Christian Wuerth
The transition from late winter to spring brings about a lot of changes in the environment around us, and the growing daylight hours seem to help lift everyone’s moods a little. On a personal level, a lot of us are likely looking forward to planned vacations and time with family this summer. Professionally, infrastructure projects are ramping up, and for those of us with July 1 fiscal year starts, this is also a time when we focus on budgeting and preparing for the future needs of our communities. It is a time of growth and (hopefully) renewed optimism about the road (and underlying infrastructure) ahead.
These past few months have also been a period of growth and optimism for our association. The Board has been working on formalizing a series of policies to help provide additional transparency, clarity, and consistency in how the Board operates moving forward. Not always the most exciting work, but I believe it is important as it will establish formal, written policies in lieu of relying upon past practices (real or perceived) and provides a common foundation for incoming Board members in the years ahead. Some of these policies are also intended to address questions the Board frequently receives from members. As final versions of the policies are adopted, I will include them in my listserv posts with the applicable board meeting synopsis and we will get them posted on the website later in the year.
Our committees have been hard at work as they make progress on the goals from our strategic plan and carry out their specific objectives and tasks. I continue to be impressed with the approaches being taken by our committee leadership and the active members of those committees. There is a ton of great work being done right now, and our organization is stronger for their efforts.
Several of our committees are also teaming up on a member survey to help guide their current and pending discussions. Please keep an eye on your inboxes for more information in the weeks ahead.
The Member Success article provides a more in-depth look at this issue, particularly at the resources available, but I want to also highlight here that we have seen several of our colleagues in recent months shift into a career transition due to separation from their employer. Deb Stuart does a great job highlighting the resources available during these periods of time and the important role this committee plays for our members. Another important role in these transitions is what I consider to be a professional obligation for the rest of us—to reach out and connect with the member in transition. This can be a very frustrating and lonely period in someone’s career; a simple text, phone call, or meeting someone for coffee or lunch is a great way to show our support. I have heard from a number of colleagues in the past just how much this outreach means to them. To borrow from the anthem of the greatest soccer club in the world, for those experiencing a transition—you’ll never walk alone. Know that the association has resources available for you and that you can always reach out to me or another Board member with questions.
Finally, our Summer Workshop July 16–19 in Marquette is fast approaching. The Professional Development Committee has some great things in store for those of us planning to make the trip to one of the great communities in our state. Be on the lookout for registration and event info in the coming weeks, and I hope to see many of you there.
Christian Wuerth
President, Michigan Municipal Executives
Village Manager, Milford
Christian Wuerth currently serves as President of MME. He began his career in local government as an intern with the City of Birmingham in 2004 before moving to the Village of Milford, where he has served as Village Manager since 2014. Prior to his career in local government, Christian worked in the nonprofit sector and spent two years serving in AmeriCorps NCCC, a national service program. He has previously served on several MME committees, including serving as the Chair of the Professional Development Committee, and previously served on the Board of Directors for MME.