The vision of innovative elected officials and a can-do city manager have made Mesa a college town like none other in the U.S.

Imagine a city that, since its founding, has had no major street lighting through its main corridor and has had to confront the fact that pedestrian fatalities have occurred because of it.

How long does it take to build a 59,000 square-foot sports complex? Usually years. But in Casa Grande, AZ, under the leadership of Deputy City Manager Larry Rains, the Casa Grande Performance Institute was finished in 119 days. How did it happen?

Since its inception, the task force has found ways to save the city nearly $60 million, ensuring its fiscal health, structurally balanced budget, and continued AAA bond rating.

The drinking water in Kenai, AK, looked and tasted bad. It was ironic that this small city of approximately 8,000 is located in pristine scenery 150 miles south of Anchorage, but had water you drank at your own risk.

October is National Community Planning Month and to wrap it up, we are featuring a four-day series on planning and leadership.