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Promoting an Ethical Local Government 8 the Public Sector + Promoting an Ethical Local Government 8 THE The Public Sector Ethical Lens 12 The Consolidating Ethics Project ETHICS in Mexico 20 ISSUE SPECIAL SUPPLEMENT: WOMEN INFLUENCING LOCAL GOVERNMENT PAGE 43 MARCH 2021 ICMA.ORG/PM Excess Liability Insurance for Public Entities Protecting your community is States’ sole mission. Our coverage is uniquely designed by public entity risk managers for the risks you face today and as a member-owned company, States’ insureds enjoy stable, predictable rates and a personal relationship with claims and risk control teams. Partner with States to protect your community today. Partners in Protection 612-766-3310 statesrrg.com MARCH 2021 VOL. 103 NO. 3 CONTENTS SPECIAL SUPPLEMENT: WOMEN INFLUENCING LOCAL GOVERNMENT PAGE 43 FEATURES 8 Promoting an Ethical Local Government Ethical behavior, checks and balances, and sensitivity to areas prone to corruption help to ensure good government Jerry Newfarmer 12 Public Sector Ethics: What, Why, and How A four-step process for analyzing your actions through an ethical lens Michael A. Gillette, PhD 16 Renewing our Focus on Ethical 20 Decision Making Committing to a journey of ethical discernment in our thinking and behavior DEPARTMENTS Patrick S. Malone, PhD 2 Letter from the Guest Editor 20 Elevating Our Focus on Trust Building Public Trust in Government in Mexico Promoting ethical behavior and anti-corruption education in public 4 Letter from the servants through specialized training Executive Director Richard Villalon/stock.adobe.com Villalon/stock.adobe.com Richard Octavio E. Chavez and Salvador Torres The ICMA Code of Ethics 24 6 IDEALS Timeline of the ICMA Code of Ethics Designing for Accessibility Makes You Ninety-seven years in the making, follow the history of the ICMA a Better Human Code of Ethics as it evolved over the decades 40 People First 26 Employee Engagement Through Giving Ethics Enforcement FAQs 41 Welcome Ambassadors 36 Everything you need to know about ICMA’s Code of Ethics Making Valuable Connections enforcement process One New Member at a Time 30 42 ICMA Local Government ICMA Code of Ethics with Guidelines Excellence Award Spotlight Bondurant Ultra High-Pressure Program The Code of Ethics was adopted by the ICMA membership in 1924, and most recently amended in June 2020 43 Special Supplement 34 Women Influencing Local Government Leadership in Local Government, Part 3: 56 Professional Services Directory Leadership Paradoxes Reading the situation, remaining flexible, and managing around your weaknesses Ed Everett, ICMA-CM LETTERS TO THE EDITOR 42 36 Share your thoughts on PM magazine by emailing us at [email protected]. Managing Vaccine Distribution for the Submit an article proposal to Common Good [email protected] or learn more at Seven strategic lessons for managing a scarce resource icma.org/writeforus. International City/County Randall Reid and Patricia Vinchesi, ICMA-CM Management Association Cover image: iStock.com/artisteer MARCH 2021 | PUBLIC MANAGEMENT | 1 LETTER FROM THE GUEST EDITOR Elevating Our Focus on Trust This special ethics issue of PM BY MARTHA PEREGO, ICMA-CM Trust is a precious asset. Any having served as the city manager in Cincinnati, San relationship that extends beyond the purely Jose, and Fresno. In his article, he reflects as well on transactional relies on trust to be productive, mutually the value to good government of having a professional beneficial, and successful. In a democracy where manager, who adheres to the ICMA Code of Ethics, the public entrust their very lives and well-being to serving in a council-manager structure. As Jerry observes, elected and appointed officials, trust is oxygen. With “The role requires managers to stand up without fear or it we thrive, without it we perish. Local government favor to inappropriate political interference with good managers and their staff can influence the conduct of government practices, even when their jobs are on elected officials, but they certainly cannot control it. the line.” These professionals can take concrete steps though to Dr. Michael Gillette, an ethicist and former elected protect the public’s interests and to build trust with official, shares a four-step process for analyzing your the public they serve, the staff they lead, and yes, the actions through an ethical lens. Dr. Gillette observes elected officials for whom they work. that critical thinking is especially needed in the public Each March, we devote the contents of PM to sector where the ramifications of missteps can be ethics. We invite our members and experts in the field profound. In what is just a great quote, Dr. Gillette to share their perspectives, research, and techniques noted, “It will not do to rely on kindergarten-level on building ethical competency at the personal and ethics concepts when dealing with calculus-level ethics organizational level. This reflects ICMA’s and the problems. But before we get to the ‘how,’ perhaps we profession’s commitment to the highest of ethical should spend some time thinking about the ‘why.’” standards in public service. A common