· “’Tis the season”…for conferences. TML Legislative Conference last week. TCMA, TGFOA this coming week. TPMA and ICMA Regional Conference in a few weeks. Busy times for sure, but also important times for MTAS because of our involvement with all the organizations who partner with us in serving municipal government in Tennessee.

· Over the past couple months some informal discussions have taken place among the IPS agency directors about the things we count. You know…touches…economic impact…percent of staff achieving 32 hours of professional development. We all feel it’s important enough to continue those discussions in a little more formal way and we’re going to spend an afternoon and morning soon doing that. Personally, I’m interested in seeing what affect the things we count has on the betterment of city government. You know, answering the “So what?” question. If counting touches doesn’t answer the question, then what does? You’ve got some thoughts about our performance indicators. I know you do. Many of you have talked with me about some / most of them over the years. So, give me some feedback about this. What things should I be bringing to the table when we meet soon to talk about this?

· All the IPS agencies presented FY2018 budget proposals to Herb and Gail this past week. Lisa, Dale, Rick and I did that Friday morning. Happens every year about this time. Some of the assumptions that shaped the MTAS proposal include adding another fire service consultant, setting some money aside to be used in strategic plan implementation, contributing MTAS’s share toward implementation of a new learning management system, a pool for salary adjustments, moving two part-time positions towards full time, etc. Keep in mind the word “proposal” at this time. The adopted budget doesn’t happen until the University and state government budgets are finalized.

· Sixty-one years! Let me repeat that. Sixty-one years! That’s how many two important folks to MTAS and our customers have contributed as of Monday of this coming week. Armintha joined MTAS on March 27, 1978 and Lisa came on board March 27, 1995. We can’t say “thank you” enough to both of you but we can be very appreciative of you and hope that you’re both part of MTAS for a long time to come. Congratulations!

· Lastly, remember a few things…
o What each of you do every day for our customers and each other is recognized and appreciated. Really! It is!
o “I’ve learned that people will forget what you said, people will forget what you did, but people will never forget how you made them feel.” – Maya Angelou
o Rule 27-1.c of the Royal and Ancient Golf Club of Saint Andrews and the United States Golf Association allows a player to look no longer than 5 minutes for a lost ball. Based on that, I estimate I’ve spent right at 7 years looking for my ball since I first played golf.

· A comfortable weekend for all!

Jim Thomas, Executive Director


(O) 615. 532.4950 (C) 615.972.9219

jim.thomas@tennessee.edu

www.mtas.tennessee.edu