Board Policy 01: Member, Vendor, and Event Attendee Conduct Policy

The Missouri City/County Management Association (MCMA) is dedicated to providing safe and harassment-free conferences, meetings, and events. It is the responsibility of every MCMA member, guest, and vendor to refrain from any harassing behavior. Harassment of conference speakers, guests, staff, and any other attendees will not be tolerated in any form.

Examples of harassment include, but are not limited to, the following:

• offensive verbal comments related to gender, race, religion, color, age, disability, national origin, sexual orientation or identity, familial status, or any other status that is protected by law;
• deliberate intimidation;
• stalking or following;
• harassing photography or recording;
• substantial disruption of talks or other events;
• inappropriate physical contact;
• unwelcome sexual attention; and
• retaliation for making a complaint.
  
  

Anyone asked to stop any harassing behavior is expected to comply immediately. A report may be made immediately which will trigger the initiation of the disciplinary process.

Anyone violating these rules will be subject to the MCMA disciplinary process, which may include any or all of the following actions, at the discretion of the Board of Directors after investigation by the Ethical Conduct Committee:

• Immediate expulsion from the event (may occur prior to Ethical Conduct Committee review at President’s discretion)
• Barred from attending future MCMA events
• Membership sanction
• Report to employer
  
  

If anyone at an MCMA event believes that they have been subjected to harassment, the individual is strongly encouraged to report the action to a member of the MCMA Board of Directors or to the MCMA Program Director/Secretariat. If a member of the Board of Directors is involved in an accusation, that member will recuse themselves from any discussions of the accusation by the Board. If a report is received, the board member or secretariat receiving such is obliged to initiate a formal report to the MCMA Board. All reports made to the Board of Directors will be reviewed and referred to the Ethical Conduct Committee for investigation with appropriate due process. The investigation, including the names and results, will be limited to those on a need-to-know basis. As with all ethical complaints, the Board of Directors is responsible for reviewing the investigative report and levying sanctions. If a member of the Board of Directors has been deemed to have violated the Member and Vendor Conduct policy, it shall serve as cause for consideration of removal from their board seat/office absent mitigating circumstances.

Board Policy 02: Affiliate Startup Funding Policy

MCMA will offer start-up/organizational funding for Missouri chapters of ICMA affiliate organizations subject to the following conditions:

1. Funding is only available to organizations which are affiliated with ICMA
2. Applications must be submitted/signed by a MCMA member
3. Local branch/chapter starting up does not need to be formal/registered not for profit

Applications for funding less than or equal to $1,000 in any given calendar year may be approved by the MCMA President. Applications for funds more than $1,000 in any calendar year require board approval.

Funds may be used for organizational meetings, including room rental, food/snacks/soft drinks, advertising, marketing, travel assistance to attend regional/national meetings (of the affiliated organization, not as an adjunct to other conferences). Funds may not be used for alcohol. Funds will be provided on a reimbursable basis and require prior approval.

Applications may be obtained from the MCMA Program Director.

Board Policy 03: Committees, MML, and ICMA Appointments

MCMA Committee Appointments

MCMA utilizes committees as an organizational tool for serving and involving MCMA members in accomplishing the organization’s goals and achieving its mission of providing professional services and professional development to the city/county management profession in Missouri.  

In accordance with the MCMA Constitution, the President is responsible for appointing all chairperson and committee member appointments to standing and special committees of MCMA.  Traditionally, the Board of Directors has ratified these appointments.  Every committee consists of a chairperson and a minimum of four (4) full members.  Membership of the Nominating Committee is capped by the Constitution at five (5) members.   

The current committees and traditional committee chairpersons for the organization are as follows:

In addition to the above regular standing committees, the President may appoint task forces or form other special committees as they deem appropriate, subject to the rules established by the Constitution.

