| History |
|
The NC City & County Management Association was preceded by the North Carolina City Managers Association, organized March 25, 1938 to function as a part of the North Carolina League of Municipalities. The following is an historical account written in 1976 by S. Leigh Wilson, then Executive Director of the North Carolina League of Municipalities, covering the period 1938-1965. The first record on file with the North Carolina League of Municipalities relating to a meeting of city managers is a copy of a mimeographed letter dated March 8, 1938. This letter addressed "Dear Sir" was signed by Patrick Healy, Jr., Executive Secretary of the North Carolina League of Municipalities (Executive Vice President of the National League of Cities from 1953 to 1971), and was apparently mailed to all city managers in North Carolina. Mr. Healy had apparently previously proposed a meeting of city managers and he quoted excerpts from letters of reply. He stated in this letter "therefore, abiding by the wishes of the majority I am taking the liberty of suggesting that this conference be held at 10:00 a.m. Friday, March 25, at the Sir Walter Hotel in Raleigh." This is the first recorded effort to arrange a meeting of North Carolina City Managers. Sketchy handwritten minutes and a copy of these minutes typed therefrom, indicate that this meeting of managers convened at 10:15 a.m. on March 25, 1938, in the Raleigh Room at the Sir Walter Hotel in Raleigh. Mr. Healy was elected temporary chairman and he explained the purpose of the meeting. The minutes indicate that most of the morning session was devoted to a discussion of traffic safety and needed legislation for municipalities. These minutes further state as follows: Following luncheon, the group perfected organization plans. A complete list of those in attendance, all City Managers follows:
These eleven managers elected H. L. Burdette of Monroe, President, Z. G. Hollowell of Goldsboro, Vice President and J. C. Harris of Roxboro, Secretary and designated the League of Municipalities as the Secretariat. The above officers were instructed to prepare bylaws for the new association to be acted upon at the next meeting, which was held in conjunction with the Annual Convention of the League of Municipalities in Asheville the first part of August, 1938. It is interesting to note that these minutes also state "19 North Carolina cities have council-management government officially recognized by the International City Managers Association. At least five more towns have established the form by ordinance, providing for a town manager who is responsible for all administrative functions." This would indicate that almost 50%, 11 of 24 Managers, attended this first meeting. The record of this meeting is unclear but a group of managers did meet in conjunction with the League of Municipalities Convention at the Grove Park Inn in Asheville during the "first part of August 1938" and adopted the Association's first constitution. This document apparently served the Association without amendment until the formation of the North Carolina City/County Management Association in 1964. This August 1938 meeting of managers in Asheville is referred to in several League documents as the first annual meeting of the North Carolina City Managers Association. Mr. P. M. Burdette, City Manager of Asheville (not to be confused with H. L. Burdette, Monroe), was elected President at that time and Association officers through the year 1963 were as follows:
Except for a list of the presidents as indicated above, the Association records are rather sketchy except for miscellaneous copies of annual city manager conference programs. The programs included subjects of current interest to managers but the business sessions were usually informal and normally limited to the election of officers and the selection of a meeting site. During the World War II period, 1941 through 1945, there were few meetings because of limited travel and restrictions on this and other types of meetings. An unsigned copy of a mimeographed letter from the Acting Executive Secretary of the League, dated October 30, 1945, indicates that a questionnaire was sent to managers to determine if Henry Yancey, City Manager of Greensboro, Association President, should call a meeting of managers since a state-wide League conference could not be held during the year. Apparently it was the consensus of the managers to go ahead with the meeting and it was held on Monday, December 2 and 3, 1945 in Raleigh. At the suggestion of Roy Braden, City Manager of High Point, the South Carolina city managers were invited to attend and the program for this meeting indicates they were in attendance. The featured dinner speaker for this meeting was Dr. Clarence E. Ridley, Executive Director of the International City Managers Association, who spoke on "Pitfalls of the Manager's Job." In June, 1947, the managers met at the League of Municipalities Annual Convention in the old Ocean Terrace Hotel (now the site of the Blockade Runner Motor Hotel) at Wrightsville Beach. Approximately 20 managers sat on footstools and on the floor for a half-day informal session. (This was the first managers meeting the writer attended). The manager's annual conference in 1947, was held in the Sedgefield Inn in Greensboro and managers from South Carolina as well as Virginia were invited to attend. At this conference all the electric power went out as a result of a storm and again, Dr. Clarence Ridley made the principal address. The Carolina Hotel at Pinehurst then became the favorite site for the annual spring meeting of the Association and remained so for a number of years. The 1948 Conference was held in Pinehurst and again the program that year indicates that the South Carolina and Virginia managers participated. That year the managers voted to limit attendance to managers, their staff assistants and invited program guests. Records indicate that from its initial organization in 1938 until 1964, the association met at least twice each year except during the World War II years. The annual conference was held in the spring and the Association met again as part of the League of Municipalities convention in the fall. Throughout the years no membership dues were charged and the records indicate that the expenses of the Association were financed first by the League of Municipalities and then through sufficient registration fees at conferences and other meetings to offset the Association expenses. In the late 1950's, principally at the urging of General James R. Townsend, City Manager of Greensboro, the Association considered and subsequently established a City Manager's Annual Seminar at the Institute of Government in Chapel Hill. The annual seminar, usually in February, was established to provide in depth presentation of subjects of interest to managers which could not be adequately covered in the Association's other sessions. The North Carolina City/County Management AssociationAt the manager's seminar at the Institute of Government in Chapel Hill, in February, 1964, Association President Doug Mackintosh, City Manager of Burlington, announced the appointment of a committee to draft a recommended constitution for a City and County Managers' Association. He appointed W. J. Veeder of Charlotte, chairman and W. H. Carper of Raleigh, J. S. Carter of Gastonia, Jack C. Coss of Washington, H. E. Dickerson of Statesville and A. B. Sansbury of Jacksonville as members of the committee. The idea of a joint City-County Managers Association