By Rebecca Fleury
What a quick three months it has been in my MME presidency. Our members are leading their communities in amazing ways. We are experiencing a unique time and doing all we can to manage expectations. The American Recovery Plan Act (ARPA) funding for many of us is a once in a lifetime opportunity, and yet the expectations surrounding the most appropriate use of these funds is even more elevated.
I found a Mark Funkhouser article through ELGL and shared it with my senior staff. The title alone grabs your attention, “How Not to Screw Up Your Government’s Stimulus Windfall.” Mark, as many of you know, was the former Mayor of Kansas City, MO and former publisher of Governing Magazine. He talks about fixing your own emergency before tackling anything else, thinking beyond your borders, and making investments in technology and cybersecurity to save costs down the road, while simultaneously better serving your constituents. Here is a link if you have not seen the article https://elgl.org/mayor-funk-how-not-to-screw-up-your-governments-stimulus-windfall/.
These were thought-provoking ideas and made me thankful that so many of our Michigan communities are led by professional managers that will guide the process of evaluating and expending ARPA funds in the best possible way for each community and in agreement with ARPA guidelines. There is no cookie cutter approach. We will act in accordance with our elected officials and in alignment with the needs of our communities.
The work of the three task forces is underway. Each task force has a unique set of responsibilities and each will have their own timeframe and methodologies. Task force chairs were specifically recruited to help advance the work and make recommendations to the board. The board is committed to the process as defined in the Strategic Plan and looks forward to updates at the Summer Workshop. Task Force work may not be complete by the summer workshop, but we will share what information is available. Thank you to our three task force chairs, vice chairs and all of the task force members. I appreciate your time and efforts.
As we head into the heart of spring and summer months, I hope you each find time to spend with your family and friends. Taking care of both your physical and mental health is vital for our well-being as the pandemic continues.. Remember, MME has some great resources to help in this area. Be sure and talk to Mitch Foster, chair of the Member Success Committee, or any of the committee members.
Rebecca Fleury
President, Michigan Municipal Executives
City Manager, Battle Creek
Rebecca Fleury has served in local government management for 21 years, specializing in the areas of public finance, community development and public safety. She has served as the city manager for Battle Creek since October 2014, and also served in the City of Kalamazoo, the City of Hastings, and the Village of Middleville. She is a member of the International City/County Management Association (ICMA) and is a Credentialed Manager through ICMA, as well as an active member of the Michigan Municipal Executives serving on several committees, and chair of the Professional Development Committee. You may reach her at rlfleury@battlecreekmi.gov.