A call for committee volunteers should be made on the Listserv and website no later than June 1^st annually.  Members interested in serving should apply to do so through a dedicated form on the MCMA website or otherwise created for this purpose.  The President should consider a wide variety of factors when determining committee appointments.  Such factors may include previous committee experience, organization size, different career stages, ensuring assistants are represented, gender balance, and other inclusion and diversity issues.

ICMA Committee Appointments

The President is called upon annually by ICMA to make appointments to various ICMA committees.  

The appointments for these ICMA positions are traditionally made as follows, though the President has final discretion as to who is appointed: 

MML Board of Directors Appointments

The Missouri Municipal League Board of Directors has two seats which are reserved for city management professionals.  These seats are filled in the same manner as any other MCMA Committee appointment.  Terms on the MML Board are two (2) years, staggered by one (1) year, and no individual may serve more than two (2) consecutive terms, for a normal total of four (4) years.

Board Policy 04: Guidelines for Nominations to the Board of Directors and Filling of Board Vacancies

Nominating Committee 

Per the MCMA Constitution, the President shall appoint a Nominating Committee comprised of the Immediate Past President as Chairperson, and four (4) full members of the association.  The Nominating Committee shall invite members to submit recommendations for nominations or to self-nominate.  All who wish to be considered for nomination, either through self-nomination or by having been nominated by a third party, shall complete a nomination form approved by the Board of Directors.  Members also may place their name directly on the ballot by petition signed by 10 full members of the Association.  Any member desiring to serve on the Board of Directors must be a full member of the Association and maintain that full membership throughout their office if elected.

Nomination Committee Guidance

Per the MCMA Constitution, the Nominating Committee “…shall take into account geographic balance of the Board in its considerations.”  

In addition to the geographic considerations mandated by the Constitution, in the course of assembling a slate of candidates the Nominating Committee is charged by this policy with annually evaluating the makeup of the Board of Directors from a variety of different considerations, including geographic balance, gender, assistant representation, career stage, and organizational size.  It is the stated intent of the Board of Directors that the makeup of the Board be representative and inclusive of the organization’s full membership makeup.  The Nominating Committee should also consider service to the association when evaluating individual applicants/nominations.

Vacancies in Board Positions

Immediate Past President: If, for any reason, the Immediate Past President is unable or ineligible to serve, the office shall be filled by the most recent Past President eligible and willing to serve.  Said Past President shall be nominated by the President and approved by the Board of Directors.

President:  If the President position becomes vacant, the 1^st Vice President/President-Elect will complete that term and may continue to serve for an additional term as President at their option.

Any Other Position: Any vacancy of any other position on the Board of Directors shall be filled by the President, with the approval of the Board of Directors.  Should a vacancy occur in a board position filled by an Assistant/Deputy City or County Manager, it is strongly encouraged that another member who is currently an Assistant shall be appointed.  If an "Assistant/Deputy" board member takes a job in Missouri as a Manager or Administrator, that person will continue in office until the normal end of their term.

Board Policy 05: Kathleen Mansfield Scholarship

In the interest of promoting the city management profession and to encourage educational pursuits leading to professional city management careers, the Missouri City/County Managers Association hereby establishes an annual scholarship program for two (2) deserving graduate students residing in Missouri and pursuing a Master of Public Administration (MPA) degree.  This scholarship program shall bear the name of Kathleen Mansfield, a dedicated city management professional whose ideals, motivation and good character inspired everyone who met her, especially her peers.  She passed away in 2004 at a very early age. 

The Mansfield Scholarship will provide $1,500.00 scholarships for two Missouri residents seeking a Master of Public Administration (MPA) degree to prepare for a career in city management.  These scholarships are to be used for college expenses such as cost of tuition, fees, room and board, or books and supplies.

