Whether you’re a newly elected official or an experienced hand, learning from fellow city leaders and building a best a practices toolkit is part of the job.
And at the National Black Caucus of Local Elected Officials (NBC-LEO) 2018 Summer Conference, best practices are the name of the game.
Hosted in Hollywood, Florida, this July 25-28, you’ll hear from experts on municipal policy and from fellow local elected officials. Here’s a preview of three best practices sessions from cities across the country:
Keys to Jump-Starting Your Supplier Diversity Program
Presented By: Levon Manzie, City Council President, Mobile, Alabama
Fred Richardson, Councilmember, Mobile, Alabama
A few years ago, the Mobile, Alabama City Council voted for a one-cent sales tax devoted specifically to funding long delayed infrastructure projects across the city. Much of the city—from sidewalks to roads to the parks and recreation centers—were in disrepair and badly needed work. Once the Council’s Capital Improvement Program, which funded at least $21 million dollars in infrastructure projects a year, started, it became clear that the city’s supplier diversity program was also in need of major work and that the work needed to be done quickly.
Over the next two and a half years, the program underwent a total transformation. In a short time, the City’s Office of Supplier Diversity made enormous strides, increasing both the number of current certified DBEs (Disadvantaged Business Enterprises) and the number of entrepreneurs and businesses in the pipeline.
Learn how the City of Mobile developed a comprehensive Supplier Diversity Program on an advanced time line at the NBC-LEO Summer Conference.
Neighborhood Improvement Strategy Story – “Stop 6”
Presented by: Gyna Bivens, Councilmember, Fort Worth, Texas
In Fort Worth, Texas, the area known as “Stop 6” saw an unemployment rate of two-and-a half times the city average; 78 percent of the population were categorized as low-to-moderate income; and 65 out of every 1,000 people were victims of crime. The area needed an aggressive effort to improve neighborhood vitality.
In response, the City of Fort Worth allocated $2.56 million to a program that was focused on reducing the number of felony incidents, enhancing pedestrian safety, improving residents’ perception of their community, improving neighborhood aesthetics, and leveraging additional public and private investment.
In this presentation, learn how the Fort Worth City Council sought out business and neighborhood leaders as well as members of the community to engage them in the improvement projects.
Addressing Youth Firearm Violence through a Public Health Lens
Presented by: Hanifa Shabazz, City Council President, Wilmington, Delaware
In response to epidemic-level youth firearm violence in Wilmington, Delaware, Council President Shabazz called in the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) to study the issue as a public health crisis.
The CDC’s report resulted in the formation of the Wilmington Community Advisory Council, which has since developed specific recommendations to address the root causes of gun crime among Wilmington children. This workshop will present attendees with a comprehensive overview of this process, as well as the results Wilmington received, lessons learned and the evidence-based steps Wilmington is taking to put an end to youth firearm violence.
Learn more about the National Black Caucus of Local Elected Officials at their 2018 Summer Conference in Hollywood, Florida, July 25-28.
About the author: Meri St. Jean is a communications specialist at the National League of Cities.