State & Local News Vol. 20, No. 2, Winter 1997 Chair's Message By Janice C. Griffith Janice C. Griffith is Chair of the Section and dean of the Georgia State University College of Law in Atlanata, Georgia. Strategic Plan Update I am happy to report that our Section has made considerable progress in the implementation of our updated strategic plan. Tasks assigned to our Section Officers and Council members, for the first, have been designed specifically to achieve the plan's goals, objectives, and strategies. I would like to highlight just a few of our recent initiatives that illustrate our new approach. Goals 1-3: To Provide a Forum for Discussion of Public Law and Ethical Issues Indianapolis Privatization Conference Each year the Section formulates a theme for in depth treatment to meet our goal of addressing contemporary public law issues. "Reinventing government," the selected theme for the 1996-97 year, covers privatization, public/private partnerships to provide governmental services and infrastructure, the devolution of power from the federal government to the states, and the restructuring of local and regional governments to better serve their constituents. We held our Fall Council Meeting in Indianapolis, a city at the forefront of the privatization movement, to learn about how it had outsourced some municipal services traditionally performed by public employees. On October 11, 1996, a distinguished panel of speakers familiar with the Indianapolis privatization experience, discussed the many legal issues that arise from the performance of public functions by private parties. Joseph DeGroff , an Indianapolis attorney, and Michael Yoder, drector of Indianapolis's Department of Administration, outlined various functions that had been privatized and described how "managed competition" had been instituted between public employees and the private sector. They provided copies of documents and legislation that enabled the managed competition process. Robert Duncan, the Indianapolis Airport's counsel, discussed the airport's managed competition process, and Carol Kirk, drector of the Indiana State Ethics Commission, raised the ethical issues that ensue when the private sector performs governmental services. Robert Lenhard, a representative of AFSCME from its General Counsel Office, presented public employee concerns arising from privatization. The audience sought the response of the panelists on a number of issues including: (1) the applicability of statutes that apply to public employees but do not specifically address performance by private employees; (2) the types of compliance and oversight mechanisms needed to ensure accountability when public functions are outsourced; (3) classification of those functions that should not be delegated to private employees because direct control by elected officials is necessary; (4) the possible annulment of a contract on the ground that one legislative body cannot bind successive legislative bodies; (5) the need to quantify savings from privatization; (6) the expense and difficulty of replacing capital assets such as prisons or fire trucks once they have been sold; and (7) the possibility that privatization contracts will be designed to reward political allies and supporters. The program received rave reviews from the attendees. To buy your copy of the audio tape of the program or program materials, call Sharon Tindall at 312/988-5649. Upcoming Teleconferencing of Hot Topic Land-Use Program in San Antonio The next time we get together will be in San Antonio during the ABA's Midyear Meeting from January 31 to February 2, 1997. Please join us on Friday, January 31, 1997 for one of our regularly featured programs, "Recent Developments in Land Use Law." If you cannot attend, we have arranged for you to hear the program live over the telephone. We look forward to the Section's first teleconferencing event! Goals 4, 7, & 8: To Develop Strong Section Leaders and to Increase Diversity Among Our Members Leadership Training at the Midyear Meeting The need to enhance leadership development emerged as an important outcome of last year's strategic planning activities. Much energy has been devoted to providing the high level of services our members expect, but insufficient time has been committed to developing the leadership team that can fulfill membership demands. New initiatives must be undertaken to increase the Section's membership diversity. At our Midyear Meeting in San Antonio, David Cardwell, Carol Dinkins, and Karen Mathis, three of our present Section leaders who have broad experience within the ABA organization, will conduct a leadership training program. The program will focus on how effective leadership can be nurtured both within the Section and the ABA organization. Goals 5 & 6: To Increase Participation by Public Sector Attorneys in Our Section and to Develop Stronger Liaisons with Outside Entities IMLA Joint Privatization Program on April 8, 1997 Developing relationships with organizations that possess complementary interests remains one of our long-standing goals. The International Municipal Lawyers Association (IMLA) and the Section have begun to develop more joint activities that will benefit members of both organizations. On April 8, 1997, following IMLA's annual April meeting in Washington, D.C., the Section and IMLA will co-sponsor a program that will explore in another way this year's "reinventing government" substantive theme. You can combine the beauty of cherry blossom time in Washington with the latest word on this hot topic. Goal 9: To Have Fun Indianapolis and San Antonio Indianapolis surprised us with its exciting and delightful downtown area. We gazed at great architecture during our historic area walking tour, ate in terrific restaurants, and enjoyed the city's varied night life, all within walking distance of our hotel. Please come to San Antonio! You can start thinking now about those great restaurants that border San Antonio's famous Riverwalk. On February 1, we will enjoy Southwestern cuisine at the County Line BBQ. Plan to join us for an historic district walking tour to better grasp the San Antonio events that affected the course of our nation's history. State & Local Law News home page