Paul Eckert began building relationships almost immediately after being appointed manager of Sioux City. One of the many groups that he joined was the local Chamber of Commerce's Governmental Affairs Committee. Before long, the city was an important part of the Chamber's legislative lobbying efforts and had its own unique campaign to focus on city issues.

By the early 2000s, Davenport was struggling with the cumulative effects of 20 years of population decline and economic stagnation. This open approach to government allowed residents to provide input on a redevelopment plant that changed the community.

Situated on the Cedar River, Charles City experienced record flooding in 1999 and 2008. Something needed to be done with the space along the damaged riverfront and something had to be done to prevent future flooding. The city responded with an innovative project to build a new riverfront park with a kayak course.

Like many communities across the U.S., the village of Schaumburg was looking for a way to stem a growing tide of obesity among its residents. Gardening was the solution to have healthy residents and be a seed new connections in the community.

Have you ever heard a story of how a weather event \"brought down” a political leader? If only they had provided constant updates during the emergency everything might have been different. Not only did social media keep residents informed, it opened the workings of government to all residents.

How do you reverse a two-decade trend of population decline and job losses? In 2006, the city of Centralia determined to do just that.

Local infrastructure is vital to a community's quality of life, but roads and utilities break down after years of use and eventually need to be replaced. How do local governments plan and pay for these upgrades?

Capital improvement projects are often the visible manifestations of what makes us proud to call our communities home, but where does a community get the money for them? Many times, a local government will come up with the funding through careful budgeting, tax increases, or bond measures. Other times, money will come from outside sources through a grant or public-private partnerships.

The city of Decatur has emerged as a national leader in promoting active living as an essential building block of a sustainable community. After more than a quarter century of policy making and of programs designed to strengthen community connections and revitalize its downtown, the city has become a place where people enjoy getting around on foot, whether they are going to work, shopping, or attending a special event in the town square.