Promoting Professional Management
Range Rider Information
Current Range Rider
Richard Chesney
Standard Operating Procedure - Range Rider Selection Process
The ICMA Range Rider program was established by the ICMA Executive Board in 1974 to make the counsel, experience, and support of respected, retired managers/ administrators of the profession available to city and county managers/ administrators.
Range Riders are retired managers/administrators with extensive experience who volunteer their time to provide a unique source of outside counsel to their colleagues.
KACM currently has three (3) ICMA Range Rider positions. ICMA Range Riders for KACM are available to meet periodically with members of the association to discuss the profession and concerns of managers/administrators. Discussion topics range from problems with mayors and councils, overall management questions, relations with KACM or ICMA, responses to local controversies such as referenda on the council-manager plan, to career development counseling.
All discussions are confidential. Range Riders are friends, colleagues, and counselors to the profession—not consultants. The Range Rider program is designed to help with personal and professional issues, not to provide technical assistance or solve substantive problems in a local government. Range Riders also help communities interested in adopting or retaining councilmanager government. However, Range Riders may consult with local governments as individuals, on a part-time basis, as long as the consulting does not impair the effectiveness of the Range Rider. ICMA Range Rider guidelines contain advice for Range Riders who do part-time consulting.
One other distinction should be made, the term “Range Rider” is sometimes confused with “Circuit Rider”. Circuit Riders, or shared administrators, are paid professionals who serve more than one community. They may not have the full responsibilities of a manager/administrator but they provide technical assistance and often provide overall management services. ICMA Range Riders for KACM are not compensated. Only expenses are reimbursed. Those expenses include such things as the following: reimbursement for hotel/motel, telephone expenses, mileage, luncheon fees, meeting registrations, postage, and other reasonable expenses not to exceed the amount budgeted per Range Rider in the KACM and ICMA budgets. Range Riders determine their own schedule since their time is donated for the betterment of the profession.
ICMA Range Riders for KACM are selected jointly by the ICMA Executive Director and the KACM Board. Expenses are shared by ICMA and KACM.
ICMA Range Rider Selection Process for KACM: The purpose of this procedure for the range rider selection process is to establish a written policy for the selection of future ICMA range riders for KACM and ensure consistency in the process. Upon the need arising for an additional range rider, due to the loss of a current range rider or the demand increasing such that the current force of three (3) range riders feel that an additional person is needed, the following process shall be followed:
- If an additional range rider above and beyond three (3) is needed, the KACM Board will give direction to the KACM President to contact the ICMA Midwest representative for approval to add a range rider position.
- In the case of either adding or replacing a Range Rider, an announcement from the KACM Board will be sent to all KACM Full members. Notice shall be posted in at least one KACM Newsletter, the Listserv and/or on the KACM web site.
- Interested Range Rider candidates will send a letter of interest and a resume to the KACM President.
- The KACM President will convene a meeting with the KACM Range Riders to review the prospective Range Rider candidates’ letters and resumes and make a recommendation, through the KACM President, to the entire KACM Board.
- The KACM Board will make a decision on the approval of the new Range Rider. A Special Meeting may be convened by the President as described in the By-laws to take action on the proposed appointment.
- The KACM President will contact the ICMA Midwest representative and provide the necessary contact information of the newly selected range rider.