By: Jesus Nava, IHN President,   

Chief Administrative Officer, Santa Clara Valley Water District

Outgoing IHN President: Jesus Nava

As many of you know I have waved the IHN banner for many years if not decades. So it was my obligation to do duty as President. Two years later, I am done and happy about it. I leave the organization in the very capable hands of my dear friend Magda Gonzalez, City Manager of East Palo Alto. She will serve as President for the next two years. I kindly ask that you give her your full support and that you pledge to help her and the IHN succeed. The King is dead! Long live the Queen!

Magda and I both competed for the city manager post in East Palo Alto and were the two finalists. We supported each other during the entire process. We shared and matched notes trying to figure out the mind of the City Council. In the end she was chosen and I was elated. The experience cemented our friendship and showed that friends are more valuable than any job, money or prestige. Friends will bury you if no one else remains.

Magda and I share the same life experience so it is natural that we would form a strong friendship. We come from Mexican ancestry; speak Spanish and are Catholic. We are the first in our families to get college degrees. We both love all Latin food, music and dance and are the first to hold professional positions of importance in the community.

We also both share the difficult life experience of growing up Latino in the U.S. during the 1960's, 1970's, 1980's and so forth. Both of us faced and overcame our peoples' prejudices, bias, stereotypes and even hatred in our pursuit of success. And in the process overcame our own personal misgivings of others. Be the change you would like to see.

I still remember going to her office in Redwood City for the first time to introduce myself and speak to her about the IHN. She helped me with the 2008 IHN conference in Burlingame and became an active member right away. My wife, Sharon and I were recently at Magda's 50th Birthday celebration and I could see the faces of her parents beaming with pride and joy at the success of their daughter. It made my heart soar.

I credit the IHN for this friendship because it was the mission of the IHN that got me out of my office and over to Magda to speak with her about what we were attempting to do. She listened politely, expressed her interest and then got going. I expect great things from this dynamo.

So to the IHN, thank you for the friendship and the opportunity to serve as your President. Thank you for your patience and understanding as I stubbornly pushed a provocative, unrelenting agenda in my effort to try to make as many changes as possible in such a short period of time. As most of you know, I see countless, endless opportunities for us in a world full of possibilities. My intent is to pursue and attain as many as possible.

"The woods are lovely, dark and deep.

But I have promises to keep,

And miles to go before I sleep,

And miles to go before I sleep."

-- Robert Frost, Stopping By Woods on a Snowy Evening

A Message from IHN Founding Member Severo Esquivel on Receiving ICMA's Distinguished Service Award

Attached below is an e-mail from IHN founding member Severo Esquivel, which was sent to the IHN thanking the group for the nomination:

I got a personal call from Bob O'Neill this morning to tell me that the Executive Board had approved the award that the International Hispanic Network (IHN) and y'all had nominated me for.  THANK YOU, very much!!  I don't have everyone's email, so for now, could you please pass on my appreciation and thanks to the IHN board and others involved.

Since this is ICMA's highest award, I feel humbled.  I know that there are many City Managers more deserving but I trust my Hispanic friends to know my contributions and the struggles we all went through.  So, I will accept this as symbolic of all your work too.  We were all like salmon swimming upstream in rough waters. Some of us were better swimmers than others but together we all became stronger.   

Fortuitously, there were also mentors who offered us a helping hand; I had several, e.g., Bill Donaldson, Joel Valdez, Mark Keane and many others.  That includes the Executive Board that appointed me as an At-large VP at the Montreal Conference in 1975; that was trust, too.  Joe Miller (City Manager-Bellevue, WA) ICMA President in 1974, also on that Board, was another mentor. The entire Board served as mentors that year.  My Hispanic hermanos y hermanas were mentors too in supporting each other.   

The Award will be presented at the Conference in Boston. Due to my dialysis schedule and use of a walker, I may not be able to attend but will think about how to do it.  I'm going to a Cal football game in Berkeley (GO BEARS!!) so depending on how that goes, I may get the courage to travel again.

Otra Vez, Muchisimas Gracias, hermanos y hermanas!!

Que Dios los Bendiga!

Adelante!

--Severo

Q: 

Give a brief bio on your City 

Phoenix City Manager David Cavazos

A:  Phoenix is the sixth largest city in the nation, with the largest council-manager form of government, more than 14,000 city employees and an operating budget of $3.5 billion. Phoenix is a great place to live, work and visit and prides itself on delivering exceptional public services. Phoenix embraces diversity, recognizing and respecting the differences that make everyone unique. Promoting innovation and finding ways to strengthen sustainability are essential to Phoenix's future.

Q:  What value does the IHN Local Government Membership bring to your city?  

A:  IHN is a tremendous resource when it comes to generating the interest of the Hispanic community in local government with a goal of finding ways to enhance quality of life. IHN understands the importance of engaging and encouraging input from the community to help local governments analyze and implement creative service delivery methods.

Q: How does being a Local Government Member of IHN help with your commitment to diversity?  

A:  The City of Phoenix embraces diversity in every way to create a healthy and productive community and workplace. IHN provides guidance for local government by encouraging professional excellence among Hispanic government administrators and encouraging local governments to be committed to a diverse workplace and community.

Q:  What kinds of leadership efforts does IHN provide that benefit your employees and your organization?  

A:   IHN provides tremendous network opportunities for local government members and individual members. It organizes workshops and conferences focusing on an array of different topics that influence and affect Hispanic communities. Because of its support of student members and those who are beginning their careers, IHN also highlights the importance of succession planning.

ICMA Overview

7 Ways to Save on Summer Travel

Nothing spoils a relaxing vacation more than confronting big credit-card bills (and high interest payments) for months after you return. Plan ahead to reduce travel costs and stay out of debt.

• Consider alternate airports. Check out prices for other airports near both your hometown and your destination. What you sacrifice in convenience could pay off. Still, factor in the cost of getting to the alternate airport.
• Adjust your travel days. Tickets tend to be most expensive when most people are traveling, such as on Friday afternoons or Sunday evenings. You may be able to save a lot by shifting your travel by a day or two, especially to a Tuesday or Wednesday.
• Know where to look. Some airlines offer better deals on their own sites than they do through general travel websites. Be sure to check both.
• Get alerts. Sign up with airlines and hotels for alerts of special deals, especially for last-minute travel.
• Consider a package. You may get a better deal if you book your airline and hotel or rental car together. Compare prices for buying separately and as a bundle.
• Avoid airline fees. Most airlines charge $25 or more to check bags, but some allow one free bag. Check the airline's baggage rules ahead of time and factor in luggage costs when choosing a flight. Also see if you can get a deal on bag checking from your credit-card company or hotel.
• Start setting aside money now. It's better to save money for vacation before you go away, rather than having to pay credit-card interest when you return. Consider contributing a little bit each month to a vacation fund throughout the year, so you'll have a stash of money before you travel next summer.

This article is intended for educational purposes only and is not to be construed or relied upon as investment advice. Except as expressly permitted by ICMA-RC, reproduction or redistribution of this content in its entirety or any portion thereof, is strictly prohibited without the prior written permission of ICMA-RC. For more information, contact ICMA-RC at 777 North Capitol Street, NE, Washington, DC 20002-4240. 800-669-7400. Copyright © 2009 ICMA-RC. All rights reserved.