had been discussed previously and was supported principally by W. J. Veeder, City Manager of Charlotte. On April 13, 1964, a memorandum was forwarded to all city and county managers in North Carolina by the committee which enclosed a recommended constitution for the managers' consideration. In preparing the recommended constitution, the committee had secured similar documents from across the country. The committee then met at the second session of the City Manager's Seminar at the Institute to consider the essential elements of the constitution and the final draft of the proposed document was agreed to by telephone. This memorandum stated that at the manager's business session on Sunday morning, May 3, at the Blockade Runner Motor Hotel at Wrightsville Beach, North Carolina, the committee would propose the recommended constitution for adoption. Complete minutes of this May 3, 1964 business session were taken by the staff of the League of Municipalities. These minutes indicate that President J. D. Mackintosh, City Manager of Burlington, called the business session to order at approximately 10:15 a.m. in the Lee Room of the Blockade Runner Motor Hotel. They further indicate that the President asked the county managers and Mr. Alexander McMahon, Executive Secretary of the North Carolina Association of County Commissioners, to withdraw from the meeting in order that the county managers and the city managers could consider separately the question of forming a joint City and County Managers Association in accordance with the proposed constitution. These minutes further indicate that Mr. C. L. Lineback, City Manager of Salisbury, moved that city managers unanimously invite the county managers to join them in forming a joint association in which both would have equal voting rights and privileges. This motion was seconded by Mr. W. H. Carper, City Manager of Raleigh and Bill Britt, City Manager of Sanford and the motion passed unanimously. Mr. Harry Weatherly, Mecklenburg County Manager, then reported that the county managers had unanimously accepted the city managers invitation to join with them in forming a North Carolina Association of City and County Managers. Then followed a discussion of proposed amendments to the constitution. The constitution was then unanimously adopted as amended. Then followed the election of the first officers of the Association which were:
Following this initial organizational meeting in May, the president, W. J. Veeder, in a memorandum dated June 8, 1964 suggested a meeting of the Association's Executive Committee and the Executive Director of the League, the Executive Director of the County Commissioners Association and staff from the Institute of Government which was held on Friday morning, July 17, at the Institute of Government in Chapel Hill. It is evident that this group was attempting to define and implement the purposes of the Association. The three objectives of the new Association were highlighted in Mr. Veeder's memorandum as follows:
On June 15, 1964, the first Association mailing was forwarded to the membership which included a copy of the constitution as adopted at the organizational meeting on May 3; a statement for the five dollar membership dues and an application form for associate membership. In the Spring of 1965, the Association began publishing a newsletter on the Association's own stationery and in a newsletter, dated April 23, 1965, President Veeder proposed an amendment to the constitution to increase the membership dues in order to support an annual fellowship for a graduate student in public administration in the program started during the year at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. This increase was recommended by a committee, chaired by Bob Peck, Town Manager of Chapel Hill, which indicated that the cost of this program might run from $600 to $900 a year. The first annual conference of the North Carolina City and County Managers Association, following its organizational meeting in May of 1964, was held on May 7-8, 1965 at the MidPines Club Hotel in Southern Pines. At that time, the Association established its annual fellowship for the graduate student in public administration at UNC and amended the Association constitution to provide for an increase in membership dues. Following this May 1965 conference in Southern Pines, the responsibility for the maintenance of Association records was transferred to the Association officers. However, for the continuity of the record, files in the League office indicate that the following managers were elected as president of the Association from 1965 through 1967. Harry Weatherly, County Manager, Mecklenburg County [Ed.: Corrected from the original.]
It was also determined at the 1965 conference that the NC League of Municipalities and the NC Association of County Commissioners would share the duty of assisting the Association with its annual conference in alternating years. The following article, written by then Morganton City Manager, Ed Wyatt, updates the organization's history from 1965 -1979. A list of manager/presidents of the new organization, formerly included at the beginning of Mr. Wyatt's article, has been updated and included at the end of the history.] The work of the Association has been carried out to a large extent by the various committees. They have taken the form of standing committees, special committees, and special committees working in conjunction with ICMA programs. The standing committees have consisted of Nominations, Program, Audit, and Joint City-County Managers State Highway Commission. The most active of all the Association committees has been the Joint City-County Managers State Highway Commission Committee, commonly referred to as the Highway or Transportation committee. The committee was created at the annual conference in Wrightsville Beach in May, 1967. This committee has been served well by such chairmen as the late Gilbert Ray, Harding Hughes, and Cy Brooks. The first meeting of the committee with Highway officials was held in the League offices for purposes of clarifying proposed State Highway Commission policies for traffic control signals, signs and other traffic control devices on State system streets. In the minutes of the business meeting at the 1969 annual conference, it was reported by the late Gilbert Ray that the two most important policies with regard to the State Highway Commission were "the division of responsibility for the maintenance of drainage facilities and a policy covering the responsibility for the maintenance of traffic control devices within the corporate limits of cities and placing the responsibility on the Highway Commission to assume the cost of the electric energy needed to operate these facilities. Also, the minutes indicate a report by Harding Hughes at the annual meeting in May of 1971 that a booklet had been prepared by the Committee and Highway Department on Roadway and Drainage Maintenance Policy. At the city managers meeting held during the 1976 League convention, Cy Brooks reported that the committee had been meeting and discussing the possibility of developing statewide standards for streets in subdivisions located in perimeter areas around cities outside the zoning area. One of the main features of the Association has been the outstanding programs at the annual seminar and conference. This has been due to good planning on the program committee's part and the excellent professional assistance from the Institute of Government, Association of County Commissioners, and