November Editors Alley - Gratitude Edition
Tuesday, November 26, 2024
Greetings, CSMFO members! It’s nearly the end of November, and I honestly have no idea how we got here. Wasn’t it just summer like five minutes ago, with long sunny days, a post vacation glow, and a fresh new fiscal year budget? Now I’m walking out of
my office at the end of the day into dark chilly nights, a smattering of old pumpkins mixed with way too early holiday decorations, and a post-election hangover like we’ve never seen. With audit ending and budget approaching and all the projects
in between, my to do list grows with each passing day, and the number of productive days in which to complete them is rapidly shrinking. Somehow 2024 is nearly gone, and I find myself thinking, WHAT JUST HAPPENNED?
This nonsense of November has me in a bit of a funk – are you feeling it too? I mean how could we not after experiencing a barrage of election-based messaging on our TVs and phones telling us how BAD everything is? And in local government we see it
every day…the anger percolating though our citizens at public meetings, the general mistrust of those who work in government, and the need to reaffirm our value every time a newly elected official walks into City Hall eager to bring about change…all
of this while working harder than we ever have before to provide for our communities. Regardless of which side won or lost an election, folks are just feeling fearful and unhappy. Because the real elephant (or donkey) in the room is that we insist
on picking sides in the first place, and we are all living with the consequences.
Leading in times of uncertainty can be mentally challenging and downright exhausting. What can we do to keep ourselves and our teams motivated through so much negativity? How to we bring employees of different backgrounds and beliefs together
to do our critical work and make sure they all feel equally supported? Where will we find the time to finish our audits and start our budgets while also meeting all the holiday and family commitments coming at us during this supposedly joyous
season? It’s easy to get caught up in a spiral of worry, but we cannot allow ourselves to do that. We all signed up to do the work of bringing good government to the people, so we must keep moving forward.
We cannot control the world around us, but what we can control is our reaction to these events. So, my friends, it’s time for a shift in mindset, because hope and positivity are also contagious and a million percent more productive. Before the
fall feelings give way to the full-on winter blues, let’s press pause on the negativity and infuse ourselves with a major dose of gratitude, just in time for this Thanksgiving holiday. And in the spirit of following my own advice, here is a list
of things I’m thankful for right now:
- First and foremost, lets start with the basics. Family, friends, health, a roof over my head, and food on my table. May we never take these things for granted.
- I’m thankful to live in California. There, I said it. This state has been getting a pretty bad rap lately, and yes, the cost of living is high, and we have our share of dysfunction. But here are just a few reasons this is an amazing place to live
and work: our vibrant cities; our stunning beaches, mountains, and deserts; our nine national and 280 state parks; the best produce, wine, beer, and tacos in the world; our status as the center of the tech industry, the entertainment industry,
and the 5th largest GDP in the world; and a population from every corner of the globe who came together to create this culturally rich and complicated place we call home. And I didn’t even mention the weather! From the coast redwoods to the
SoCal beaches, and all the people and places in between, California is the best state in the nation. Go ahead, prove me wrong.
- I’m thankful that I work in local government. While the feds spend their time playing politics, we are on the ground day after day bringing the people the government that they need. Our cities and special districts make sure the streets get paved,
the water comes out of the tap, the parks get maintained, and the police and firefighters come when you need them. I value my role as the steward of public funds, and I love seeing the work that we do make a real difference to the residents
and businesses in our communities.
- With apologies to our NorCal and San Diego friends, I’m thankful for the Los Angeles Dodgers for bringing so many moments of sheer joy to fans all over Southern California and beyond. From Freddie Freeman’s walk off grand slam to the thousands
of fans gathered in celebration on the streets of downtown LA, nothing brings people together like the magic of sports. The City of Los Angeles needed a win and boy did they get a big one.
- As I approach 24 years with the City of Burbank, I am thankful every day for my Burbank team. The older I get, the more I realize what an anomaly it is to be able to grow up and stay in the same organization for an entire career and work with
a core group of professionals who’ve known me since my 20s (and still put up with me!). We’ve built a family and have been here for each other through many ups and downs over the past two decades. I wouldn’t trade it for anything.
- And lastly, I am thankful to you, CSMFO family, for allowing me the opportunity to get to know so many of you and to serve this great organization over the past few years. I started my path as a Cohort Member (Cohort #1 for life!) seeking some
networking as a new Finance Director in the midst of the pandemic. Three years later I have so much more than I ever expected, from my enthusiastic San Gabriel Valley Chapter planning crew, to a Communications Committee committed to bringing
you the CSMFO News, to a group of dedicated CSMFO leaders with whom I’ve built lasting connections and friendships, I am grateful every day for the people who make up this amazing organization. Now if only they’d let me into their fantasy
football league…
I hope some of my items resonated with you, and I would love to hear more. Find or share this article on social media and add a comment or two about what you are thankful for. Let’s keep the gratitude going well past Thanksgiving and bring some positivity
into the New Year! We owe it to our communities, our families, and ourselves. I wish each and every one of you a peaceful, happy, and healthy holiday season.
Jennifer Becker has been with the City of Burbank for over two decades and was appointed Financial Services Director in 2021. She currently serves as Chair of the Communications Committee and Vice Chair of the San Gabriel Valley CSMFO Chapter. Jennifer earned a Bachelor of Arts in Psychology and a Master of Public Administration from the University of Southern California. She is an avid Trojan football fan, and on non-football weekends you can find her skiing in Mammoth or hiking around Southern California with her husband and daughter.
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