With March being Ethics Awareness Month, Women’s History Month, and Local Government Excellence Awards nominations season at ICMA, we wanted to chat with Dawn Peters about ethics in local government management and her career in public service. 

She made history in 2024 as the first-ever recipient of the Advocacy for the Profession Award in Honor of Martha Perego. Learn more about the ICMA Local Government Excellence Awards at icma.org/awards. The deadline for award nominations is March 14, 2025.

Tell us about yourself. What drew you to a career in public service and this profession, specifically?

When I first graduated from high school and entered college at Northern Illinois University (NIU) at the age of 17, I had no idea what I wanted to study and ended up going for 1.5 years before dropping out. I got married (we’ll celebrate our 45th anniversary in May) and had three sons. When I had my first son, I decided to be a stay-at-home mom. During those years, I knew I had to get out of the house for my sanity, so I began my volunteer service to the community. I started out with the Rochelle Hospital Auxiliary, and I worked my way to treasurer and eventually president of the auxiliary at the young age of 28. That sparked my interest in helping others and public service. In those early years, I gave back to the community through other volunteer positions in various community organizations and also served for 10 years on the Rochelle Planning Commission and the Greater Rochelle Planning Council.

A goal of mine was to finish college and with the help of my parents who watched the boys, as well as a supportive husband, I returned to school at the age of 30. I studied political science with an emphasis in public administration and a business administration minor. I took a local government class, and the teacher told me about the NIU MPA program, and the rest is history! It took me seven years to achieve my associate’s degree, bachelor’s degree, and eventually master’s degree in public administration.

You’re the first-ever recipient of the Advocacy for the Profession Award.¹ Give us your take on how the council-manager form of government, professional management, and ethics are linked.

The council-manager form combines professional management with ethical governance to create a responsive, efficient, and accountable local government system. This structure emphasizes nonpartisan expertise while fostering trust through adherence to high ethical standards.

Professional management is central to the council-manager form of government. City managers are selected based on their education, experience, and qualifications rather than political affiliations. This professional approach enables local governments to operate efficiently, reduce costs, and improve service delivery. Managers focus on aligning government operations with community goals while maintaining nonpartisanship. That is the hallmark of this profession.

You’ve been working in local government and supporting members working in local government for 28 years. What is your definition of ethics as it relates to this profession?

Ethics, as it relates to the local government management profession, involves doing what’s right even when no one is looking. Think: would it make your mother proud? Remember, I’m always a mom and now grandma at heart. It’s treating everyone with dignity and respect. It’s about integrity in all you do and providing service to all equitably. It’s about transparency and accountability. 

There is a lack of trust in government, and the ICMA Code of Ethics clearly outlines a commitment to political neutrality, upholds the public interest above personal gain, and prioritizes ethical conduct in all aspects of one’s work. This sets the professional local government manager apart from other professionals who may not have such strict standards regarding political involvement and public service focus within their fields. Basically, it emphasizes a dedication to serving the community equitably and transparently, not just one’s own interests.

In your opinion, what are the top three ethics issues and challenges members in your area of the country are faced with right now?

The ethical issues I’ve dealt with mostly revolve around involvement in politics, typically running for office or assisting in a local campaign. Some members are not aware or don’t seem to understand that this includes local elections such as running for a school board or park district board. The Code states:

Tenet 7. Refrain from all political activities which undermine public confidence in professional administrators. Refrain from participation in the election of the members of the employing legislative body.

Other common issues surround personal behavior and integrity, such as driving under the influence or having inappropriate relations with subordinates. The Code states:

Tenet 3. Demonstrate by word and action the highest standards of ethical conduct and integrity in all public, professional, and personal relationships in order that the member may merit the trust and respect of the elected and appointed officials, employees, and the public.

What observations can you share with members about approaching ethical decision-making?

I’ve always stressed to members—especially new members or people who are new to the profession—the value of the Code is as a guide to how they conduct themselves. I encourage members to reach out to me should they have any doubt about a decision and whether an action or situation presents a potential violation of the Code. Not everything is a right or wrong decision—a lot happens in the gray area. 

It’s better to ask the question than to move forward in doubt. I stress that my guidance is always given in confidence and to never be afraid to reach out to me. I don’t always have the answer, so often I turn to ICMA’s ethics director Jessica Cowles for guidance. Before her, I relied on Martha Perego, for whom the Advocacy for Profession Award was named, and who was always extremely helpful to me.

What motivates you and, from your perspective, what motivates members to adhere to high ethical standards in professional local government management?

The members I serve motivate me, as my mission is to make a difference in their life as it relates to their work and the profession. People who enter this profession have a public service mind and focus; they want to do what’s right, they want to make a difference in the world, and they have a moral compass that steers them to make positive change.

There is a quote from Leo Rosten that I live by, and I’d like to share it with readers: “I cannot believe that the purpose of life is to be ‘happy.’ I think the purpose of life is to be useful, to be responsible, to be compassionate. It is above all to matter, to count, to stand for something, to have made some difference that you lived at all.”

Endnote

¹ Advocacy for the Profession Award in Honor of Martha Perego: Recognizes an outstanding ICMA member who has made a significant contribution to advancing the awareness of the council-manager form of government, the profession, the ICMA Code of Ethics and its published guidelines, or other significant contributions to the growth or awareness of the local government management profession worldwide. This individual must have demonstrated their support of the ICMA Code of Ethics and adhered to the ICMA principles with integrity and respect. Learn more here.