the League. Programs have consisted of contemporary subjects, such as employee and employer relations of municipalities and Fair Labor Standards Act. Training needs for managers have also been assisted during these meetings and other times by the Intergovernmental Personnel Act and the Department of Natural and Economic Resources. Special committees have consisted of Resolutions, Education, and Local Government Education. It is reported that the work of the latter was carried out in conjunction with the work of Dr. Albert Coates and his interest in disseminating information on local government to public schools. Dr. Coates has published a number of booklets on local government in North Carolina. The president of the association annually appoints a person to serve on the League of Municipalities Legislative Advisory Committee that assists the Legislative Committee. A number of other committees have worked in conjunction with ICMA programs. One such committee that functioned particularly in the early 1970's was the College Visitation Committee. Association minutes indicate that the President appointed a Professional Conduct Committee. At the 1976 May conference a constitutional amendment was passed whereby the ICMA Code of Ethics would guide the conduct of all members of the Association. Additionally, ICMA would refer such matters that came to their attention to the state association for assistance. The most active recent ICMA related committees have been the Council of Academy Advisors and Minority Women Executive Placement Committee. The Academy Advisors were initially appointed by Pete Jenkins in the winter of 1975, and the first chairman was Bruce Boyette of Wilson. He was succeeded by Bob Cantine. North Carolina has a large number of persons participating in this ICMA program. Presently, there are five full members and four associate members taking part in the program on professional and personal development. It is anticipated at this point that participation will increase. Dr. Donald Hayman, Assistant Director of the Institute of Government and Professor at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, is serving on the Academy's Board. John Jones of Wilmington is chairman of a committee for the Minority Women Executive Placement Program. This was extended to include women after the ICMA conference in Toronto. It reported that there has been progress in North Carolina in this regard. The Association has been blessed with the assistance of several organizations that have been the backbone and provided continuity in handling logistics, programming, and other support functions. The Institute of Government continues to sponsor the annual seminar. The N. C. League of Municipalities and the N. C. Association of County Commissioners alternate each year in arranging the annual conference. During this period of Association history, amendments periodically had been made in the constitution. These included provisions for life members, changes in the title of the Association from Managers to Management and enlarging the Board of Directors. The most substantial changes in the constitution took place at the annual meeting in Wrightsville Beach in May, 1976. Some of the major changes made at that time were: ICMA Code of Ethics will guide the conduct of all members of NCCCMA.
The catalyst for these changes came from the Goals and Objectives Committee appointed by the then-President Pete Jenkins of Stanley County. This group is interchangeably referred to as the Convenor Group, which is composed of a representative from each region. The committee surveyed the membership to determine the Association's needs, and its most substantial contribution was, as mentioned, the recommended changes in the constitution. These recommendations were reviewed and discussed considerably and adopted in the above-mentioned form. Without a doubt, the greatest contribution of the Association has been encouraging the establishment of a Master of Public Administration Program at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. The following excerpts from pamphlets of the University illustrate this: "On August 4, 1964, the Executive Committee of the North Carolina City and County Managers Association, by resolution, requested the Department of Political Science and the Institute of Government to undertake a professional degree in public administration at the earliest possible date. The committee stated that the increased adoption of the city and county manager form of government in North Carolina and in the entire southeastern region has created a serious shortage of professionally trained managers and competent administrative staff personnel..... "The President of the North Carolina City and County Managers Association appointed a committee on Scholarships. The committee was directed to raise funds to support professional graduate training in public administration at the University of North Carolina if such a program is initiated...." It is interesting to note, as the material indicates, that the Association has been the sole continuing source of funds for student aid. The Association presently contributes $2,000 annually to scholarship funds for one year's support for two or three students. The awards are now given in the name of the late John Gold, who was instrumental in promoting and assisting the program. There have been 19 scholarships given by the Association since the program began in 1966. One of the real successes of the program has been the number of Association members who received scholarship awards. They include, by year of award, the following: 1966, John Jones, City Manager of Wilmington; 1967, Dempsey Benton, Assistant City Manager of Raleigh; 1968, Dan Eller, County Manager of New Hanover County; 1971, Henry Allen, Administrative Assistant, Wilson; 1972, Terry Henderson, Assistant Director of the Western Piedmont Council of Governments; and 1974, Douglas Bean, Assistant City Manager of Morganton. Also, a number of other recipients are still involved in governmental service. It is further interesting to note that other scholarships have been awarded to other Association members. The Association has selected five honorary members: Charles L. Lineback, retired City Manager, Salisbury; Davetta L. Steed, retired Executive Director of the League of Municipalities; Dr. Albert Coates, Professor and Founder of the Institute of Government; Gen. James R. Townsend, retired City Manager, Greensboro; and Harry Weatherly, retired Mecklenburg County Manager. The President of the Association is increasingly becoming a greater communications link with ICMA. The President is called upon to suggest persons to serve on ICMA committees. He also coordinates the work of state committees pursuing programs for the international organization. Association members have been quite active in ICMA. This fact is borne out by the following persons having served since 1965 on the ICMA Executive board; 1965 and 1966 õ William J. Veeder, Charlotte; 1967, 1968 and 1970 õ John M. Gold, Winston-Salem; 1974 and 1975 õ I. Harding Hughes, Jr., Durham. Dave Burkhalter, then City Manager of Springfield, Missouri, served as President of ICMA in 1969-70. He has served with distinction as a member of the ICMA Executive Board during his tenure as City Manager of Charlotte. Fellowship and goodwill among the members of the Association have always prevailed and results in a rapport that provides a natural exchange of ideas among the members and a greater degree of professionalism. At each Association