Last month, the California City Management Foundation (CCMF) delivered two sessions we had proposed for the 2017 League of California Cities (LOCC) Annual Conference hosted at the Sacramento Convention Center. Spanning September 13 to 15, the annual conference provided an opportunity for public executives to gain insight, expand knowledge, and collaborate with cities across California.
The first panel focused on taking control of one’s online reputation. The internet has become the dominant place to make a first impression, and those in the public eye have the most at stake when it comes to their online reputations. Moderated by Tripepi Smith President Ryder Smith, Troy Brown (City Manager of Tracy), Larry Carr (Mayor Pro Tem of Morgan Hill), and Karen Pinkos (Assistant City Manager of El Cerrito) led an interactive discussion on the necessity of a strong online presence. The panel outlined the steps that local government leaders can take to secure their social media footprint and build positive search results.
“Online reputation and offline reputation are linked,” explained Pinkos. “As city officials, our reputation is our currency. You have to curate what you can control, and build your credibility. Build up some armor so there’s less impact when anything negative comes along.”
Learn more about what you can do to protect your online reputation here: http://www.westerncity.com/Western-City/August-2017/Protecting-Your-Professional-Reputation-Online/
In the second session, Bruce Channing (City Manager of Laguna Hills) engaged the audience in a discussion about the California Public Employees’ Retirement System (CalPERS). Last year, the CalPERS board cut the assumed rate of return from 7.5 percent to 7 percent; now, the current funding ratio is around 68 percent. Supported by Scott Terando (CalPERS Chief Actuary) and Kurt Wilson (City Manager of Stockton), the panel examined potential approaches to making financial ends meet in order to honor growing pension obligations.
CCMF is committed to supporting the city management profession in numerous ways and we hope these two educational sessions provided attendees with valuable lessons from these current and timely topics.