Smart Communities

Regionalism--Antidote to a Failing Economy

While the voices of gloom and doom about the economy are getting louder, all of us are wondering how to stretch dollars further. No where is this more evident than in our localities and states. Decline in revenue and increase in things like gas prices have hit most places and the cutting is underway. This is happening so often it is almost not news. USA Today's recent article can tell you how your community and state are doing. The news will come with examples of ways to combat the downturn. One way is that old-fashioned method of working together. As we look around the country for places that are doing best, there is usually a diversified economy with an ample number of living-wage jobs. I believe that happens most often when people are thinking regionally. This is more than just hedging your bets against hard times, it is really an antidote to "local protectionism." That is, more can be provided and offered--jobs, cultural amenities, and quality of life components--if we pool our collective resources. Several cities are already in the game and its paying off. Louisville, KY consolidated its county and city government a few years ago. They are seeing positive results already. Nashville, TN did the same. There has never been a better time to consider the positives of working regionally. The good news is that you don't have to get married on this one--you can date. Start with a specified project, initiative, or service delivery and see how it works. Everybody wins on this one you will find out.

What to do on Monday--Call a Friend

Today I am on vacation with my son. We will extend next week's segment as a substitute for our normal Friday column. But my best advice today: call someone you haven't talked to in a while. You will be glad to took the time. Have a great weekend.

Civic Tourism

Dan Shillling of the Arizona Humanities Council has written a fascinating book called, Civic Tourism. It is in a nutshell how to build out your tourism economy while still preserving a sense of place. Too often we tear down and build over the very things that made our community unique and strong, Very interesting read and enough "how to" to make it very practical. Also check out these resources from the Appalachian Regional Commission.

Canada's Best Places for Familes

Take a look at this list of the best cities in Canada to raise children. Interesting criteria but a real challenge to all of us to make our communities places where children thrive. This is the time in our electoral cycle in the States to let all the candidates know that we want every city to be a place for families to nourish their children.

More on Dropouts

Dan Bassill of Tutor/Mentor is doing a guest blog this week. He refers us to one blog that he feels is particularly important about the gap between rich and poor. Check it out. The Tutor/Mentor conference is coming up in late May. We will be blogging about that in the next week of so. Thanks Dan.

Quilts Mean Economic Development and Tourism

Today we will focus on tourism as a vehicle for economic development. Let me say right up front though that an economy developed around tourism exclusively is fraught with weaknesses. There are just too many external factors that can affect it. For example, take right now for instance. Gasoline prices are high, job security is low, and discretionary dollars are few. That all spells "stay at home" for many families even during vacation season. Given you all my disclaimers, tourism is a valuable piece of an economic picture. It brings new people to the community who spend money on food, lodging, gas, retail, as well as the tourist site. That is why outlet malls are built near large tourist attractions like Williamsburg. People on vacation spend pure and simple. The challenge is to have something they want to see. And it is amazing what people want to see. We will look at a range of things this week.

Today I want to talk quilts. There are a number of places that have capitalized on America's interest in the tradition and art of quiltmaking. The quilters of Gee's Bend, Alabama, helped put this American art form on the may in recent years. There are quilter's conferences and museums that bring in thousands of people. Also it is an opportunity to get to know people--not just look at exhibits. Communities that have captured this kind of tourism realize a ripple effect among visitors. If there is an artform or distinguishing feature of your community--think tourism. If you need a few ideas, check out the roadside attraction website. Remember people are interested in lots of things!

Civic Tourism

Dan Shillling of the Arizona Humanities Council has written a fascinating book called, Civic Tourism. It is in a nutshell how to build out your tourism economy while still preserving a sense of place. Too often we tear down and build over the very things that made our community unique and strong, Very interesting read and enough "how to" to make it very practical. Also check out these resources from the Appalachian Regional Commission.

What to do on Monday--Get Hold of Your Time

This weekend we go to daylight savings time. As you will remember from last year even losing an hour's sleep takes a small toll. On Sunday we will have to do what we planned to do anyway with one hour less. This brings me to our assignment for Monday--get a grip on your time. As many of you know, this past fall for me was difficult to say the least. With a very sick husband, a dog with a broken leg, a sixteen-year-old, and a job, there was no time to spare. Things are different now. I have more discretionary time and I am thinking long and hard about what to do with it. I am encouraging you to do the same. A wonderful op-ed in the New York Times today will give you some perspective.

Watching a loved one die is as difficult as anything imagined. At the end of my husband's life everything was magnified--especially how and with whom he spent his time. It was a life lesson not a death lesson. "Don't sweat the small stuff" took on new meaning. Those precious minutes that were left were spent with the people who meant the most and getting us prepared to live without him. So in these days since I have pondered what living everyday really means. It may mean something different for you but for me it means getting your affairs in order--know what you have and what you will need to provide for yourself and your family. Getting rid of the stress and the clutter in your life--people who bring you down, things you never use but dust often, and the obligations that quit being fun years ago. Feeling better which translates to treating your body better. And finally, reviving one of those dreams you had at 20. If it is trip to Australia, a Harley Davidson, or a new job--go for it. The last year of my husband's life we had four wonderful trips. At the time it seemed excessive to do all that in one year. Today I wish we had done four more. Time is the commodity we can give each other. Invest wisely and spend part of it laughing.

Women and the Economy

As we fall deeper into a recession, we are beginning to hear the stories of unemployment and layoffs. The group that is disproportionately hit by this news (as always) are those at the bottom of the economic ladder already. Rising fuel and food costs hit families very hard. A group that knows this all too well are single mothers trying to raise their children alone. Amidst this rather gloomy backdrop are some exciting programs to help single moms that could be replicated elsewhere. Climb Wyoming combines counseling with job training in a myriad of areas often not traditionally open to women. People whose dealt hand has never been too good are getting a second chance at building a fulfilling life for themselves and their children. A more established program in Kentucky, Women in Construction, prepares low-income women with skills to compete for jobs in building construction, plumbing, highway construction, etc. This program was part of our Solutions for America initiative in the 2002-5 that looked at ways to prepare families for success. Despite these efforts, it is still an uphill battle to get women the skills and the supports they need to participate in the economy and support their children. Our goal here is for every child to have a secure, loving home environment. We can make great inroads in that with programs like these and quality parenting programs that give their mothers the skills and self-esteem they need to be better workers and better mothers.

Tools for Community Development

Too often well-intentioned people are elected or appointed to community boards with little experience or expertise in the myriad of issues facing communities of all sizes. Over the coming weeks, we want to feature some free, online tools that can be accessed in the quick study for community leadership. As budgets tighten, there will less money for consultants and firms. Communities will need to know more in order to manage the economy and development in these lean economic times. One tool we found is from the Mid-America Regional Council. It is a quick-read, helpful tool to sort out some of the issues around community development. MindTools offers an array of planning and scheduling tools, and the Institute for Asset-Based Community Development offers some free downloads to begin to catalogue your community's assets. Add to these a new article on great cities from the Project for Public Spaces and you will get plenty of things to read and think about. These are just a few of the resources that communities can use to build their expertise locally. I would suggest that the community through the United Way or a nonprofit center organize a course of study that new members of civic or governmental boards can complete using free resources. Remember these times call for us to conserve resources but move forward.