annual conference new members are welcomed into the organization. To further this objective, the Association has a host suite at the ICMA annual conference. This practice was started during the administration of Pete Jenkins in 1975. The North Carolina state association is one of the few joint City-County-Council of Government Associations in the United States. In fact, it preceded ICMA in its efforts to bring together in one common association the professional managers at the local level. The ingredients of the successful merger have been several. Of great importance has been the initiative and leadership of the Institute of Government, the League of Municipalities, and County Commissioners Association. They have worked closely with each other and extended their capabilities to encourage and support the concept of a single association. A second essential ingredient has been the initial and continued commitment to improved professionalism in local government by managers and COG directors themselves. Differences in philosophy and special interests, while still present, have been balanced with the broader concern of stronger local government. As personal relationships are formed among all types of managers, the commitment has been reinforced. Perhaps also the structure of North Carolina local government has played a role in this accomplishment. Because of the overlapping jurisdiction of local governments, the antagonisms created by a structure of city-county separation are minimized. In addition, the full-service nature of county government has established a common base of interests and concerns. It has also required a continued commitment to full participation by all numbers in all activities of the Association. Officers are generally rotated, committees have city-county managers and COG Directors. Programs are designed to focus on the common interests of all members and the special interests of each group. At last, but certainly not least, there is room for humor and give and take about the behavior of all members. The benefits of this merger have been real and substantial. County management has been strengthened professionally. At the sub-state level, stronger working relationships have developed among managers. COG directors have been able to earn the respect of both groups of managers by their assistance and coordinating efforts. Certainly this was a bold step for the profession. But, it has been successful and contains sufficient merit to be considered by other states across the country. The Association has continued to grow in terms of membership and interest. The growth has been due especially to communities adopting the council-manager plan, more counties employing county managers, and the participation of COG directors. The Association has endeavored to respond to contemporary problems, concerns and interests. With the dynamic change in local government, it is anticipated that the Association's role will continue to be of vital assistance to Association members. Certainly, the present contemporary society provides a challenge for our work and demands new ideas and innovations. The activities and concerns of the Association have increased greatly throughout the years. It is anticipated that this will continue and will provide greater involvement and participation by the members of the Association. The following was compiled by Terry Henderson from Association minutes. Major Organizational Activities & Developments Since 1977Amended the organization's by-laws to provide for honorary and lifetime members upon retirement with requisite number of years of service or accomplishments to the profession. Adopted a Joint Service Agreement with the NCLM and NCACC for secretariat, editorial, publishing and other joint services (1979); Later (1990) adopted a more detailed service agreement with the NCLM to provide extensive financial, membership, conference and administrative management services. Created scholarships for graduate students in state MPA programs (1982) initially for UNC-CH, UNC- Charlotte, East Carolina University and Appalachian State. In addition to the John Gold Scholarship, the CCMA named additional scholarships for Warren (Jake Wicker), Donald Hayman, and Gordon Whitaker, in 1993 bringing to eight, the number of $1500 funded scholarships for students in graduate public administration programs at all NC public universities. David Taylor, past president of the NC City & County Management Association, served as national president of ICMA (1985). Created the Jack Webb Memorial Library collection of ICMA management materials to be located at the NCLM library for use and loan, in memory of former Washington, NC manager (1986). Amended the bylaws to allow proration of membership dues for new members; enforcement of the state association's code of ethics violations; expanded membership to include an affiliate category (1989). Formed a Membership Support Committee to spiritually and practically assist managers in transition (1989). Early chairs for the Committee were Cy Brooks, Phin Horton, John Witherspoon, Steve Carpenter. Hosted the ICMA Conference in Charlotte, together with South Carolina Managers Association (1989). Published four pictorial directories, 1990, 1992, 1994, 1997. Established an annual outside, independent audit of Association financial records (1990). Created an Emergency Financial Support Award to assist members who experience catastrophic loss (1991). Created an executive development scholarship program to assist members financially with professional development training and exchange opportunities (1991). Established procedures for investigation of ethics violations by state association members who are not ICMA members.(1991) [All members of the CCMA are bound by the ICMA code of Ethics.] Actively financed participation in the ICMA Endowment campaign to raise money to promote, protect, and defend the council-manager plan nationwide against abandonment. Recognized Dr. Matthew Williamson, ASU Professor with Honorary Membership in the Association (1992). Recognized the good work of Doug Mackintosh as the organization's first range rider beginning in 1985 Enlarged the Range Rider program from one to three persons,appointing Joe Hendrick, Jack Neel and Dick Foote as Range Riders (1994). Later, Jack Neel was not able to serve, and Cy Brooks (former city manager and mayor pro-tem) was appointed. Published a civic education textbook written by Dr. Gordon Whitaker, MPA Director at UNC-CH. The project was a partnership with the NLCM, NCACC, and the Department of Public Instruction (1993); produced a video Local Government It's All Around You, for use in the schools (1990), duplication for which was funded by the NC Association of Cable Television Operators; and contracted for an individual to provide coordination and promotion of the civic education effort throughout the state (1994). Created the Albert & Gladys Coates MPA Scholarship to be awarded annually to a public administration masters degree student in a public university. Reprinted and distributed an additional 10,000 copies of the civic education textbook. Worked with teachers to create a series of resource materials to be used at the 4th and 5th grade levels for civic education, printed and distributed these materials to cities and towns and to schools for their use. Created a sponsorship policy to recognize contributions from the private sector to help fund membership activities without compromising individual professional ethics or those of the organization. The