The application period each year shall be from May 1^st to May 31^st.  The application period may be extended by the Board of Directors due to lack of applications/response.  The MCMA Program Director will share scholarship details and application forms with the appropriate college counselors or professors at colleges and universities hosting accredited MPA degree programs.  All submitted applications will be reviewed by the MCMA Board unless the Board forms a committee of the membership for the same purpose. The Board or committee will be responsible for selecting scholarship recipients.  Notification to the selected recipients will be made by July 1^st of each year, or at any other date established by the Board should the application period be extended.

Scholarship Criteria

Applicants must meet the following criteria for consideration:

1. Applicant must be a resident of Missouri or be attending an accredited university in Missouri.
2. Applicant must be currently accepted into or enrolled in an accredited MPA program.  Proof of registration or acceptance will be required if a scholarship is awarded.
3. Student must have a minimum undergraduate 3.0 GPA if accepted into an MPA program or a minimum 3.0 GPA in the MPA program if already enrolled.
4. Applicant must demonstrate a desire for a career in public service via involvement in community service activities, participation in social and service organizations, or involvement in other campus organizations dedicated to public or community service.
5. Applicant shall obtain an endorsement from a local MCMA member within the community nearest the applicant’s residence. An MCMA member may endorse more than one applicant.  The intent of this requirement is to introduce applicants to MCMA members and create connections to the city/county management profession.
6. Financial need may be considered by the Board of Directors.  Applicants should indicate financial need consideration on their application and provide narrative regarding the same.

Scholarship awards will be made directly to the selected scholarship recipient.

Board Policy 06: ICMA Conference Attendance Assistance

To promote MCMA member involvement in ICMA programs and activities, MCMA will subsidize conference registration, travel, and lodging expenses for members to attend the ICMA Annual Conference. MCMA will also work, whenever possible, to secure ICMA registration fee waivers.

The ICMA Annual Conference provides an excellent opportunity for Missouri City/County Managers to learn about trends in public sector management across the nation and network with other professionals. By receiving financial assistance, MCMA members who may otherwise not have the resources will have the opportunity to attend the conference.

As part of its annual budget process, the MCMA Board will determine the number of scholarships and amount the scholarship will reimburse for members to attend the ICMA Annual Conference.  MCMA members will be notified of scholarship availability through the MCMA website and MCMA listserv no later than May 1^st each year.  Interested individuals will complete the application for a scholarship and submit such to the MCMA Program Director.  All applicants must be a member of MCMA at the time of application or become a member of MCMA before receiving any scholarship under this program.   Applicants may become a member of MCMA as a condition of scholarship award.

The Board of Directors shall evaluate applications based on the following criteria:

• Length of time in the profession;
• Whether the person is a first-time attendee to an ICMA Annual Conference;
• Whether the person has attended an ICMA Annual Conference in the last 3 years;
• How involved the person is in MCMA activities (i.e.  Attendance at Winter Workshop, Spring Conferences, and involvement in MCMA committees);
• Geographic distribution of applicants;
• Whether the person is employed as a city or county management professional, including student interns when endorsed by their manager or administrator, however, student interns shall only be considered if there are not otherwise enough qualified non-intern applicants to utilize all available scholarships.

Those selected for scholarships will be reimbursed upon submission of valid receipts to the MCMA Program Director.  All receipts must be submitted no later than 60 days after the ICMA Annual Conference has concluded.  Submitted reimbursement costs should not otherwise be covered by an employer without expectation of repayment or have been credited/waived by ICMA.

Recognizing the importance of maintaining a close relationship between MCMA and ICMA, MCMA will annually fund reasonable travel, lodging and conference expenses for the MCMA President to attend the ICMA Annual Conference and the Midwest Regional Conference.

Board Policy 07:  Financial Assistance for ICMA Committee Service

MCMA recognizes that there are benefits to MCMA in having its members serve on ICMA committees. These benefits include the opportunity to influence ICMA policies and to keep MCMA membership better informed of ICMA activities.  ICMA generally does not pay for the costs associated with serving on ICMA committees.  Also, a member's employer may not always be able to fund all the costs of member participation on ICMA committees. Therefore, this policy is intended to increase the opportunity for MCMA members to participate on ICMA committees by subsidizing a portion of the cost of that participation.

