ABSTRACT
Local government leaders and managers operate in an environment of change. The need for change in local government management, structure, and service provision is ongoing and linked to changes in the economy, demographics, technology, and other factors that help determine public service need and scale. These forces that drive the need for change in order to provide efficient and effective local services will continue. States, regions, local governments, and citizens have a continuing need to find ways to facilitate and encourage a flexible framework for service delivery and service provision adjustments. Local leadership and management play an important role in maintaining a dynamic and innovative mindset in local government organizations. We are not facing a unique historic moment that calls for a “one-time house cleaning” in service delivery patterns, but rather the mindset of an ongoing improvement program with the certainty that service delivery adjustments will continue to be needed over time. Maintaining the efficiency and effectiveness of local service delivery in a dynamic environment is essential for local economic health and revitalization.