NC City & County Management Association was preceded by the North Carolina City Managers Association, organized March 25, 1938 to function as a part of the North Carolina League of Municipalities. The following is an historical account written in 1976 by S. Leigh Wilson, then Executive Director of the North Carolina League of Municipalities, covering the period 1938-1965. The first record on file with the North Carolina League of Municipalities relating to a meeting of city managers is a copy of a mimeographed letter dated March 8, 1938. This letter addressed "Dear Sir" was signed by Patrick Healy, Jr., Executive Secretary of the North Carolina League of Municipalities (Executive Vice President of the National League of Cities from 1953 to 1971), and was apparently mailed to all city managers in North Carolina. Mr. Healy had apparently previously proposed a meeting of city managers and he quoted excerpts from letters of reply. He stated in this letter "therefore, abiding by the wishes of the majority I am taking the liberty of suggesting that this conference be held at 10:00 a.m. Friday, March 25, at the Sir Walter Hotel in Raleigh." This is the first recorded effort to arrange a meeting of North Carolina City Managers. Sketchy handwritten minutes and a copy of these minutes typed therefrom, indicate that this meeting of managers convened at 10:15 a.m. on March 25, 1938, in the Raleigh Room at the Sir Walter Hotel in Raleigh. Mr. Healy was elected temporary chairman and he explained the purpose of the meeting. The minutes indicate that most of the morning session was devoted to a discussion of traffic safety and needed legislation for municipalities. These minutes further state as follows: Following luncheon, the group perfected organization plans. A complete list of those in attendance, all City Managers follows:
These eleven managers elected H. L. Burdette of Monroe, President, Z. G. Hollowell of Goldsboro, Vice President and J. C. Harris of Roxboro, Secretary and designated the League of Municipalities as the Secretariat. The above officers were instructed to prepare bylaws for the new association to be acted upon at the next meeting, which was held in conjunction with the Annual Convention of the League of Municipalities in Asheville the first part of August, 1938. It is interesting to note that these minutes also state "19 North Carolina cities have council-management government officially recognized by the International City Managers Association. At least five more towns have established the form by ordinance, providing for a town manager who is responsible for all administrative functions." This would indicate that almost 50%, 11 of 24 Managers, attended this first meeting. The record of this meeting is unclear but a group of managers did meet in conjunction with the League of Municipalities Convention at the Grove Park Inn in Asheville during the "first part of August 1938" and adopted the Association's first constitution. This document apparently served the Association without amendment until the formation of the North Carolina City/County Management Association in 1964. This August 1938 meeting of managers in Asheville is referred to in several League documents as the first annual meeting of the North Carolina City Managers Association. Mr. P. M. Burdette, City Manager of Asheville (not to be confused with H. L. Burdette, Monroe), was elected President at that time and Association officers through the year 1963 were as follows:
Except for a list of the presidents as indicated above, the Association records are rather sketchy except for miscellaneous copies of annual city manager conference programs. The programs included subjects of current interest to managers but the business sessions were usually informal and normally limited to the election of officers and the selection of a meeting site. During the World War II period, 1941 through 1945, there were few meetings because of limited travel and restrictions on this and other types of meetings. An unsigned copy of a mimeographed letter from the Acting Executive Secretary of the League, dated October 30, 1945, indicates that a questionnaire was sent to managers to determine if Henry Yancey, City Manager of Greensboro, Association President, should call a meeting of managers since a state-wide League conference could not be held during the year. Apparently it was the consensus of the managers to go ahead with the meeting and it was held on Monday, December 2 and 3, 1945 in Raleigh. At the suggestion of Roy Braden, City Manager of High Point, the South Carolina city managers were invited to attend and the program for this meeting indicates they were in attendance. The featured dinner speaker for this meeting was Dr. Clarence E. Ridley, Executive Director of the International City Managers Association, who spoke on "Pitfalls of the Manager's Job." In June, 1947, the managers met at the League of Municipalities Annual Convention in the old Ocean Terrace Hotel (now the site of the Blockade Runner Motor Hotel) at Wrightsville Beach. Approximately 20 managers sat on footstools and on the floor for a half-day informal session. (This was the first managers meeting the writer attended). The manager's annual conference in 1947, was held in the Sedgefield Inn in Greensboro and managers from South Carolina as well as Virginia were invited to attend. At this conference all the electric power went out as a result of a storm and again, Dr. Clarence Ridley made the principal address. The Carolina Hotel at Pinehurst then became the favorite site for the annual spring meeting of the Association and remained so for a number of years. The 1948 Conference was held in Pinehurst and again the program that year indicates that the South Carolina and Virginia managers participated. That year the managers voted to limit attendance to managers, their staff assistants and invited program guests. Records indicate that from its initial organization in 1938 until 1964, the association met at least twice each year except during the World War II years. The annual conference was held in the spring and the Association met again as part of the League of Municipalities convention in the fall. Throughout the years no membership dues were charged and the records indicate that the expenses of the Association were financed first by the League of Municipalities and then through sufficient registration fees at conferences and other meetings to offset the Association expenses. In the late 1950's, principally at the urging of General James R. Townsend, City Manager of Greensboro, the Association considered and subsequently established a City Manager's Annual Seminar at the Institute of Government in Chapel Hill. The annual seminar, usually in February, was established to provide in depth presentation of subjects of interest to managers which could not be adequately covered in the Association's other sessions. The North Carolina City/County Management AssociationAt the manager's seminar at the Institute of Government in Chapel Hill, in February, 1964, Association President Doug Mackintosh, City Manager of Burlington, announced the appointment of a committee to draft a recommended constitution for a City and County Managers' Association. He appointed W. J. Veeder of Charlotte, chairman and W. H. Carper of Raleigh, J. S. Carter of Gastonia, Jack C. Coss of Washington, H. E. Dickerson of Statesville and A. B. Sansbury of Jacksonville as members of the committee. The idea of a joint City-County Managers Association had been