Introducing Ari

Jordan Gilgenbach, August 14, 2012 | Posted in Name Your Neighborhood

By Ari Klugman, City Manager Intern

Hi! My name is Ari Klugman, I am currently a Master of Public Administration (MPA) student at the University of Kansas where I am studying City and County Leadership. My program is unique, almost all of my coursework is completed in the first year, and the second year is a full-time internship. In June, I started internship as the City Manager Intern for the City of Edina. I grew up in Hopkins and working for Edina is close to home and has been a great opportunity to learn from a first-class city.

During my time in Edina, I have had the opportunity to assist the Neighborhood Identification Steering Committee as they develop the map of the neighborhood association boundaries. My role is to work on all of the background information, research how other cities relate and use their neighborhood associations, draft proposed changes to the municipal code, create draft applications and come up with sample bylaws and other helpful documents. And of course, organizing all of the feedback the committee has received from comment cards, blog comments, “Speak Up, Edina!,” social networks and emails!

Staff’s goal is to have all of the drafts ready to go at the same time the proposed maps are presented to the City Council. We want this process to be easy and ready to go from day one. Like any good process, changes will be necessary along the way, but hopefully we will have a good idea of what to expect.

From a student perspective, this project has been great! I am really enjoying the opportunity to engage and meet residents all over Edina. Civic engagement is a key component of good governance and a major competency of my program. This process has given me a deeper understanding of the role a city has in the daily lives of its residents and how to effectively use and communicate with them. Since my goal is to be a City Manager myself someday, working on this project will give me experience and help prepare me for the challenge.