theme among Rounding out the contributions for our experts, our guest contributors in this edition is the critical need Dr. Patrick Malone reminds us that human beings MARTHA PEREGO, ICMA-CM, is for conduct that builds, and in some cases restores, trust are not angels by nature. Exploring principles that director of member in government. can help guide us all to make ethical decisions, Dr. services and ethics The indictment of three Cincinnati councilmembers Malone challenges us to “commit to a journey of ethical director, ICMA, in 2020 inspired our colleague, Jerry Newfarmer, to discernment in our thinking and behavior.” Washington, D.C. share his ideas on how managers can promote ethical Our mission to promote ethical conduct is a ([email protected]). behavior. Jerry’s ideas are born of practical experience global one. The final article on ethics highlights ICMA Public Management (PM) (USPS: 449-300) is published Public Management (PM) ICMA monthly by ICMA (the International City/County Management Creating and Supporting Thriving Association) at 777 North Capitol Street. N.E., Washington, icma.org/pm Communities D.C. 20002-4201. Periodicals postage paid at Washington, ICMA ICMA’s vision is to be the leading associa- D.C., and at additional mailing offices. The opinions expressed 777 North Capitol Street, N.E. tion of local government professionals dedi- in the magazine are those of the authors and do not cated to creating and supporting thriving nternational City/County Suite 500 I necessarily reflect the views of ICMA. Washington, D.C. 20002-4201 communities throughout the world. It does this by working with its more than 12,000 Management Association COPYRIGHT 2021 by the International City/County EDITORIAL OFFICE: members to identify and speed the adoption Management Association. All rights reserved. Material may not [email protected] of leading local government practices and icma.org be reproduced or translated without written permission. ADVERTISING SALES: improve the lives of residents. ICMA offers REPRINTS: To order article reprints or request reprint Kyle Elgin, MCI USA membership, professional development March 2021 permission, contact [email protected]. 410.316.9866 programs, research, publications, data and [email protected] information, technical assistance, and train- SUBSCRIPTIONS: U.S. subscription rate, $46 per year; ing to thousands of city, town, and county other countries subscription rate, $155 per year. Learn more at https:// go.networkmediapartners.com/ chief administrative officers, their staffs, and Printed in the United States. other organizations throughout the world. Contact: 202/289-4262; [email protected]. icma-mediakit POSTMASTER: Send address changes to ICMA MEMBER SERVICES: Public Management (PM) aims to inspire Public Management, ICMA, 777 N. Capitol Street, N.E., 800.745.8780 | 202.962.3680 innovation, inform decision making, Suite 500, Washington, D.C. 20002-4201. [email protected] connect leading-edge thinking to everyday challenges, and serve ICMA members and ARTICLE PROPOSALS: Visit icma.org/pm to see local governments in creating and sustaining “Editorial Guidelines” for contributors. thriving communities throughout the world. For more information on local government leadership and management topics, visit icma.org. 2 | PUBLIC MANAGEMENT | MARCH 2021 o_du_van/ stock.adobe.com Mexico’s work to provide ethics training to elected and appointed officials. We close out the edition with three In a democracy where the important resources for our readers: the ICMA Code of Ethics with Guidelines, FAQs on ICMA’s public entrust their very lives ethics enforcement process, and an up-to-date and well-being to elected timeline on revisions made to the Code over its 97-year history. and appointed officials, trust In closing, I encourage you to do two things. First, please take a moment to renew your is oxygen. With it we thrive, commitment to the profession’s ethical standards by reading the ICMA Code of Ethics on page 30. without it we perish. And second, assist your staff and elected officials on their journey to making ethical decisions and building trust by sharing this content. 2020–2021 Midwest Region Southeast Region ICMA Executive Board Clint Gridley Laura Fitzpatrick, ICMA-CM City Administrator, Woodbury, Minnesota Assistant City Manager, PRESIDENT Chesapeake, Virginia James Malloy, ICMA-CM Molly Mehner, ICMA-CM Town Manager, Assistant City Manager, Michael Kaigler, ICMA-CM Lexington, Massachusetts Cape Girardeau, Missouri Assistant County Manager, ICMA Executive Director Marc Ott Chatham County, Georgia Victor Cardenas, ICMA-CM Director, Equity & Lynne Scott [email protected] PRESIDENT-ELECT Assistant City Manager, Novi, Michigan Nate Pagan, ICMA-CM Social Justice and Troy Brown City Manager, Membership Marketing City Manager, Moorpark, California Mountain Plains Region Owensboro, Kentucky Managing Editor Kerry Hansen [email protected] Michael Land, ICMA-CM West Coast Region PAST PRESIDENT City Manager, Coppell, Texas Newsletter Editor Kathleen Karas [email protected] Jane Brautigam, ICMA-CM Edward Shikada, ICMA-CM Raymond Gonzales Jr.
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