MUNICIPAL GOVERNMENT – KINGS AND QUEENS OF PARKING

My career has been in the municipal/public sector space for over 35 years and about 25 years in the Parking Industry.  In 2020, I left municipal government and started my own business in a similar space but focused on transit and sustainable communities. 

On March 22, 2023 I had the privilege to participate in the exclusive Inaugural IPMI Municipal Member Roundtable.  Over 60 public officials participated from around the country.

The conversation was totally engaging and everyone who spoke or wrote in the chat had stories about their communities.  To me the conversation was comforting and familiar having been educated and worked in that environment for most of my professional career.

I always learn something new, but what I did learn is that no matter what local government you work for, the issues, problems and solutions are very similar. 

This group were clearly thought leaders, problem solvers and solution oriented. Working for municipal government can be restricting and challenging due to the fact that you have to always navigate the legislative and purchasing process, balance development growth and politics; get buy in from the public and collect reams of data to prove your point (which doesn’t always work in a political space).  Regardless, it is one of the most rewarding careers.

The common themes that I took away from this engaging and educational forum were:

ü  Data Data Data is king.

ü  Outreach and public education are critical.

ü  Pilots may not always be the best way to achieve success.  They must be aligned with the vision and have restricted parameters.

ü  There is a shift in labor from contract assistance to in house capacity

ü  There is more than one way to achieve a successful project/program. When one path doesn’t work, there is always another.

ü  You are not alone; other municipal employees are going through the same thing!

Kathryn Hebert

President and CEO TPMConnect

IPMI Board of Directors