discussed previously and was supported principally by W. J. Veeder, City Manager of Charlotte. On April 13, 1964, a memorandum was forwarded to all city and county managers in North Carolina by the committee which enclosed a recommended constitution for the managers' consideration. In preparing the recommended constitution, the committee had secured similar documents from across the country. The committee then met at the second session of the City Manager's Seminar at the Institute to consider the essential elements of the constitution and the final draft of the proposed document was agreed to by telephone. This memorandum stated that at the manager's business session on Sunday morning, May 3, at the Blockade Runner Motor Hotel at Wrightsville Beach, North Carolina, the committee would propose the recommended constitution for adoption. Complete minutes of this May 3, 1964 business session were taken by the staff of the League of Municipalities. These minutes indicate that President J. D. Mackintosh, City Manager of Burlington, called the business session to order at approximately 10:15 a.m. in the Lee Room of the Blockade Runner Motor Hotel. They further indicate that the President asked the county managers and Mr. Alexander McMahon, Executive Secretary of the North Carolina Association of County Commissioners, to withdraw from the meeting in order that the county managers and the city managers could consider separately the question of forming a joint City and County Managers Association in accordance with the proposed constitution. These minutes further indicate that Mr. C. L. Lineback, City Manager of Salisbury, moved that city managers unanimously invite the county managers to join them in forming a joint association in which both would have equal voting rights and privileges. This motion was seconded by Mr. W. H. Carper, City Manager of Raleigh and Bill Britt, City Manager of Sanford and the motion passed unanimously. Mr. Harry Weatherly, Mecklenburg County Manager, then reported that the county managers had unanimously accepted the city managers invitation to join with them in forming a North Carolina Association of City and County Managers. Then followed a discussion of proposed amendments to the constitution. The constitution was then unanimously adopted as amended. Then followed the election of the first officers of the Association which were:
Following this initial organizational meeting in May, the president, W. J. Veeder, in a memorandum dated June 8, 1964 suggested a meeting of the Association's Executive Committee and the Executive Director of the League, the Executive Director of the County Commissioners Association and staff from the Institute of Government which was held on Friday morning, July 17, at the Institute of Government in Chapel Hill. It is evident that this group was attempting to define and implement the purposes of the Association. The three objectives of the new Association were highlighted in Mr. Veeder's memorandum as follows:
On June 15, 1964, the first Association mailing was forwarded to the membership which included a copy of the constitution as adopted at the organizational meeting on May 3; a statement for the five dollar membership dues and an application form for associate membership. In the Spring of 1965, the Association began publishing a newsletter on the Association's own stationery and in a newsletter, dated April 23, 1965, President Veeder proposed an amendment to the constitution to increase the membership dues in order to support an annual fellowship for a graduate student in public administration in the program started during the year at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. This increase was recommended by a committee, chaired by Bob Peck, Town Manager of Chapel Hill, which indicated that the cost of this program might run from $600 to $900 a year. The first annual conference of the North Carolina City and County Managers Association, following its organizational meeting in May of 1964, was held on May 7-8, 1965 at the MidPines Club Hotel in Southern Pines. At that time, the Association established its annual fellowship for the graduate student in public administration at UNC and amended the Association constitution to provide for an increase in membership dues. Following this May 1965 conference in Southern Pines, the responsibility for the maintenance of Association records was transferred to the Association officers. However, for the continuity of the record, files in the League office indicate that the following managers were elected as president of the Association from 1965 through 1967. Harry Weatherly, County Manager, Mecklenburg County [Ed.: Corrected from the original.]
It was also determined at the 1965 conference that the NC League of Municipalities and the NC Association of County Commissioners would share the duty of assisting the Association with its annual conference in alternating years. The following article, written by then Morganton City Manager, Ed Wyatt, updates the organization's history from 1965 -1979. A list of manager/presidents of the new organization, formerly included at the beginning of Mr. Wyatt's article, has been updated and included at the end of the history.] The work of the Association has been carried out to a large extent by the various committees. They have taken the form of standing committees, special committees, and special committees working in conjunction with ICMA programs. The standing committees have consisted of Nominations, Program, Audit, and Joint City-County Managers State Highway Commission. The most active of all the Association committees has been the Joint City-County Managers State Highway Commission Committee, commonly referred to as the Highway or Transportation committee. The committee was created at the annual conference in Wrightsville Beach in May, 1967. This committee has been served well by such chairmen as the late Gilbert Ray, Harding Hughes, and Cy Brooks. The first meeting of the committee with Highway officials was held in the League offices for purposes of clarifying proposed State Highway Commission policies for traffic control signals, signs and other traffic control devices on State system streets. In the minutes of the business meeting at the 1969 annual conference, it was reported by the late Gilbert Ray that the two most important policies with regard to the State Highway Commission were "the division of responsibility for the maintenance of drainage facilities and a policy covering the responsibility for the maintenance of traffic control devices within the corporate limits of cities and placing the responsibility on the Highway Commission to assume the cost of the electric energy needed to operate these facilities. Also, the minutes indicate a report by Harding Hughes at the annual meeting in May of 1971 that a booklet had been prepared by the Committee and Highway Department on Roadway and Drainage Maintenance Policy. At the city managers meeting held during the 1976 League convention, Cy Brooks reported that the committee had been meeting and discussing the possibility of developing statewide standards for streets in subdivisions located in perimeter areas around cities outside the zoning area. One of the main features of the Association has been the outstanding programs at the annual seminar and conference. This has been due to good planning on the program committee's part and the excellent professional assistance from the Institute of Government, Association of County Commissioners, and the