“International” is the first word in ICMA. My goal for ICMA has been to try to promote international as normal, not as something special. In the past few years, the ICMA Executive Board has made some changes to integrate the international aspect of the organization.

Working with the county, university, and school district, we determined the most important projects we could collectively tackle that would help us benefit our community. Seventy percent of our community is eligible for free or reduced lunches. We had an opportunity to do a first-ever youth master plan in San Marcos, and I was able to facilitate that.

When a local government places upright pianos in outdoor space, it's not an expensive thing. There wasn’t that much red tape; it did not require many permissions. The project showed that the government wants to have fun and we can have fun and we can do interesting things.

Achieving organizational excellence is a journey. It requires commitment and effort, plus it has major benefits.

Managers and elected officials can build effective working relationships, in turn creating more effective local governments.

If a local minimum wage ordinance is being considered, a work plan to engage with residents, businesses, and stakeholder groups is needed.

The nobility of public service. It’s not a commonly heard phrase these days.

Success is not as easily defined in the context of local government, specifically public recreation in the form of a swimming pool.