Bennett selected
to head international organization
By Kathy McCarty
Staff Writer
PRESQUE ISLE — City Manager Jim Bennett was recently selected as president-elect of the International City/County Management Association or ICMA.
Bennett was chosen by the ICMA Executive Board at its May 30-June 2 meeting in Annapolis, Md. He will serve as president-elect for a one-year term commencing September 2013 at the ICMA 99th annual conference in Boston. Bennett will assume the role of president at the ICMA annual conference in Charlotte, N.C. in September 2014 — as the organization celebrates its 100th anniversary.
Bennett explained what the position entails.
“The role of the president is essentially in a couple of categories. The president presides over the meetings of the ICMA Executive Board — 21 members representing five regions in the U.S. and one international region. He/she approves agendas for the board meetings, presides at the annual conference opening session, business meeting and the closing session,” said Bennett.
In addition, the president serves as the principle contact between the ICMA staff for the board to oversee the work of the staff.
“The president serves as the face of ICMA to the membership and participates where needed — subject to availability — in dealing with membership-related issues,” said Bennett, “and works with the executive director to provide the strategic direction for the organization during the year of service.”
Bennett will be in a position to appoint members to all of the various committees and task forces as well as select the chairpersons for those committees.
“A lot of this work goes on during the year you serve as the president-elect,” noted Bennett.
The president also nominates people, subject to approval by the ICMA Board, to serve on the Governmental Accounting Standards Advisory Council, the Vantage Trust Company board, Alliance for Innovation Board and Public Technology, Inc. Board.
ICMA’s mission is to create excellence in local governance by promoting professional management worldwide and increasing the proficiency of appointed chief administrative officers, assistant administrators and other employees who serve local governments and regional entities around the world. The organization’s nearly 9,500 members in 26 countries also include educators, students and other local government employees.
“We are proud to hear of Jim’s selection as the next ICMA president. This is a tremendous honor, not only for him, but also for the city of Presque Isle, The County and for Maine,” stated Emily Smith, chair of Presque Isle’s City Council.
Bennett, who has been involved in municipal government for more than 30 years, He’s been an active member of ICMA since 1986. He’s served several stints on the organization’s Conference Planning Committee and was named chairman in 2007, and has had several other roles with the organization as well, earning recognition and awards for his efforts. In 2008 he was elected to a three-year term on the ICMA Executive Board as one of three vice presidents from the organization’s Northeast region, which includes Delaware, Maryland, New Jersey, New York, Pennsylvania, Washington, D.C., and all six of the New England states.
Bennett said the role of president comes with promotional opportunities as well.
In all cases when being introduced, I’ll also be identified as the city manager for the city of Presque Isle,” said Bennett, noting he’ll be able to share information about the community with ICMA members and looks forward to promoting the Star City and northern Maine.
