Municipalities and municipal authorities must frequently manage leadership and staff transition resulting from administration changes, retirements, and natural turnover. Consequently, transition planning is critical. Keystone Municipal Solutions specializes in developing and implementing structured, effective transition plans that account for the following diverse and often complex responsibilities of municipal leadership and managers.

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• An effective plan must formalize and systematize routine business. Management and leadership balance many roles and responsibilities.  For example, a municipal or authority manager must establish and follow a schedule of recurring meetings including committee and board meetings; develop a strategy and schedule for generating and monitoring the annual budget; ensure bills such as payroll are paid regularly; establish a schedule of generating and sharing financial reports; and supervise equipment and building maintenance.

 

• A successful transition plan must also identify and address incomplete business and projects. Unfortunately, leadership and staff transition rarely coincides with the completion of ongoing business; consequently, there are often incomplete or pending grant applications, unfinished financial audits, ongoing labor negotiations, and various other incomplete projects.  

 

• In addition, a clear strategy for managing staff and consultants is critical. A manager must direct the efforts of staff including public works and other administrative employees, while also frequently interacting with consultants such as the solicitor, treasurer, and auditor.  Regular communication with public safety entities, and other levels of government is also critical. 

 

• A comprehensive transition plan should also identify areas of concern including potentially problematic financial policies and procedures and outdated employee handbooks.

 

• Security is an element of transition planning that is often overlooked. Staff and leadership turnover creates an ideal time to ensure that sensitive information and facility access are protected. This may require bank account passwords, website access, facility locks, and bank signature requirements to be reviewed.