Posts By Kenna Walsh

How do you recruit Gen Y’s into public service? Success stories?

Do you have any particular ways you recruit Gen Y’s into public service? How about using social media to brand government or interact with employees? Can this be a way to showcase skills of the next wave of government employees? I’m a Ph.D. student in public policy and administration and am working on a paperRead… Read more »

Reason No. 3 for “bite-sized” government: Do your government employees know where taxes and fees go?

Where does the money for vehicle registration and title go? This was the question I asked the tag clerk Tuesday while scribbling a $600-plus check. What did I get? A blank stare. So I guessed … “Does it go toward road maintenance, bridge repair, etc.?” Other employees began to chime in. Some guessed it wentRead… Read more »

Reason No. 2 for “bite-sized” government: Reach out and touch someone.

The earliest scholars of public administration often struggled with the exact definition of bureaucracy. Is it the invisible fourth branch of government? Do bureaucrats derive their power politically or managerially? I believe bureaucracy is best defined when we reach to the constitutional undertones and examine government “by the people, for the people.” How do practitionersRead… Read more »

Reason No. 1 for “bite-sized” government: Play nice with the media.

Why get along with the media? You’ll fare better on the front page. I’m a former government news reporter and can tell you firsthand that secrecy—sometimes in the form of complicated terminology— leads to unfavorable stories, even if political decisions are well founded and necessary. I sat through countless city and county meetings. For theRead… Read more »

Do you “tweet” citizens in your city? Please share your story!

Do you use social digital networks to communicate with citizens in your city or county? Can citizens “tweet” you about unrepaired potholes or malfunctioning stop lights? I’m looking for local and state level government practitioners to share stories about how cities and counties are using applications like Twitter, Facebook, RSS feeds and YouTube to communicateRead… Read more »