Seeing the Good in Government: Frank Oviedo at TEDxCollegeoftheCanyons

Frank Oviedo is the Assistant City Manager for the City of Santa Clarita and brings more than 15 years of management experience to his current role. Prior to coming to Santa Clarita, Frank served as City Manager of Wildomar in Riverside County. In his four years with Wildomar, he successfully balanced three consecutive budgets, developed the city's first comprehensive economic development work plan, helped secure millions in grants funds for transit, negotiated the city's solid waste contracts, worked with the City Council to develop a plan to support the city's future infrastructure needs, and implemented an economic development roundtable to develop a strategy for long-term community sustainability. Prior to his time in Wildomar Frank was deputy city manager in the City of Elk Grove. In the late 1990's he worked for the City of Santa Clarita in the finance and parks and recreation departments where he learned "the Santa Clarita way" of effectively and efficiently managing a city. He brought Santa Clarita's philosophy to subsequent jobs, while gaining experience as a manager in the public sector. In 2013, Frank returned as the Assistant City Manager for Los Angeles County's third largest city. Mr. Oviedo received his B.A. from Fresno State University and his M.P.A. from the Arizona State University School of Public Affairs. He has served on several not-for-profit boards and guest lectured at numerous universities. In addition to all of his work accomplishments, he is a world traveler, husband, and father of two.
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Good government.
If you ask millions of Americans what good government is, they'll likely say the phrase is an oxymoron. They are bombarded with stories in the media about government corruption and lackluster services. At an early age they learn in school about characters from the 1800's like "Boss Tweed" and Tammany Hall, to modern day news about corrupt city officials like Bob Rizzo and the City of Bell where millions of tax dollars were stolen right out from under the noses of hard working residents. These stories paint pictures of dysfunction, mistrust, and a lack of accountability...and they leave a lasting impression.
Government corruption may be a part of America's story, but it isn't the whole story.
In fact, thousands of cities across the country benefit from what most would label good government. These cities are founded on principles of integrity, accountability, and service. Their employees take pride in providing proactive law enforcement, well-maintained parks and open spaces, paved streets, and a host of services residents don't even think about as they go about day-to-day life. But most importantly, these cities engage with residents, respond to community needs, and embody the phrase "for the people, by the people."
So is good government possible in America?
Frank Oviedo thinks so and will reveal the fundamentals every citizen must know in order to demand good government in their communities. He will take the audience on a journey through government in American cities, discussing how and why things have changed for the better.
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