Executive Director's Notebook: Thinking local leads to big things

State municipal leagues have more than a little in common with the Western Governors' Association. They are non-profit, non-partisan associations of local government officials and, like WGA, they promote public policy positions and provide services to facilitate the management of government.

So I was pleased to speak to the board of the Colorado Municipal League (CML) in Denver at the invitation of Executive Director Sam Mamet. Sam, who has dedicated his professional life to municipal public service, has been with CML since 1979.

My remarks focused on the reorganization of WGA, specific policy issues in which our Governors are interested, and the opportunities for state and local officials to leverage their collective political influence to make things happen. Taking advantage of such opportunities is more important than ever, now that “gridlock” describes the new normal in Washington, D.C.

The lively discussion at CML reflected a mutual interest in working together more closely on issues of mutual concern, such as infrastructure development and water availability. This conversation will be continued when I speak on May 24 in Flagstaff, Ariz., at the Western Interstate Region Conference of the National Association of Counties.

James Ogsbury is the Executive Director of the Western Governors’ Association. Contact him at 303-623-9378 or at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.