The City of Coppell recently hosted Army civilian and senior leader Kelly Sandifer from Fort Hood to allow him to experience the day-to-day operations of the organization and give him the opportunity to collaborate with City leaders.
The week-long visit was a part of The City-County Management Senior Fellowship Program (CMSFP), which is sponsored by the International City Management Association (ICMA). The program was designed to help Army participants gain a better understanding of city management as many military bases operate like small cities.
Sandifer spent 22 years as an Officer in the U.S. Army serving in the U.S., Europe, Southwest Asia and Iraq and earned several military awards including multiple Bronze Stars. He now serves soldiers and their families as Chief in the Plans, Analysis and Integration Office at Fort Hood.
“It was a very productive visit and definitely worth the time, effort and resources,” Sandifer said about his time in Coppell. “Having a better understanding of city management and city operations, along with the new relationships formed and the information exchanged provided invaluable insight regarding how we might better serve soldiers, families, retirees and civilians at Fort Hood and throughout the Army.”
Sandifer’s itinerary during his visit included attending a City Council meeting and staff meetings, visits with Finance, Public Works and Community Development, facility tours and daily interactions and discussions with the City’s senior leadership including Coppell’s City Managers.
“Some of the highlights for me were seeing first-hand how city employees interact with each other, especially during staff huddles and staff meetings,” he said. “The atmosphere at the city manager level was the same at the department level — very personal and very positive.”
This was the first time the City of Coppell participated in the CMSFP and was one of ten communities across the country to take part this year. Coppell was also one of three cities in Texas to participate in the program.
“The Senior Fellowship Program was a great way for us to extend service outside the city limits, form a partnership and learn from the perspective of a visiting leader,” said City Manager Mike Land. “It was an enjoyable experience, and we look forward to participating again in the future.”