League. Programs have consisted of contemporary subjects, such as employee and employer relations of municipalities and Fair Labor Standards Act. Training needs for managers have also been assisted during these meetings and other times by the Intergovernmental Personnel Act and the Department of Natural and Economic Resources. Special committees have consisted of Resolutions, Education, and Local Government Education. It is reported that the work of the latter was carried out in conjunction with the work of Dr. Albert Coates and his interest in disseminating information on local government to public schools. Dr. Coates has published a number of booklets on local government in North Carolina. The president of the association annually appoints a person to serve on the League of Municipalities Legislative Advisory Committee that assists the Legislative Committee. A number of other committees have worked in conjunction with ICMA programs. One such committee that functioned particularly in the early 1970's was the College Visitation Committee. Association minutes indicate that the President appointed a Professional Conduct Committee. At the 1976 May conference a constitutional amendment was passed whereby the ICMA Code of Ethics would guide the conduct of all members of the Association. Additionally, ICMA would refer such matters that came to their attention to the state association for assistance. The most active recent ICMA related committees have been the Council of Academy Advisors and Minority Women Executive Placement Committee. The Academy Advisors were initially appointed by Pete Jenkins in the winter of 1975, and the first chairman was Bruce Boyette of Wilson. He was succeeded by Bob Cantine. North Carolina has a large number of persons participating in this ICMA program. Presently, there are five full members and four associate members taking part in the program on professional and personal development. It is anticipated at this point that participation will increase. Dr. Donald Hayman, Assistant Director of the Institute of Government and Professor at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, is serving on the Academy's Board. John Jones of Wilmington is chairman of a committee for the Minority Women Executive Placement Program. This was extended to include women after the ICMA conference in Toronto. It reported that there has been progress in North Carolina in this regard. The Association has been blessed with the assistance of several organizations that have been the backbone and provided continuity in handling logistics, programming, and other support functions. The Institute of Government continues to sponsor the annual seminar. The N. C. League of Municipalities and the N. C. Association of County Commissioners alternate each year in arranging the annual conference. During this period of Association history, amendments periodically had been made in the constitution. These included provisions for life members, changes in the title of the Association from Managers to Management and enlarging the Board of Directors. The most substantial changes in the constitution took place at the annual meeting in Wrightsville Beach in May, 1976. Some of the major changes made at that time were: ICMA Code of Ethics will guide the conduct of all members of NCCCMA.
The catalyst for these changes came from the Goals and Objectives Committee appointed by the then-President Pete Jenkins of Stanley County. This group is interchangeably referred to as the Convenor Group, which is composed of a representative from each region. The committee surveyed the membership to determine the Association's needs, and its most substantial contribution was, as mentioned, the recommended changes in the constitution. These recommendations were reviewed and discussed considerably and adopted in the above-mentioned form. Without a doubt, the greatest contribution of the Association has been encouraging the establishment of a Master of Public Administration Program at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. The following excerpts from pamphlets of the University illustrate this: "On August 4, 1964, the Executive Committee of the North Carolina City and County Managers Association, by resolution, requested the Department of Political Science and the Institute of Government to undertake a professional degree in public administration at the earliest possible date. The committee stated that the increased adoption of the city and county manager form of government in North Carolina and in the entire southeastern region has created a serious shortage of professionally trained managers and competent administrative staff personnel..... "The President of the North Carolina City and County Managers Association appointed a committee on Scholarships. The committee was directed to raise funds to support professional graduate training in public administration at the University of North Carolina if such a program is initiated...." It is interesting to note, as the material indicates, that the Association has been the sole continuing source of funds for student aid. The Association presently contributes $2,000 annually to scholarship funds for one year's support for two or three students. The awards are now given in the name of the late John Gold, who was instrumental in promoting and assisting the program. There have been 19 scholarships given by the Association since the program began in 1966. One of the real successes of the program has been the number of Association members who received scholarship awards. They include, by year of award, the following: 1966, John Jones, City Manager of Wilmington; 1967, Dempsey Benton, Assistant City Manager of Raleigh; 1968, Dan Eller, County Manager of New Hanover County; 1971, Henry Allen, Administrative Assistant, Wilson; 1972, Terry Henderson, Assistant Director of the Western Piedmont Council of Governments; and 1974, Douglas Bean, Assistant City Manager of Morganton. Also, a number of other recipients are still involved in governmental service. It is further interesting to note that other scholarships have been awarded to other Association members. The Association has selected five honorary members: Charles L. Lineback, retired City Manager, Salisbury; Davetta L. Steed, retired Executive Director of the League of Municipalities; Dr. Albert Coates, Professor and Founder of the Institute of Government; Gen. James R. Townsend, retired City Manager, Greensboro; and Harry Weatherly, retired Mecklenburg County Manager. The President of the Association is increasingly becoming a greater communications link with ICMA. The President is called upon to suggest persons to serve on ICMA committees. He also coordinates the work of state committees pursuing programs for the international organization. Association members have been quite active in ICMA. This fact is borne out by the following persons having served since 1965 on the ICMA Executive board; 1965 and 1966 õ William J. Veeder, Charlotte; 1967, 1968 and 1970 õ John M. Gold, Winston-Salem; 1974 and 1975 õ I. Harding Hughes, Jr., Durham. Dave Burkhalter, then City Manager of Springfield, Missouri, served as President of ICMA in 1969-70. He has served with distinction as a member of the ICMA Executive Board during his tenure as City Manager of Charlotte. Fellowship and goodwill among the members of the Association have always prevailed and results in a rapport that provides a natural exchange of ideas among the members and a greater degree of professionalism. At each Association annual