Sustainability Matters: July 2008

Friday, July 18, 2008

Sustainability Audioconference

Yesterday (July 17) ICMA hosted its first audioconference on Sustainability. Over 150 locations tuned in -- and the 90 minute presentation sparked lots of questions for the presenters:

Rick Cole (me) City Manager of Ventura, California
Randy Reid, County Manager, Alachua County, Florida
Jim Keene, soon to return to the profession as City Manager of Palo Alto, California

For more on what Ventura is doing on Sustainability, check out our Green Ventura website:

http://www.cityofventura.net/GreenVentura/

About this Blog

ICMA has for many years been in the forefront of helping local governments meet the challenges inherent in building sustainable communities. This blog, Sustainability Matters, is to share insights and ideas, and to encourage a dialogue on sustainability issues.

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Blog Authors

James Keene is director of strategic issues and ICMA West, and president of the Alliance for Innovation, a partnership between the Innovation Groups, ICMA, and Arizona State University, focused on transforming local government.

Jim is a Fellow at the Center for Urban Innovation in Phoenix. He has served as the Executive Director for the California State Association of Counties and as the City Manager of Tucson, Arizona; City Manager of Berkeley, California; and County Manager of Coconino County, Arizona (Flagstaff).

Randall Reid has served as county manager for Alachua County, Florida since 1999. He was recently elected as chairman of ICMA's Sustainability Advisory Committee, which is a 30-member international committee set up to encourage sustainable practices in communities. He also serves on the Smart Growth advisory group. Dedicated to building sustainable organizations and communities, Randy has spoken widely at state and national professional conferences.

Rick Cole has been City Manager of Ventura since 2004. He was recently honored by Governing Magazine as one of their nine "2006 Public Officials of the Year," the only City Manager in the nation to earn that distinction. Governing cited his "intense focus on the details that add up to a vital city." Cole has focused on four key priorities, the ABCS of Ventura government: Accountable government; Balanced budget, Civic Engagement and Smart Growth. Cole is widely cited as an urban policy expert and is a member of the Congress for New Urbanism, the Urban Land Institute and ICMA.

Sustainability Matters

Friday, July 18, 2008

Sustainability Audioconference

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