Pancevo officials received practical, hands-on assistance in addressing service delivery and management needs via a three-way Resource Cities partnership that linked Pancevo with the cities of Cincinnati, Ohio, and Timisoara, Romania. Timisoara had expertise to share with Pancevo after successfully attracting inward investment and creating public-private partnerships for infrastructure investments and service delivery over the previous ten years. Timisoara also introduced administrative reforms to reduce bureaucracy and create a more business and citizen-friendly government.
The three-city partnership decided to initially focus on introducing new management tools and techniques to improve the processes of their water treatment and distribution systems, as well as, heating operations. First, Cincinnati engineers worked with personnel at the Pancevo water and district heating companies to implement a leak detection program that would reduce the amount of water lost through Pancevo’s aging pipe networks. Cincinnati Water Works officials also introduced new concepts of customer service and outreach (including a public education campaign on water conservation), as well as pricing and billing practices, to their Pancevo colleagues. Both Cincinnati and Timisoara provided advice and technical information on relevant issues and considerations with regard to the privatization of their water systems.
On the economic development front, Cincinnati and Timisoara worked with Pancevo to develop a framework and institutional support system for a strategic economic development plan. Economic development staff from Cincinnati introduced Pancevo officials to key strategic planning and economic development approaches and conducted a SWOT analysis (of strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats) for Pancevo. The SWOT analysis identified opportunities for privatization, including the potential for Pancevo businesses including glass manufacturers, agricultural operations, brewers, and high-technology companies to partner with private companies in the Cincinnati region.
The Cincinnati team planned to work with Pancevo staff members to maximize the economic potential of the Port of Pancevo, improve enforcement of building codes, and develop a land use map. For Timisoara, the Cincinnati team reviewed progress in implementing the City’s strategic plan and led a workshop on the use of equity funds as a development tool.