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Weekly UpdatesHow small cities are responding to the economic crisis and how green technology can provide solutions to a range of city challenges topped the agenda for the NLC Small Cities Council Steering Committee at its summer meeting in Hermiston, Ore., July 23-25.
Attendees shared examples of cost control measures underway in small cities and discussed how elected officials should be communicating with their citizens and business leaders about these efforts. A common theme throughout the discussion was that cities must use the resources they do have wisely.
"This is really a question of how good are we at what we do--are we really practicing good government," said Bo Perkinson, vice mayor, Athens, Tenn. and vice chair of the steering committee. "We need to do better with less, and we need to communicate with our citizens about ways we are saying, not just ways we are spending."
Cost saving measures highlighted included: combining resources with neighboring jurisdictions to share heavy equipment or public safety personnel; purchasing a city-owned vehicle to cut down on travel costs incurred by the use of personal vehicles; rerouting sanitation trucks to save fuel; and a variety of furloughing techniques to reduce costs to the city while reducing the impact on employees and on the delivery of city services as much as possible.
Steering Committee Chair Rod Hardin, councilor, Hermiston, and host of the gathering said, "Getting good ideas into the hands of small city officials is the goal here. We will continue gathering examples and sharing them during the fall and at the Congress of Cities in San Antonio."
During the visit to Hermiston, Hardin showcased a number of local programs that demonstrate how his city and region are protecting the environment, using new technologies and energy sources and preserving livability for citizens.
The group heard about the largest challenge facing Oregon communities and farms along the Columbia River--the management of their water systems and green practices that protect ground and surface water while promoting good stewardship of the region's valuable natural resources. The Umatilla County region has worked cooperatively with a consultant to help navigate the maze of stringent government regulations while assuring the sustainability of their new and thriving "green" economy.
Additional presentations were offered by the lead consultants for Hermiston's new state-of-the-art wastewater treatment plant. The first was about the development and use of recycled water as a source of irrigation supply for agriculture. The second presentation focused on the use of food waste as a source of fuel in anaerobic digesters found at municipal wastewater treatment facilities. Food waste currently finds its way to solid waste landfills; however, innovative technology is available to convert this waste stream to methane gas for heat of generation of electricity.
Attendees were given a tour of Port of Morrow's Agri-Business Industrial Park, the sight of newly and innovative start-up companies investing in new markets and creating jobs for the region; they visited Hermiston's Head Start school located at the center of a low-income neighborhood, which is a state-of-the-art three-classroom structure funded and managed with federal grant money, local businesses and Umatilla County; and visited a wind turbine project and a tree farm.
Hermiston City Manager Ed Brookshier gave a presentation on creating high performance organizations. As a result of adopting the tenets from the Commonwealth Center for High-Performance Organization (HPO) Development Model, Hermiston has experienced substantial organizational changes and improvements.
Police Chief Dan Coulombe and Parks and Recreation Director Ivan Anderholm both presented examples of how the quality of their services has improved.
The steering committee also spent time during the meeting discussing activities for the Small Cities Council, including sessions for the upcoming Congress of Cities in San Antonio, November 10-14. In addition to the steering committee, the Small Cities Council will meet at the annual roundtable lunch and an open-mic session will be held focusing on cost cutting measures small cities are undertaking.
Details: For information about joining the Small Cities Council, contact John Miller at miller@nlc.org or (202) 626-3186.
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