Morgantown, Kentucky<br />As the first CAO in Morgantown, KY, Jerrod Barks was facing some serious challenges for the town of 2,500 that lost 60 jobs and was saddled with a large amount of debt when Kentucky Copper went bankrupt. But instead of guessing or acting on anecdotal information, he conducted a survey, researched deeply, and came up…
March 12 is Plant a Flower Day and March 30 is Take a Walk in the Park Day. Here's some timely trivia.
Working in local government calls us first to serve our own community, but the work we do does not stop at our political boundaries. Our impact regularly extends regionally, nationally, and even sometimes globally. Exceptional city and county leadership has the power to change the world not only by example, but also through the dissemination of…
Chambersburg, Pennsylvania<br />If anyone were to doubt that being a professional manager is akin to the role of a corporate chief executive officer, one need only to look at Chambersburg, PA and the scope of ongoing and completed projects accomplished in recent years.  From operating its own utilities, implementing award-winning “green’ programs, and launching plans for…
Longmont, Colorado<br />Longmont, Co. lies at the foot of the Rocky Mountains. The area is strikingly flat in comparison to what lies just 30 minutes away in the National Park that celebrates the mountain chain. That drastic drop in elevation leads to major runoff as waters flow east off of the mountains and in 2013, Longmont…
Midland, North Carolina<br />Local leaders incorporated Midland, N.C. 16 years ago with a vision to cultivate the small town (pop. 3,073) into a desirable place to invest and live, while preserving the rural fabric of the community. The leaders hired professional staff to carry out their vision and this council/manager partnership has resulted in continuing success for the community, says Town…
It doesn’t matter if it’s a playground at school, in the community or rigged in your own backyard, any place where you’re going to let your child play...