According to the National League of Cities, ”local elected officials will be more effective in leading economic development activities to the extent that they forge strong relationships with staff members who work on these issues on a daily basis.” 

Sometimes, it’s that simple.

The Role of Local Elected Officials in Economic Development, a free publication which strives to identify ways elected officials can become informed and strategic decision-makers, goes on to outline a ‘Top 10′ list of things elected officials should know about economic development in order to be effective leaders for their community.

Including knowing things such as your local economy’s strengths and weaknesses, the needs of your business community and your local economic development stakeholders and partners, the guide is easily digestible, poses key questions for elected officials to consider and can be used to initiate conversations regarding your community’s economic development approach.

Although many of the examples in the guide focus on cities and larger centres, the information and questions asked within the guide can be adapted to reflect your circumstances.

The Role of Local Elected Officials in Economic Development was the result of a partnership between the National League of Cities and the International Economic Development Council (IEDC).

Click here to access the full publication.

Related Posts:

• Small Town Tries Economic Development Incentives
• Cultivating Free-Range Communities
• Your Project and the Role of Government
• Affordable and Appropriate Infrastructure
• Government at the Speed of Business?

Thanks to technology, the speed of business is accelerating at an ever-increasing rate.  But is government keeping up?

In many municipalities, resources and capacity are perpetual issues.  Yet in today’s digital age, how governments gather, manage and use information is vital in whether they win – and remain relevant and responsive to community needs - or lose.

Think of a government service you accessed recently … were you able to find what you needed?  Was the service friendly?  Prompt?  Or did your concern/issue/question disappear into an administrative quicksand? 

As in the business world, transactions between governments and consumers are increasingly moving towards self-service digital transactions.  Yet customer service is also shifting from doing routine, low-value tasks to providing higher-value, personal consultancy on issues that are important the the customer.  And the pace of transactions and the need for more personalized attention to customers should be driving municipalities to adopt enhanced processes internally, if they haven’t yet adopted them for efficiency reasons.

Municipal governments need to ensure they evolve to support these new types of interactions.

Sorry municipalities … it’s no longer about you, but rather ‘did you help a customer today?’

Related Posts:

• Cultivating Free-Range Communities
• Your Project and the Role of Government
• 10 Things Elected Officials Need to Know About Economic Development
• Affordable and Appropriate Infrastructure
• Is Your Community Business-Friendly?

With Canadians heading to the polls today to elect a national government, my final submission to canada.com’s online election project highlighted the need for a realigned, consolidated approach to rural policy and development in Canada.  Click through the read the full post.

By no means am I alone in calling for this … researchers, federal civic servants, senators and even the Federation of Canadian Municipalities – in its Policy Statement on Rural Issues – all wish to strengthen capacity to address rural concerns across the federal government.

Will Canada’s next government see fit to do just this?

Update 5 May 2011:  Federation of Canadian Municipalities President calls for a federal rural minister … read the op-ed here.

Related Posts:

• Canada.com Featured Contributor: Discussing the Dirt on Rural Transportation Infrastructure
• Canada.com Featured Contributor: A Looming Agricultural Labour Crisis
• ‘Rurban Round Up: Rural Policy Summer School, Rockin’ the Farm, Rural Small Business Trends, De Niro’s Emails, and More
• Cultivating Free-Range Communities
• Your Project and the Role of Government