conference new members are welcomed into the organization. To further this objective, the Association has a host suite at the ICMA annual conference. This practice was started during the administration of Pete Jenkins in 1975. The North Carolina state association is one of the few joint City-County-Council of Government Associations in the United States. In fact, it preceded ICMA in its efforts to bring together in one common association the professional managers at the local level. The ingredients of the successful merger have been several. Of great importance has been the initiative and leadership of the Institute of Government, the League of Municipalities, and County Commissioners Association. They have worked closely with each other and extended their capabilities to encourage and support the concept of a single association. A second essential ingredient has been the initial and continued commitment to improved professionalism in local government by managers and COG directors themselves. Differences in philosophy and special interests, while still present, have been balanced with the broader concern of stronger local government. As personal relationships are formed among all types of managers, the commitment has been reinforced. Perhaps also the structure of North Carolina local government has played a role in this accomplishment. Because of the overlapping jurisdiction of local governments, the antagonisms created by a structure of city-county separation are minimized. In addition, the full-service nature of county government has established a common base of interests and concerns. It has also required a continued commitment to full participation by all numbers in all activities of the Association. Officers are generally rotated, committees have city-county managers and COG Directors. Programs are designed to focus on the common interests of all members and the special interests of each group. At last, but certainly not least, there is room for humor and give and take about the behavior of all members. The benefits of this merger have been real and substantial. County management has been strengthened professionally. At the sub-state level, stronger working relationships have developed among managers. COG directors have been able to earn the respect of both groups of managers by their assistance and coordinating efforts. Certainly this was a bold step for the profession. But, it has been successful and contains sufficient merit to be considered by other states across the country. The Association has continued to grow in terms of membership and interest. The growth has been due especially to communities adopting the council-manager plan, more counties employing county managers, and the participation of COG directors. The Association has endeavored to respond to contemporary problems, concerns and interests. With the dynamic change in local government, it is anticipated that the Association's role will continue to be of vital assistance to Association members. Certainly, the present contemporary society provides a challenge for our work and demands new ideas and innovations. The activities and concerns of the Association have increased greatly throughout the years. It is anticipated that this will continue and will provide greater involvement and participation by the members of the Association. The following was compiled by Terry Henderson from Association minutes. Major Organizational Activities & Developments Since 1977Amended the organization's by-laws to provide for honorary and lifetime members upon retirement with requisite number of years of service or accomplishments to the profession. Adopted a Joint Service Agreement with the NCLM and NCACC for secretariat, editorial, publishing and other joint services (1979); Later (1990) adopted a more detailed service agreement with the NCLM to provide extensive financial, membership, conference and administrative management services. Created scholarships for graduate students in state MPA programs (1982) initially for UNC-CH, UNC- Charlotte, East Carolina University and Appalachian State. In addition to the John Gold Scholarship, the CCMA named additional scholarships for Warren (Jake Wicker), Donald Hayman, and Gordon Whitaker, in 1993 bringing to eight, the number of $1500 funded scholarships for students in graduate public administration programs at all NC public universities. David Taylor, past president of the NC City & County Management Association, served as national president of ICMA (1985). Created the Jack Webb Memorial Library collection of ICMA management materials to be located at the NCLM library for use and loan, in memory of former Washington, NC manager (1986). Amended the bylaws to allow proration of membership dues for new members; enforcement of the state association's code of ethics violations; expanded membership to include an affiliate category (1989). Formed a Membership Support Committee to spiritually and practically assist managers in transition (1989). Early chairs for the Committee were Cy Brooks, Phin Horton, John Witherspoon, Steve Carpenter. Hosted the ICMA Conference in Charlotte, together with South Carolina Managers Association (1989). Published four pictorial directories, 1990, 1992, 1994, 1997. Established an annual outside, independent audit of Association financial records (1990). Created an Emergency Financial Support Award to assist members who experience catastrophic loss (1991). Created an executive development scholarship program to assist members financially with professional development training and exchange opportunities (1991). Established procedures for investigation of ethics violations by state association members who are not ICMA members.(1991) [All members of the CCMA are bound by the ICMA code of Ethics.] Actively financed participation in the ICMA Endowment campaign to raise money to promote, protect, and defend the council-manager plan nationwide against abandonment. Recognized Dr. Matthew Williamson, ASU Professor with Honorary Membership in the Association (1992). Recognized the good work of Doug Mackintosh as the organization's first range rider beginning in 1985 Enlarged the Range Rider program from one to three persons,appointing Joe Hendrick, Jack Neel and Dick Foote as Range Riders (1994). Later, Jack Neel was not able to serve, and Cy Brooks (former city manager and mayor pro-tem) was appointed. Published a civic education textbook written by Dr. Gordon Whitaker, MPA Director at UNC-CH. The project was a partnership with the NLCM, NCACC, and the Department of Public Instruction (1993); produced a video Local Government It's All Around You, for use in the schools (1990), duplication for which was funded by the NC Association of Cable Television Operators; and contracted for an individual to provide coordination and promotion of the civic education effort throughout the state (1994). Created the Albert & Gladys Coates MPA Scholarship to be awarded annually to a public administration masters degree student in a public university. Reprinted and distributed an additional 10,000 copies of the civic education textbook. Worked with teachers to create a series of resource materials to be used at the 4th and 5th grade levels for civic education, printed and distributed these materials to cities and towns and to schools for their use. Created a sponsorship policy to recognize contributions from the private sector to help fund membership activities without compromising individual professional ethics or those of the organization. |
Print Page