Contemplating Governing
A course for potential candidates for local office

What is it like to serve in local office?

Contemplating Governing is an introduction to serving in local government. These sessions will help individuals decide if local government service is right form them and encourage responsible campaigning. Contemplating Governing is not political training. Instead, it focuses on the tasks and issues facing local government in the 21st century. This program provides citizens the chance to consider the opportunities, challenges, requirements and reasons to serve in local elected office. Topics include:

• Understanding the Pennsylvania local government environment, including powers and duites of various boards and commissions, such as City and Borough Councils, Township Commissioners or Supervisors and School Boards
• Overcoming obstacles to running and meeting legal requirements
• Determining what is a responsible campaign pledge
• Understanding local government taxation and services
• Measuring board effectiveness
• Local government's important role in community sustainability

Dates & Locations
Wednesdays, January 30, February 6 and February 20, 2013
6 PM - 9 PM
Green Tree Borough Municipal Building
10 W. Manilla Avenue
Pittsburgh, PA  15220

Wednesdays, February 27, March 6, & March 13, 2013
6 PM - 9 PM
Latrobe Municipal Building, Westmoreland County
901 Jefferson Street, P.O. Box 829
Latrobe, PA  15650

Contemplating Governing Brochure

Cost: $45; Upon a successful election, the $45 registration fee for Contemplating Governing will be applied to the registration fee for the Newly Elected Officials Course.

Cultivating leadership - Both elected officials and "average citizens" should be on the look-out for future community leaders.  Succession planning is an ongoing consideration for all organizations, both public and private.  Municipal officials, are you encouraging citizens to step up and get involved in their communities?  By encouraging them to consider elected office, you are performing a valuable service to your constituents.

Pledge to Excellence - Candidates for local office are encouraged to sign the Academy's "Pledge to Excellence," demonstrating their committment to good government and their pursuit of excellence while in office. Click here for more information about the "Pledge to Excellence" and to download a copy of the Pledge.

After the Election - LGA will be here to support candidates transition to office after the general election through the Newly Elected Officials Course. This one-of-a kind course, unique in Pennsylvania for its scope and content, is held following every local election. The Newly Elected Officials Course provides a comprehensive review of the basic duties of municipal officials, taught by experts in their fields.

Politics - As mentioned above, consistent with LGA's focus on governance, Contemplating Governing is not political training.  However, in deciding to run, individuals need political advice too.  As such, the Pennsylvania Center for Women, Politics, and Public Policy at Chatham University offers Winning Edge Campaign Training which is available as a resource for candidates and campaigns.

Read the Post-Gazette article about Contemplating Governing (2009)

2009 Contemplating Governing Information

Held in January 2009. Local Government Academy's first-ever program for potential candidates for local office was a success, thanks to the support of the program's donors, partners and instructors.

Contemplating Governing fulfills an important community need by empowering citizens to become more involved in local government and improving the campaign process by increasing the knowledge of candidates. Some numbers tell the story of Contemplating Governing: 

• Two 3-part programs offered in locations in Pittsburgh and Greensburg.
  
• 43 individuals from Allegheny, Beaver, Butler, Fayette and Westmoreland.
  
• 29 jurisdictions- 55% urban boroughs or cities; 45% suburban townships or home rule municipalities.
  
• Bi-partisan:  46% Democratic, 48% Republican and 6% Independent or Other.
  
• Diversity:  34% female, 8% African American.
  
• Education/Profession:  75% with Bachelors degrees or higher; 70% Management or Professional as occupation
  
• Results: increase in knowledge of participants
  (% change):