About the WCMA

About the WCMA
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What is WCMA?

The Wisconsin City/County Management Association (WCMA) is an organization of professional managers and administrators from counties, cities, villages, and towns throughout the state.

The WCMA has two primary objectives:

1. To promote the development of professional municipal management in Wisconsin
2. To contribute to the professional development of its members.

Mission Statement

The Wisconsin City/County Management Association (WCMA) will encourage the development and improvement of professional local government management in Wisconsin by advocating and affirming improvements in local government administration and by offering support to its members in their quest for great professional proficiency.

WCMA Strategic Plan Outline 2007

About Professional Municipal Management

One of the purposes of the Wisconsin City/County Management Association is to promote efficient democratic local government in Wisconsin. We believe that the most efficient and democratic form of local government is the council/manager form, in which day-to-day operations are conducted by an appointed professional administrator.

Communities with appointed administrators often have lower tax rates, provide more efficient services, have fewer personnel problems and relieve elected officials of administrative tasks so they can focus on policy matters and long range planning.

Local governments are complex organizations that require expertise in personnel, planning, finance, and intergovernmental relations and an administrative structure that provides coordination of municipal services. Communities throughout Wisconsin are increasingly facing global economic competition. Their abilities to compete depend not only on private sector initiatives, but on sophisticated and aggressive public efforts as well. The need for professional municipal administration is not a matter of the failure of local government, but rather of adapting to changing conditions by increasing the capacity of municipalities to provide effective and efficient service.

WCMA Activities

WCMA sponsors a series of activities and publications:

• a professional development seminar in March focusing on a particular topic
• an annual conference in June with a program, annual business meeting, and opportunity for informal discussion and networking
• regular regional meetings of managers and administrators to discuss mutual management concerns
• a newsletter published four times a year to keep members abreast of current issues
• an annual salary and benefits survey of all WCMA members
• seminars, lectures, web-casts and other meetings for professional development
• a web site (www.wcma-wi.org) with current information and other resources for WCMA members

WCMA also is a resource for information of interest to local government in Wisconsin, including:

• a roster of all managers and administrators in Wisconsin
• a roster of cooperating members
• a resource library of professional materials
• periodic updates on pressing issues of importance to local governments

The WCMA Executive Director

The Association is served by the WCMA Executive Director. The Executive Director works with the WCMA Executive Board to conduct training programs, prepare publications, communicate vital information to members and respond to information requests from WCMA members. The WCMA Executive Director also serves as a resource for municipalities considering the establishment of a professional manager or administrator position. The Executive Director and other WCMA members are available to make presentations to local elected officials and governing bodies.

For More Information

Ed Henschel, WCMA Executive Director
115 South 84th Street, Suite 400
Milwaukee, WI 53214
Phone: 414-777-5382
Fax: 414-777-5555
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