Leadership meets to transform government in Hawthorn Woods

Hawthorn Woods, Illinois, received the award for Re-Inventing Municipal Government: An Entrepreneurial Small Business Approach. The village was facing a severe financial crisis. Many factors contributed to this, including relying on one-time revenues to fund operations and several lawsuits in which the village was embroiled at a cost of nearly $250,000 a year. In 2009, the residents elected a new mayor with a new vision: to manage the village entrepreneurially, like a small business. A team of professionals from both the public and private sector were assembled. As it happened, all were women. A complete reorganization of the village staff was completed, following a directive from the village board.  Transformation began, which included resolving outstanding lawsuits (reducing the annual litigation budget by 70%); exploring new nontax revenue opportunities; and using flex scheduling, which reduced overtime salary payments. The village has recovered from its precarious financial position, evidenced by the general fund balance, which grew from $179,353 in 2008 to over $1,700,000 in 2013. The program transformed a severe financial crisis into a successful entrepreneurial management approach while breaking down stereotypes to support women in government.

Citizen Engagement Program volunteers

The Citizen Engagement program in Sedona, Arizona, also received an award. Sedona is a community of approximately 10,000 citizens who are passionate and have time to devote to civic engagement. The “old” way of engaging citizens was not working efficiently; efforts were being duplicated, the council would often reject project proposals, and when consensus in the groups couldn’t be reached, significant staff time was required. At the end of 2013, after a review of the former process, a new model of citizen engagement was introduced: a citizen engagement coordinator was hired by the city manager; citizen suggestions were gathered and presented to the council; and citizen work groups worked alongside city staff. The city launched a Facebook page and Twitter account to engage younger citizens and launched Engage Sedona, an online engagement hub facilitating a two-way dialogue between city staff and citizens. By thinking outside the box, Sedona was able to create rewarding opportunities for everyone who wants to get involved in local government.

Residents attend a neighborhood meeting

Tamarac, Florida, was the third community to receive the award in 2015 for its Strategic Planning: Alignment and Engagement program. The city developed a strategic planning process that effectively aligns budgeting, performance management, and individual employee performance into one cohesive system. By doing so, Tamarac has created an organizational culture that engages and responds to its customers, secures public trust and satisfaction, focuses on continuous improvement, maintains positive employee attitudes, and is thus positioned to face current and future challenges.

More information is available on all of these award-receiving programs in the ICMA 2015 Awards Booklet. 

about the awards program

ICMA’s Local Government Excellence Awards (formerly known as ICMA Annual Awards) honor creative contributions to professional local government management and increase public awareness of the value of professional management to the quality of life in our communities. The Strategic Leadership & Governance Awards are one of four program excellence categories awarded each year. Strategic Leadership & Governance awards recognize the innovative and successful local government programs or processes that have significantly affected a local government organization’s culture or strategic direction.

Each year, ICMA confers awards in four program and five professional excellence categories. Nominations will be accepted through March 9 for the 2016 program, and awards will be presented during ICMA’s 102nd annual conference in Kansas City, September 25-28, 2016. Direct questions to Felicia Littky, awards program manager at flittky@icma.org) or 202/962-3656.