First, we already have a sense of excitement for 2025 to begin! This Fall we have been on campus meeting with our Academic partners, attending career fairs, and presenting at university courses and are overwhelmed by the interest of students who want to work on community-based projects. We are now calling on municipalities, municipal authorities, and Councils of Governments to invite them to apply to our Municipal Intern Program and give student a valuable step up on their career ladder in local government.

Speaking of Councils of Governments, did you know that there is an Association for that? Yes, PACOG, serving as the Pennsylvanian Association for Councils of Governments, is undergoing a rebranding and will take a leadership role to bring educational and technical support to the many Councils of Governments across the Commonwealth. Local Government Academy is proud to have been selected to support the launch of new PACOG and will be working alongside this important organization to achieve their mission to empower and encourage municipal cooperation, communication and collaboration to solve multi-jurisdictional problems and to lessen the burdens of local governments, so that communities can achieve more effective and efficient government.

Finally, I am incredibly grateful for the local government professionals who are quietly going about the business of taking care of community. Coming to work when you don’t feel like it because local government is about the people and that means showing up. It can mean long days and insufferable meetings, but you do it anyway because you have a sense of community purpose. For that I am eternally grateful.

I am continually amazed at the selflessness of local government officials and municipal staff. As we reflect on the past year, I hope everyone thinks about the importance that local government plays in our daily lives and gets as excited about the 2025 elections given that it is a municipal election year.

In the meantime, Local Government Academy will be here doing what we do best – Providing non-partisan, fact-based education on matters relevant to our municipal leaders so that we may achieve Excellence in Local Government in all our communities.

-Joy