IML OFFICIALLY ESTABLISHES
MUNICIPAL MANAGERS COMMITTEE

The Illinois Municipal League's Board of Directors has officially established an IML Municipal Managers Committee. Officially approved by the Executive Committee of the League at its annual meeting in October and approved by the full Board of Directors in November. As a result, Mayor Joseph Sinkiawic, President of the League, has appointed the following managers and administrators to serve on the newly formed Committee:

John Phillips, Rock Island, Chairman
George Longmeyer, Schaumburg
Greg Bielawski, Carol Stream
Mark Stevens, DeKalb
Peggy Glassford, Flossmoor
Kevin Bowens, Libertyville
Allen Gill, O'Fallon
Peter Korn, Peoria
Scot Wrighton, Streator
Paul Nicholson, Western Springs
Steve Carter, Champaign
Carol Zar, ILCMA

The creation of this new standing Committee, which will have ex-officio standing with the League Board, brings to a successful conclusion a strong, but quiet, behind the scenes effort on the part of the Illinois City Management Association begun in 1987 by then Association President, Paul Nicholson, to strengthen ties between the League and ILCMA. The effort also sought to resurrect previous attempts by the Association over a number of years to achieve formal recognition by the League of professional managers and administrators in Illinois in order to assist the League in its ongoing legislative efforts on behalf of Illinois municipalities, including a meaningful role with the League Board.

Since 1987, an Association Committee composed of John Dixon, Paul Nicholson, Steve Carter and Steve Hoffner has worked quietly behind the scenes with the strong cooperation and support of former League President and Urbana Mayor, Jeff Markland, who was responsible for "carrying the ball" on this concept to the Executive Committee of the League and its Board of Directors. Without his personal involvement and support, as well as the League staff, this could not have been achieved.

The new Committee, which held its initial meeting on January 23rd, began its deliberations with the following stated purpose:

"The Municipal Managers Committee shall provide input and support to the Illinois Municipal League Board and staff on issues pertaining to the management and operation of municipal affairs in the State of Illinois.

"The Committee shall be an additional resource to the Illinois Municipal League to represent the interests of cities, towns and villages in the State, Committee members may be called upon to provide analysis and expertise in a variety of areas, including but not limited to financial management, personnel and labor relations, training and staff development, legislative mandates and other operational impacts or issues affecting local government."

The Committee will consist of nine (9) members appointed by the League President based on recommendations from the President of the Illinois City Management Association. Membership will reflect the geographic diversity of municipal government in the State, including size differences and geographic distribution and be limited to ILCMA members. The chairman of the Committee shall be recommended by the President of ILCMA and all members shall be appointed for three (3) year staggered terms.

In addition, the President of ILCMA and the Executive Director of the Illinois City Management Association shall serve as ex-officio non-voting members of the committee. Staff assistance and coordination will be provided by Ken Alderson, IML Assistant Executive Director.

The official creation of an IML Municipal Management Committee achieves a major objective of professional municipal managers in Illinois, an objective which has stood for over twenty years. Hopefully, as the Committee's role evolves, there will be a growth in confidence on the part of the League Board with respect to the contribution professional managers can make to the League and its efforts on behalf of Illinois municipalities. Conversely, the Illinois City Management Association has an opportunity to begin to assist the League and its staff in providing improved assistance to local governments throughout the State. From the point of view of those members of the Committee who have worked on this project, it is a major achievement and one which will serve to benefit the Illinois Municipal League, the Illinois City Management Association and all municipalities in Illinois. •

Page 8 / Illinois Municipal Review / February 1992