Partners
CML maintains partnerships with several organizations in an effort to better serve our members.
Alliance for Innovation
The Alliance for Innovation is a partnership of the Innovation Groups, the International City/County Management
Association, and Arizona State University. An international nonprofit celebrating 30-years of sharing best practices, cutting-edge research, and thought-provoking information on
topics of interest and impact on local governments. The Alliance is a network of local government professionals seeking innovation and governmental excellence.
Membership consists of innovative organizations in 34 states and three Canadian provinces that are dedicated to making an impact on the communities they serve.
Dr. James Svara, director of the Center on Urban Innovation at Arizona State University completed an analysis of the entire membership and concluded that 80 percent of Alliance members
are above the average city in their adoption of innovative practices.
At the heart of this relationship is the sharing of articles, webinars, workshops, presentations, and timely documents that serve the mutual interests of CML and Alliance members.
Through League publications, members of CML will have access to research briefs and critical best practices developed by the Alliance for Innovation.
For more information, contact Pam Muse.
Clifton Gunderson
In late 2009, CML formed a partnership agreement with R.S. Wells and Clifton Gunderson to promote the availability of a new program called the
“Financial Checkup.” The Governmental Solutions Team at R.S. Wells and Clifton Gunderson includes 40 municipal managers and financial experts
who provide consulting services to hundreds of Colorado local governments, including cities, towns and special districts.
The Financial Checkup is a unique program developed by R.S. Wells and Clifton Gunderson to assist municipalities in translating financial and
management indicators into a practical and understandable tool to asses their municipality’s fiscal condition. Through this partnership with CML,
member municipalities can receive a 15% discount on this new service.
As 2010 begins, you are no doubt considering the year ahead and the financial stability of your municipality. As you evaluate the tools and
strategies available to proactively ensure the financial resilience of your community, you may want to consider the Financial Checkup to see
if it is a fit for your organization. For more information on this program, contact
Christine Harwell.
Colorado City and County Management Association
The Colorado Municipal League is delighted to serve as the administrators of CCCMA, a statewide association of local government managers and assistants.
The organization, in addition to offering the usual career development focus to its members, is also a great support network both professionally and personally.
The organization tends to the professional needs of its members that come from the unique changes of the profession, including a transition program that supports members undergoing job
separation.
As the administrators of CCCMA, CML provides financial, administrative, programmatic, and communications support. Through newsletters, training and networking events,
CML and CCCMA work closely together to serve the mutual interest of serving local government throughout Colorado.
For more information, contact Barb Major or visit CCCMA online.
Colorado Employer Benefit Trust
CML is a proud partner with Colorado Employer Benefit Trust, a nonprofit multiple employer trust for public institutions providing employee benefits.
Since 1980, CEBT has grown to approximately 17,000 employees and more than 200 participating groups, with funds approaching $100,000,000 in premium deposits.
CEBT spreads the risk of adverse claims over a larger base of members and reduce administrative costs.
Since the pool is self-insured, the participating groups have been able to benefit from positive overall claims experience and low administrative costs.
In fact, the Colorado Employer Benefit Trust has consistently outperformed the market for rate increases.
Thirty-two municipalities currently participate in CEBT, with employees ranging from two employees to 166.
CEBT's presence throughout the state and coverage of all markets, including smaller and rural communities, is a valuable alternative and possible cost-saving solution for
CML members.
For more information, contact Jim Hermann.
ICMA Center for Performance Measurement – Colorado Performance Measurement Consortium
Whether you’ve been engaged in performance measurement previously or are exploring new management techniques for your community, the
ICMA Center for Performance Measurement can help your municipality make better budget decisions, expand program evaluation resources, and boost everyday analytical ability.
The Center for Performance Measurement is a community of more than 200 jurisdictions across North America - including 11 municipalities in Colorado -
that share similar goals: figuring out how to deliver services better, faster, and more cost effectively.
CML members who join the Center are on track with a results-oriented system to monitor progress, manage scarce resources, improve service delivery, and celebrate success.
Working in partnership with ICMA, the Colorado Consortium for Performance Measurement has developed streamlined,
Colorado-focused “core” performance measures or indicators for 16 different service areas.
In this time of unprecedented economic uncertainty, it is critical that local governments across Colorado have the tools to
help prioritize limited resources while maximizing the effectiveness and efficiency of service delivery.
Performance measurement is one tool that is critical in these efforts. That is why CML will be providing training, resources and other support to this essential partnership.
Contact Don Gloo, ICMA, for more information.
Mountain States Employers Council
Through membership with CML, municipalities with 10 or fewer employees can take advantage of human resource consulting services through the
Mountain States Employers Council small employer program. MSEC is a nonprofit membership organization which partners with public and private sector employers to
maintain effective employer—employee relationships. The small employer consulting service allows you to receive levels of service from the Council at a substantially reduced membership fee.
For more information about the CML small employers program, contact Lorrie Ray at 303-839-5177 or 800-884-1328.
U.S. Communities Purchasing Program
CML members have the opportunity to participate in the U.S. Communities Government Purchasing Alliance,
a nonprofit established by public agencies to reduce the cost of purchased goods and to streamline the purchasing process.
There is no cost to participate in this program, and it is ideal for municipalities of all sizes because there is no minimum or maximum number of dollars that must be spent.
Additionally, there is no purchasing obligation – municipal officials can simply view products on the site as a way to compare costs and evaluate different options.
It conveniently saves purchasing managers (or those who fulfill those duties for their municipality) time and resources because there is no need to go out to bid for products and services. They
have also developed a Web site dedicated to the purchase of "green" resources and services.
Many municipalities are using U.S. Communities as a way to save money especially during these difficult economic times.
Colorado municipalities purchased over $1.2 million through U.S. Communities contracts just in the first quarter of 2009.
To learn more about U.S. Communities, contact Corey Imhoff, U.S. Communities program manager, and watch this
Webinar on U.S. Communities.
University of Colorado Denver IGERT Sustantainable Urban Infrastructure
The University of Colorado at Denver IGERT Program in Sustainable Urban Infrastructure and the Walmart Foundation, in partnership with CML, are offering a special
grant opportunity to municipalities under 35,000 in population. This program will assist smaller cities and towns in the state with the opportunity to explore how to measure carbon
footprints and sustainable energy benchmarks in your community, and to develop a sustainability scenario model and action matrix for your city or town as well.
CU recenntly held a press conference on this partnership.
The IGERT program supports a number of doctoral students who are attempting to apply theories from the classroom to municipalities around the state.
The program has a national reputation, and the League has long wanted to partner with the University of Colorado on a project of benefit to municipal governments.
Municipalities under 35,000 in population were chosen because, under the federal Energy Conservation and Efficiency Act, there is a set amount of money directly given to the
Governor's Energy Office to distribute in targeted ways for smaller local governments. We hope our program will help smaller cities and towns leverage some of these federal funds.
Click here to read more about the program
and here to view a handout of the presentation on the program
given to the CML Executive Board. To complete the application form, due back to CML by Nov. 13, 2009,
click here.
