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Alumni Profile Series
Meet William Koons
Mayor, South Russell Village
What Academy did you graduate from? When?
- • Leadership Academy XXIV (2015)
- • Currently finishing the 2019-2020 Public Management Academy
Tell us a little bit about South Russell Village.
South Russell Village is a 4,000 resident, four-square-mile, located in Geauga County, just outside of Chagrin Falls. We have 1,400 homes, one stop light, and over 120 businesses. South Russell Village provides building, police, and street departments with 13 full-time employees. We receive EMT/Fire protection from Chagrin Falls.
Our government consists of six council members and a part-time mayor. The biggest issue we face is storm water that flows into people’s yards, garages, and basements. Two grants from the Ohio EPA for almost $600,000 are being implemented to catch, hold, and slowly release the water to avoid property damage.
Tell us a little bit about what you do.
My job is to do what is best for our residents. The best way to accomplish this is to make myself available for residents and businesses who need assistance. I also use my position to create and lead programs that improve the lives of residents.
What was the most memorable part of the program?
The best part of the Ohio Certified Public Manager® Program was expanding my thinking about how to solve problems. Participants and presenters provided a diverse and often unique ideas on how to lead their organization and solve issues that arise.
What was your favorite session? Why?
The very first Public Management Academy session (Understanding Self & Others) seemed to set the standard for the class. A simple personality test made participants look into the mirror and, sometimes, with a degree of surprise, think about who they really are and what they really do with their lives.
We all kept our name plates with our personality traits listed below our names for the entire Public Management Academy. Oftentimes, we discussed why we hold our current belief systems and how we make decisions based on these simple traits. During emotional class discussions, participants would often refer to them as the reason a participant makes a comment or decision. “That’s because you are an ‘X’”, was often heard among participants.
What lessons did the Academy equip you with?
The program equipped me with skills and confidence to take an even greater leadership role in my village. My instructors and fellow participants built a confidence in me that I did not know I had. They assured me that my thinking was correct. My methods were correct. The opposition I had been receiving from some council members was misguided and not based on facts. Jealousy and petty local politics were wearing me down. The Public Management Academy course gave me strength to do even more as mayor.
How has the Academy positively impacted/added value to your professional life?
As a first-term mayor, I often turned to the more experienced mayors for advice and leadership. Now, I feel I am about equal to the veteran mayors.
During your time in the program, what’s one thing you learned about yourself that surprised or challenged you?
As the oldest participant in the program, I learned that those younger than me have a somewhat different leadership style. They go about their work with a different approach than mine. However, they shared my beliefs and values! That was the biggest surprise from the course.
In your opinion, what does a good public manager look like?
A good public manager is open and honest but not by any means a pushover. The ability to say “no” with a smile is a sign the public manager knows what they are doing and what the temperature of the situation dictates. A good public leader communicates with their constituents to deliver quality service at a reasonable cost.
Why are professional development opportunities important?
Everyone needs to be challenged, to have their beliefs and values put to the test. Professional development does that. The second value of professional development opportunities is the chance to learn what are the latest trends. You either are moving forward or going backwards. It is easy to get complacent. Push forward.
What’s one piece of advice you’d like to pass along to your fellow public managers?
Keep moving forward. You are talented and trained. Surround yourself with people who want you to succeed. Your organization has faith in you. They put their trust in you. Reward them with your best.
In your opinion, what’s Ohio’s best-kept secret?
Ohio has the quality of life that other locations do not. Recruiters and head hunters talk about how hard it is to get people to move to Cleveland, and then how hard it is to get them to leave for other opportunities. Our natural resources will keep us strong.
Anything else you’d like to share?
I would take any professional development courses the Maxine Goodman Levin School of Urban Affairs offers.