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Interview with Incoming ICMA President Pat Martel,
City Manager of the City of Daly City
Written by Chris Castruita

In advance of her induction as the ICMA President later this month at the ICMA National Conference, and her participation as a speaker at the MMASC Annual Conference from October 28-30, I spoke with Pat Martel, the City Manager of Daly City. Over the course of nearly an hour, she discussed how she first got into the profession of local government management, what we can expect at the ICMA Conference, the importance of participating in professional development organizations, and ways that practitioners can support the advancement of diversity at the highest levels of the profession. 

What city do you work for, how long have you been there, and what’s your title?

I work for the City of Daly City. I've worked here for about 16 years, 6 of which were as an assistant and 10 as the City Manager. But not continuously. I had worked here for six years and then left for the City and County of San Francisco, and then when my former boss retired, Council asked me to come back as City Manager and so I did.

What initially got you interested in local government?

Well, I actually wasn’t interested in local government management when I went to college initially. I actually studied journalism and public affairs, so I actually wanted to be a political writer.

I had an opportunity to to go to Washington D.C. after I graduated and I worked as a staff assistant on Capitol Hill on the Rules Committee. And so I got exposed to politics in Washington at the very highest level and I got exposed to media in Washington at the very highest level. And while I worked on Capital Hill, I did a lot of interface with Federal agencies, doing constituent work for the member that I worked for along with doing staff work on the Rules Committee.

In this issue of Career Compass, Dr. Benest shares some leadership lessons learned from parenting a teen.

I am writing a different kind of Career Compass column today. I have a 15-year-old daughter, Leila, who is the love of my life but she and I are struggling as we navigate her teen years. Leila tends to ignore my advice and regularly informs me that “I don’t get it.” I’m trying to learn from some of our more contentious interactions and reflect on how I can better exert positive influence. After one of our recent disagreements, it occurred to me that there are some basic leadership lessons that Leila is teaching me and that might be worth sharing.

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State Legislative Update

1. SB 1468- Calderon Fireworks: Bill was amended to shorten to two years and create a study period on how the expanded use of fireworks during the holidays has impacted affected communities.  Committee moved to oppose.
2. AB 1993- Ma- Unlicensed Drivers: If an unlicensed driver pulled over for an infraction, driver will still be cited but will no longer to have the authority to impound the vehicle and hold it for 30 days. Informational only.

Review of November 2012- Public Safety Ballot Measures
Three public safety related ballot measures will be placed before voters on the November ballot:

1. Death Penalty Repeal:  This measure would eliminate death penalty and place a life without parole sentence.  This measure would retroactively apply to those on death row.
2. Human Trafficking:  Increases penalties up to 15 years as well as creates mandatory registration as a sex offender.  Training program for public safety would be made mandatory.
3. Three Strikes Law:  Repeals existing law and would only be in affect if third offense is violent.

Subcommittee Reports

1. Emergency Response:  League Partners to host an emergency management program on high wind storms. 
2. Realignment:  Sub Committee held a conference call on the transfer of pre-sentence inmates during overcrowding to other facilities.
3. Technology: Electronic Proof of Insurance bill has passed the Assembly and now is now in Senate Committee.  The National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA) released their work plan for implementing the national public safety communications spectrum auction.  

Submitted by
Mina Layba, City of Thousand Oaks