Public CEO Commentary by La Puente City Manager David Carmany
Throughout much of my career as a City Manager, the job has been, if not simple, then at least relatively straightforward. Working on behalf of and in concert with the cities I’ve served, I’ve sought to ensure that streets were paved, trash was picked up, fires were put out, courts delivered justice, criminals were jailed, hospitals served the sick, social services helped those in need, and schools educated our youth. Over time, however, the job has changed, and with shifting demographics surfacing unique opportunities and unique challenges, it’s imperative that local government pivot to meet the needs of its residents. Accordingly, while a considerable portion of my career up until now has been dedicated to ensuring that local agencies have the personnel, strategies, and resources they need to operate at their best, it’s become clear to me that optimizing public resources is only half the battle. The other half, as I see it, involves convincing the populace to use these resources, which has arguably become increasingly difficult at a time and in a place in which many of our friends and neighbors fear that in so doing, they may risk deportation or other punitive measures.
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