The Blagoevgrad and Auburn partners worked jointly on developing a strategic plan for the Bulgarian city. This strategic plan dealt with economic development; urbanization, infrastructure, and transportation; and environment and solid waste management.
Adopting Auburn’s organizational model, Blagoevgrad established a steering committee and three working groups and appointed citizen representatives to them. All meetings were open to the public. The three working groups created mission statements and recommended policies and programs. Each working group also created a final document for submission to the steering committee. With assistance from Auburn experts, the steering committee reviewed the working group reports, adopting the report findings as realistic and achievable. The steering committee created a final summary report based on an examination of key issues, working group reports, and community opinions. Finally, the steering committee submitted the summary report, entitled “Strategic Plan for the Development of the Municipality of Blagoevgrad through 2015,” to the municipal council and the public.
Blagoevgrad , Bulgaria/Auburn, Alabama: Phase III (October 1998–August 2002)
Blagoevgrad and Auburn developed municipal best practices in economic development, strategic planning, and solid waste management. Under economic development, some of the most important results include the development and successful launching of an electronic marketing profile for the Blagoevgrad, the publication of hard copies of this profile in English and German, and the creation of a video promoting Blagoevgrad’s strengths and business opportunities. The partners also developed a model for a public-private partnership to operate a commercial center (an indoor market).
The Strategic Plan of Blagoevgrad through 2015 described the municipality’s plans in the areas of economic development, urbanization, infrastructure, transportation, environment, and solid waste management. The partners later added education and social care to the strategic plan. The plan was approved by the municipal council and incorporated into the Regional Development Plan, allowing appropriation of funds for implementation of priority projects to benefit Blagoevgrad’s citizens. The value of the planning process is the active participation of a wide range of community-based organizations to ensure community support for the development plans of the municipality.
One of the most valuable innovative practices developed by the partnership was the redesign and reorganization of the landfill’s management and operation. The partners completed a project on using marketing mechanisms to improve waste management services, and Auburn developed a final technical report with recommendations for the improvement of the existing landfill and of waste collection for the municipality of Blagoevgrad. As a result of the partnership efforts, the design, maintenance, operation, and safety of the landfill improved, and the life of the landfill was extended by at least 10-15 years.
After the initial phase the partners started to disseminate their best practices to other Bulgarian municipalities. The marketing profile project was replicated in the city of Sliven, and Auburn assisted Dobrich to replicate the strategic planning for the municipality.