THE RURBAN FRINGE

Cultivating Free-Range Communities

Any parents out there?  Great.  Have you heard of the “free-range parenting” movement?  Similar in spirit to free-range farming, the trend bills itself as common sense parenting in uncommonly overprotective times.  That is, to raise self-reliant, confident kids, parents need to open the door to freedom from time-to-time.
Which got me thinking … do we treat our communities the [...]

Your Project and the Role of Government

All project stakeholders are not equal.
On many projects that I become involved in, almost everyone seems to think that the local government needs to be involved in a key manner. 
This can be good … fostering civic engagement, encouraging two-way communication and helping to further the actions of independent agencies, for instance.  Or this can be bad … with [...]

10 Things Elected Officials Need to Know About Economic Development

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 [...]

Affordable and Appropriate Infrastructure

[ Rural communities want to survive ... and thrive.  That's why Paul Koch's article, Enhancing the Survivability of Your Rural Community, caught my eye as his list offers a number of steps communities can take to help ensure that they remain relevant and vibrant places to live.  With more than 35 years of experience working with various levels [...]

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 [...]

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