MCMA will subsidize expenses for full members that serve on ICMA committees. The subsidy will be on a reimbursement basis and those members receiving subsidy must receive prior approval from the MCMA Board of Directors.  Members utilizing this program should only do so if their employer is unwilling to cover the full cost of participation and they are not receiving full cost reimbursement from ICMA.  The member may only use the subsidy to reimburse direct costs associated with attending ICMA committee meetings.  Notification of the availability of this subsidy will appear on the MCMA website and on the MCMA Listserv in conjunction with the ICMA call for committee volunteers each year.  After an MCMA member is appointed to an ICMA committee, that member will notify the MCMA Program Director of whether the member will be requesting financial assistance from MCMA. The assistance will be provided on a reimbursement basis upon submission of expense receipts to the Program Director for attending ICMA committee meetings.

The maximum number of reimbursements shall be determined annually by the MCMA Board of Directors, but in no case shall the reimbursement exceed $500 per authorized member.  The amount covered is intended to be a portion, not the entirety, of the cost of ICMA committee participation.

Board Policy 08:  Membership Legal Services

Beginning October 1, 2021, MCMA established a program with the Mauer Law Firm to represent the individual interests of participating members in their employment relationship with their city or county.  This program was established to ensure participants have access to competent legal counsel for matters related to their employment, such as contract/working agreements and separation agreements.  Participants receive up to one (1) hour of consultation time concerning employment issues between the participant and their public employer.  Additional consultation and representation is available at the rate of $100 per hour, paid directly by the participant.  Participation in this program is limited to Full Members of MCMA.

To fund this Legal Services program, effective July 1, 2022, the MCMA Board of Directors has established an annual voluntary assessment of $25.00.   Due to the nature of the legal services being rendered, the voluntary assessment must be paid from a member’s personal funds, rather than their employer’s public funds.  The ongoing support of individual MCMA members is important to ensuring that local government managers have access to these vital services.

The MCMA Program Director shall include a voluntary remittance form with dues invoices and shall take steps to allow members to pay for this service using the same online payment method as is used for annual dues.

Board Policy 09: Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion

The Missouri City/County Management Association is committed to fostering, cultivating, and preserving a culture of diversity, equity, and inclusion where all board members, staff, volunteers, and members feel respected and valued regardless of gender, age, race, ethnicity, national origin, sexual orientation or identity, disability, education, or other bias.

Definitions:

• Diversity includes all the way in which people differ, encompassing the different characteristics or dimensions that make one individual or group different from another.
  
  
• Equity is the fair treatment, access, opportunity, and advancement for all people, while at the same time striving to identify and eliminate the barriers that prevent full participation from individuals of marginalized groups.
  
  
• Inclusion is the act of creating environments in which any individual or group feels welcomed, respected, supported, and valued in the course of their full participation as members, partners, and leaders.

MCMA's philosophy on our goals to provide informed leadership for diversity, inclusion, and equity include:

• We will strive to see diversity, inclusion, and equity in connection with our vision and mission
• We aim to recognize and address inequities in our policies, programs, and services
• We will update and document progress on our diversity, equity, and inclusion practices
• We commit to challenging commonly accepted notions about what constitutes strong leadership within our organization and profession.
• We commit to being transparent about diversity in all our interactions
• We will dedicate our time and resources to expanding greater diversity within our board, leadership positions, membership, award/scholarship nominees, vendors, suppliers, and speakers
• We will commit to attracting and retaining members from diverse backgrounds and fostering an inclusive, supportive environment
• We commit to leading with respect and tolerance and we encourage all members to express this within our organization.

All members of MCMA have a responsibility to treat others with dignity and respect at all times.  All members are expected to exhibit conduct that reflects inclusion at MCMA functions per the Member, Vendor, and Event Attendee Conduct Policy.