President’s Message May 2025: Partners in Local Governance: A New Chapter in Building Stronger Councils and City Management Teams
By Dr. Peter Pirnejad, ICMA-CM
President, Cal-ICMA
At Cal-ICMA, we continue to focus on strengthening the profession, supporting our members, and sustaining the values of ethical, inclusive, and effective local government leadership. This quarter, I’m proud to share with you a significant milestone that speaks to one of our most urgent priorities: preserving the integrity and longevity of the Council/Manager form of government.
We are thrilled to announce the release of a new educational video introducing the "Partners in Local Governance" (PILG) initiative — a training program in development that is designed to help both newly and seasoned elected officials and City Managers navigate the complex, nuanced partnership that lies at the heart of local government success.
You can view the video on Cal-ICMA’s YouTube channel here:
🔗 Partners in Local Governance Video
Why now?
Because we are witnessing a concerning trend. City Manager turnover is on the rise. The rate of change among councilmembers — some serving only one term or less — continues to climb. In this climate, the bedrock principles of effective local governance are at risk. The Council/Manager model, long celebrated for balancing political leadership with professional administration, is under pressure like never before.
If we don’t change course, the result will be erosion of institutional knowledge, disjointed service delivery, and an increasing inability for cities to maintain strategic momentum. We simply cannot afford to lose quality professionals or discourage elected leaders from staying in public service due to misunderstandings, misaligned expectations, or lack of role clarity.
That’s why the PILG initiative matters. It recognizes that governance is a team sport — one that requires mutual respect, shared understanding, and continuous learning. The City Council sets the vision. The City Manager turns that vision into reality through sound administration. But even the best teams need to train, practice, and evolve together.
Born from Cal-ICMA’s Manager’s Support Initiative (MSI), chaired by St. Helena City Manager Anil Comelo, the PILG concept was developed to equip local government teams with tools and insights to thrive. It encourages honest dialogue, role clarity, and a deeper appreciation of the professional-political partnership that drives city success.
Our early progress is the result of collaboration across sectors. We have initiated conversations with the California City Managers Foundation. We’re also honored to be working with CalCities’ City Managers Department and are actively convening leaders from their Mayors & Councilmembers Department to co-develop the next phases of this effort. It’s a powerful example of what happens when city managers and elected officials invest in shared learning — together.
I want to thank the many individuals and partners who have brought this vision to life so far:
Anil Comelo - City Manager, St. Helena and the MSI Committee for shepherding this idea forward
Thaddeus McCormack – City Manager, Lakewood and President of the CalCities City Managers Department, for championing this collaboration
The communications team at Tripepi Smith for helping us produce a powerful and accessible video
Pat Martel, ICMA West Coast Regional Director, for her commentary on the video as well as ongoing support and leadership
Frank Zerunyan, Rolling Hills Estates Councilmember and USC professor, for lending his voice as a bridge between academia and governance in the video.
Marshall Goodman, former La Palma Councilmember, for being part of the collaboration and for his commitment to advancing the profession
This is only the beginning. With your engagement and support, Partners in Local Governance will grow into a dynamic program that supports local leaders in their most critical role: working together to serve the public, responsibly and effectively.
Let’s protect the form of government that has served California communities so well — not by resting on its legacy, but by investing in its future.
Onward,
Dr. Peter Pirnejad, ICMA-CM
President, Cal-ICMA
City Manager, Town of Los Altos Hills