September 2026 Presidential Message

Dear Cal-ICMA Members,

Fall conference season is here! Whether you attend the ICMA Annual Conference in Long Beach, the Cal Cities Annual Conference, MMANC, MMASC, or another gathering, I hope you can carve out time from your daily work in local government to learn and connect with colleagues. In our profession, it is important to step outside our local circles, hear from one another, and connect in person through laughter, thoughtful conversation, and sometimes shared concern and sadness.

Cal-ICMA works to foster those connections and opportunities to learn. One item in this year’s Cal-ICMA Strategic Plan is supporting the Long Beach Host Committee in several ways for the ICMA conference. We are also co-hosting the California reception at ICMA and hosting networking dinners at the MMANC and MMASC conferences. Events hosted by Cal-ICMA affiliate member organizations offer more chances to connect over food and drinks. As we share our professional and personal joys and challenges, we deepen our bonds and strengthen our resilience, knowing we are not alone in our shared commitment to excellent local government. Cal-ICMA Board members and committee volunteers will also share their experience and insights on dozens of panels covering a wide range of important topics.

In October, Cal-ICMA will announce its annual call for volunteers to serve on committees that deliver our events and programs. If you would like to become more involved, connect with colleagues, and perhaps serve on the Cal-ICMA Board of Directors in the future, watch for the call for volunteers.

Those connections also help us through moments of sadness. This week, we learned of the passing of Mark Linder, a longtime leader in the city management profession and in the San Francisco Bay Area. Mark served in several roles throughout many cities including  San Jose, Cupertino, Los Gatos, and Campbell. He was Campbell’s city manager and, more recently, interim city manager in Sonoma and the Town of Portola Valley. I had the privilege of meeting Mark during his time in Campbell. His contributions to the profession and the communities he served will endure, as will his memory among the many people he connected with and influenced. You can read more about Mark’s contributions to local government management in this newsletter.

I look forward to seeing you at one or more of the upcoming conferences and meetings this fall.