03/30/2009

To All:
This is my first attempt at trying to communicate a little more than usual. My plans are to do a transmittal of this nature at least once a month. It is not intended to replace daily communications, nor is intended to try and fill you in-basket. Rather it is aimed at trying to highlight some issues and happenings that have occurred in the past month and/or will occur in the coming month. I hope you find this beneficial. I would appreciate your feedback this email or any of the items listed below.


THIS MONTH’S MEMO

Update on New Initiatives and Programs:

Website – I would encourage you to visit our website, Frances has taken responsibility for managing the website and has made significant efforts to get more information on the front page and to be sure that information is current.

Stimulus – Also connected to the website is our new page devoted to the stimulus. This page is being updated daily and contains the most current information we can find on the many stimulus programs that are available to Tennessee cities.

Newsletter – Attached is the inaugural edition of MTAS’ Municipal E-Newsletter. We hope to release a newsletter each month not as a public relations effort for MTAS, but as a means of getting meaningful information out to Tennessee cities. Each newsletter will contain timely information on many functional areas. In addition, it will be a vehicle for highlighting new or updated publications, changes in state or federal rules, laws or court decisions, along with recent attorney general opinions. We will also do a short feature on one city per month and one MTAS staff member month. We will also use the newsletter to promote upcoming training programs and to provide a rolling three month calendar of upcoming events. Although Frances is managing this newsletter, and doing a great job, its success depends on each of you . It is up each of you to identify potential items for the newsletter and get that information to Frances. I don’t want the process driving the newsletter, but rather the news and information we need to provide to cities being the driving force behind each edition of the newsletter. This will be going to every city official and employee for whom we have an email and we hope by taking such an approach, we will increase the interest in our publications and our website. Short promos (one to three paragraphs) on new publications you are placing on database or publications you have updated will increase the interest in those pubs by the readers. We will be emailing this to the MTAS Advisory Committee on Monday and then doing the mass email on Tuesday.

Teamwork:

There are numerous examples of teamwork and I am not rating one over the other. If I missed an example you think should be noted, please let me know.

1. Compliments to Frances Adams O’Brien and CTAS’ Brett Howell for their work to synchronize the Stimulus information on our respective websites.

2. Compliments to Management Consultants and Training Consultants for working together to insure we have MTAS coverage at each training site for courses that use guest facilitators (Planning and Zoning in April and Retail Economic Development in April). This will help insure a quality program without the expense of Training Consultants having to be available to start each class. In many instances the Management Consultant will also attend the class as a participant and thereby enhance their professional development. In the others they may proceed on to other cities after the class has begun. In either case it is a cost savings while maintaining high quality.

3. Compliments to the Finance and Accounting Consultants for their efforts on the Certified Municipal Finance Officers Program. They launched the first class in February and will be offering the second one in April. This cities participating in this first round are those with revenues above $5 million per year. Since this curriculum is designed to improve the capabilities of municipal finance officers, it is challenging, but the Finance Consultants are to be commended on their efforts to work with the class participants in preparing for the next class and/or in following up with those that were not successful and assisting then in studying and providing them the opportunity to retest. The success rate on the first class is above 95% after one or more retesting attempts. There is more information in the Newsletter and a list of talking points are being developed so that everyone is conversationally capable.

Mark Your Calendars:

1. We have tentatively scheduled an open house for Nashville to celebrate our 60 ^th anniversary. That date is Thursday, April 30, s soon as that is firmed up with times etc. , we will be getting that information to you.


Staff Birthdays for March :

March 8 - Michelle Buckner
March 23 - Frances Adams O’Brien

Staff Birthdays for April:

April 5 - Don Darden
April 5 - Ron Darden (Amazing, it is the same day as Don)
April 7 – David Angerer
April 14 – Ralph Cross
April 22 – Ken Cox

Kudos:

1. To the entire MTAS Staff for your willingness to working together in trying to hold down cost, especially on out of state travel.

2. To Melissa Ashburn for stepping up to serve as codes attorney as a result of Steve Lobertini’s retirement.

3. To Dennis Huffer, Josh Jones and the other consultants who serve on the subject committees in doing bill review for the TML. As usual this has been a bumper year for filing legislation and every bill has been reviewed by one or more MTAS consultants.




This is the first communication and I know I have omitted items and people that I should have mentioned or acknowledged. As we go forward, I need your help in identifying those items and people. So, please help me out.

As always, thanks for all you do for MTAS and Tennessee cities.

Mike