By James Wickman, ICMA-CM
Two recent city manager searches in Michigan ended with the chosen finalist withdrawing after accepting an offer. It is not necessarily surprising with a tight job market and a decreasing pool of qualified candidates. It is still not good for the reputation of our profession.
Tenet 3 of the ICMA Code of Ethics states, “Be dedicated to the highest ideals of honor and integrity in all public and personal relationships in order that the member may merit the respect and confidence of the elected officials, of other officials and employees, and of the public.” One of the accompanying guidelines speaks directly to this issue:
“Appointment Commitment. Members who accept an appointment to a position should not fail to report for that position. This does not preclude the possibility of a member considering several offers or seeking several positions at the same time, but once a bona fide offer of a position has been accepted, that commitment should be honored. Oral acceptance of an employment offer is considered binding unless the employer makes fundamental changes in terms of employment.”
In these two cases, neither candidate was a member of MME or ICMA. We take some solace in that. It also gives us an opportunity for outreach. Educate elected officials about our Code of Ethics, particularly these and other tenets that demonstrate our commitment to professionalism and to communities. Help them see the distinguishing value of candidates who are members and are dedicated to such ethics. Perhaps their job posting might require or prefer such membership for applicants, or use it as a criterion in their screening process. Some communities have also been known to prefer ICMA Credentialed Manager (ICMA-CM) status in their posting.
Promote these benefits in your conversations with recruiters, too. We have a story to tell about our noble calling and expert colleagues. Don’t keep it a secret
James Wickman, ICMA-CM
Township Manager, Hartland Township
Chair, MME Ethics Committee
James Wickman has been the Hartland Township Manager since 2007, and was previously Village Manager of Mayville. He started his professional career as a police officer with Pittsfield Township. You may reach him at 810-632-7498 or jwickman@hartlandtwp.com