Sugar Land, Texas
With an Asian community that makes up more than 30 percent of its population, Sugar Land has become one of the most diverse cities in Texas, prompting concerns by the city council about how the city could most effectively serve these new constituents.
In 2007, the council adopted a policy called “inclusive community” as a guiding principle moving forward.
To turn the council’s policy into results, City Manager Allen Bogard created the City Manager’s Multi-Cultural Advisory Team (CMMCAT).
The advisory team’s goals included:
- enhancing the city’s ability to meet the needs of residents of all cultures and ethnicities
- promoting an understanding of diverse cultures among residents
- building opportunities for residents of all backgrounds to share in and be part of Sugar Land and American traditions.
The city hosted “101” sessions on the largest multicultural communities for its staff. The first session, “Chinese 101,” was held in February 2009. It offered slideshows on Chinese history and culture and included a question-and-answer session intended to improve service delivery to the Chinese community.
This successful class format was later replicated with “Asian-Indian 101” and “South Asian/Pakistani 101.”
As a result of this initiative, city staff now better understand the residents they serve, citizens of all races and ethnicities feel confident that their voices are being heard, and Asian participation in city programs has increased.
Fairfield, Ohio
Retired City Manager Arthur Pizzano, Fairfield, OH, (pop. 42,770) placed consistent emphasis on meeting the needs of residents and supporting local businesses, while building a strong sense of community. His customer-centric approach yielded measurable results.
Accomplishments include:
- Facilitating a public-private partnership to create an identifiable town center, called the Village Green. The area has become a popular gathering spot to enjoy a wide variety of concerts, performances, and a summer movie series. It also houses a community arts center, library, and amphitheater, as well as a playground and several water features.
- Focusing the Village Green on pedestrians by including a combination of residential and business uses, enhanced by landscaped walkways and interactive sculpture.
- Strategically coordinating the relocation of a new justice center (police and municipal court services) close to the town center to provide synergistic benefits to the entire area.
Pizzano was also known for his fiscal creativity and foresight. By working in concert with Fairfield’s mayor, city council, and staff, the city weathered the economic downturn without having to resort to service cutbacks or staff layoffs.
Watch this video, and hear residents, business leaders, and city officials talk about what makes Fairfield a great place to call home.
Meet the Manager
