Tyler Wins 2013 Municipal Excellence Award
Posted/updated on: October 25, 2013 at 11:20 am
TYLER — At the recent Texas Municipal League Annual Conference and Exhibition, held Oct. 8-11, the City of Tyler was presented with the 2013 Municipal Excellence Award in Management Innovations for cities with a population of more than 25,000. The award recognizes the City for its City University training program. According to a city news release, the award recognizes and encourages the achievements of Texas cities in meeting the challenge of municipal governance.
According to the League, “Innovative problem-solving, excellence in management, increasing citizen participation, and reaching toward higher service levels are all daily occurrences in Texas cities, and they deserve recognition. This awards program seeks out the best of these programs to honor. It is through the recognition of the best of the best that all Texas cities share and learn from these achievements.” The city news release says the Management Innovations category specifically recognizes the program that best addresses employee development and training, financial applications, intergovernmental cooperation, technology advances, or other innovative approaches to city government management.
City officials say City University is a comprehensive employee training program that was created to develop a well-trained and highly-skilled workforce. “City leaders knew that it was not enough to simply offer classes. We needed a robust, branded, and well-marketed program that would excite employees, prepare them to better serve Tyler citizens, and enhance employee engagement,” said City Manager Mark McDaniel.
City University offers five tracks: leadership, professional development, innovation, core competency, and life management. Additional programing includes a leadership academy, Lean Six Sigma training, customer service training, and a City employee Toastmaster club. According to city officials, after just four years of existence, the City’s onsite training program has saved the City more than $540,000 in training expenses, has helped grow and support highly qualified employees, and has improved communication between City departments.
