government Manager
Roles of the Local Government Manager
Managers as Leaders
The Local Government Manager as Organizational Leader
The Manager’s Code of Ethics
Making the Case for a Career in Local Government Management
Chapter 6 • Roles and Relationships
Mayoral Authority and Roles
Basics of Council–Manager Relationships: A North Carolina Example
Realities of Council–Manager Roles and Responsibilities
Changing Roles and Relationships
Chapter 7 • Enhancing Council–Manager Effectiveness
High-Performing Habits
The Manager’s Facilitating Role
Mutual Expectations
Recognizing and Dealing with Problems in the Governing Body
Chapter 8 • Citizen Engagement
Why Engage Citizens?
History of U.S. Citizen Engagement
Objectives of Citizen Participation
Engagement Challenges
From Participation to Power
E-Government Engagement
Making Engagement Work
Chapter 9 • Service Delivery Strategies and Innovation
Who Does What? Government-to-Government Approaches
Who Does What? Public–Private Partnerships
Other Alternative Service Delivery Tools
Key Questions
Building Capacity for Innovation
Chapter 10 • The Manager’s Toolbox
Building Organizational Capacity
The Manager’s Toolbox
The Journey from Planning and Measurement to Management
Using the Tools as Manager
Chapter 11 • Emerging Issues and Management Challenges Facing Local Governments
Wicked Problems Facing Local Governments
Current and Emerging Issues for Local Governments
Skills Needed in Future Managers
Tackling Wicked Problems
Conclusion
Appendix 1: International City/County Management Association (ICMA) Code of Ethics with Guidelines
Appendix 2: International City/County Management Association (ICMA) Practices for Effective Local Government Management
Index

Editorial Reviews

Managing Local Government: An Essential Guide for Municipal and County Managers by Kimberly Nelson and Carl Stenberg is highly readable, well researched, and well written. The text features a strong focus on theory and history, summarizing practical managerial advice and strategies and comparing and contrasting theory and factual information through charts and tables.

Paula A. Duda Holoviak

Managing Local Government: An Essential Guide for Municipal and County Managers offers an exceptional overview of the profession of local government management. It also offers key insights and a valuable road map for the knowledge and skills needed to be an effective manager in an increasingly complicated intergovernmental landscape. It highlights skills, practices, and policies that are essential for a student of local government management to understand.

Christine Palus

Managing Local Government: An Essential Guide for Municipal and County Managers takes on a critical topic—governing in urban areas. This text is very readable for an undergraduate audience with limited knowledge of local government and provides solid discussion of the role of the city manager in local government.

Raymond W. Cox III

Managing Local Government: An Essential Guide for Municipal and County Managers offers an exceptional overview of the profession of local government management. It also offers key insights and a valuable road map for the knowledge and skills needed to be an effective manager in an increasingly complicated intergovernmental landscape. It highlights skills, practices, and policies that are essential for a student of local government management to understand.

--Christine Palus

From the Publisher

This text provides students with much of the classic and recent research on local government management in a condensed and easily readable format appropriate for both graduate and undergraduate students.

Review - Samuel B. Stone

Having taught local governance for 15 years, I was pleased when this book was first published. It is so difficult to find good resources that aren't also covering state government. I especially appreciate the inclusion of role and purpose of citizen engagement as a fundamental addition to political and administrative functions.

Review - Margaret Stout

Nelson and Stenberg have crafted an accessible, quality resource that is both sound and real-world in its delivery.

Review - Michael R. Hattery