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From Local Focus magazine
2nd Quarter 2020

Rising to Meet the Challenge

Mike CullyBy Mike Cully, LOC Executive Director

The landscape has permanently changed.

At the onset of this COVID-19 crisis we knew life was going to be dramatically different for the foreseeable future. We also knew our cities needed answers and leadership in a way the LOC had not shown before. The board and staff of this organization answered that call immediately and sprang into action. The LOC strengthened existing partnerships and forged new ones with state and federal organizations. We knew we were all in this together, and we knew a “whole-of-government” approach was essential to triage this crisis. 

There is no industry that can escape the fallout of what we’re currently experiencing. Across the board, the way we act and interact is fundamentally changing. Already we have learned that we can be productive and effective working remotely. Technology has made this possible. At the LOC, we have learned to leverage this opportunity and quickly scale as we work to reach our members on available platforms, and this digital publication—traditionally in print—is an example of that adaptation. 
Never before has the phrase, “We are one,” been more apropos than in describing how the LOC and our partners at Citycounty Insurance Services (CIS) came together to address this unknown. We leveraged resources, knowledge and our long relationship together to serve our members in an unprecedented way.

In addition, the LOC elevated its partnership with the office of Governor Kate Brown. Throughout this situation, Governor Brown and her team have been remarkable in providing strong leadership. Transparent and dedicated, they, along with the LOC, have often worked round-the-clock shifts to coordinate and communicate and keep our residents safe and informed. As part of the Coronavirus Economic Recovery Advisory Team, we are confident in our collective ability to guide Oregon through its rebuilding.
As an immediate step to disseminate information to our leaders throughout Oregon, we instituted—within the first week of the crisis—a statewide conference call for community leaders highlighting reports from our partners. These calls struck a chord with many, and weekly we have hosted as many as 450 callers dialing in from every corner of the state. Thanks to our partners at the Oregon Health Authority, the Office of Emergency Management, the White House, the National League of Cities, FEMA, the USDA and so many more that worked with us to educate, inform and answer your questions. 

In the earliest days of the unfolding crisis, we launched COVID-19 specific web pages targeted to cities. As this resource developed, it became a model for others doing likewise across the country. We update these pages on a continuous basis to assure that the information we are providing is the most relevant and up-to-date available. 

All of this matters—because our cities matter. 

On this battlefield of recovery, cities are on the front line.  Look no further than our cover feature this month “Stories of Hope and Help.”  While the COVID-19 story is one of struggle and uncertainty, it’s also providing a reminder of how we can come together and make a difference. 

And so, even as we all continue working remotely, the LOC is reinventing itself for a new reality: as a sub-department of all 241 cities, we understand our role. We will lead and innovate. The LOC will continue to be the trusted, go-to source for all cities in our great state. 

On the innovation front, with so many unknowns, we are working on alternate scenarios for delivery of our annual conference in October. We will bring our conference to life again this year, but it will almost certainly look different based on this crisis. Our priority is keeping everyone safe and healthy, and with that in mind, we will take the appropriate action when planning our events and trainings. 

There is a silver lining in all this: we have learned that we can be—as a state, an organization and cities—as effective and efficient working remotely as we were when we worked in a centralized office. It is remarkable how adaptive all leaders in this state have been, and how resilient we will be as we come through this disaster. 

Through it all, the LOC will be the North Star. We accept the charge to lead, and we are privileged to serve.  On behalf of the LOC staff and its amazing board of directors, it’s important to know that our mission and vision is clear: to assure our cities are supported at the highest level. 

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