October 2, 2014 –
Leon Churchill believes that city managers are vital to successful local government, as they allow elected officials to focus more on policy-making instead of the daily operations of a community. After serving many years in this capacity (most recently in Tracy, CA), Churchill now shares the traits of a successful city manager through his personal blog leonchurchill.wordpress.com.


Entitled “Leon Churchill Brings Innovation and Forward Thinking to City", the piece highlights three qualities that make a good city manager. The first, according to it, is the ability to listen carefully to community members. Each city defines their ideal quality of life differently, and as such, a city manager must be able to clearly grasp what residents truly want and need, and work hard towards achieving these desires.


Next, creative problem solving is also needed in order to come up with innovative solutions to pressing issues. For example, the City of Tracy was able to generate 2,000 jobs in the midst of the recent great recession thanks to a local stimulus plan devised by Churchill. He also introduced a gift card program that kept local car dealers afloat during this economically trying period.


Lastly, city managers must continuously improve themselves by undergoing further training and gaining additional certifications. To learn best practices and build their profile, they should also seek membership in prestigious organizations like the National Academy of Public Administration, the American Planning Association, and the International City/County Management Association (ICMA).


Churchill is a strong believer in mentorship, and he hopes that through the blog post, aspiring and current city managers will be better equipped to serve their respective communities.


About Leon Churchill


Leon Churchill has been in public service since 1993, first serving as the utility operations manager in Norfolk, VA, before eventually becoming city manager of Tracy, CA in 2008 and serving until 2014. In his role as a Real Estate Professional/Urban and Regional Planner, Churchill's attention now turns to redeveloping cities. He holds a bachelor's degree in city planning from the University of Virginia, as well as a master's degree in public administration from the University of Kansas.