Last week five of our six members of the Blue Springs City Council traveled to Phoenix for the annual National League of Cities Congress of Cities. Thousands of local officials from across our nation gather each year to discuss issues facing our cities, study solutions to the challenges and share successes.
(Councilman Dale Carter was unable to attend as he was in Indianapolis supporting his youngest son’s final competition as a member of the Blue Springs High School Golden Regiment at the National High School Marching Band Championships. The band placed second in their class and 16th overall!)
Upon returning, a Blue Springs resident asked me: “Do you believe the money the city pays for your week in Arizona to be worth the knowledge?” And “Do you find it difficult to attend these conferences in these tough times?” Sincere thanks to this resident for caring enough to ask this important question and for providing the topic for this week’s article.
To the first question, my response was “Yes, I do believe it to be worth the knowledge.” To the second, I replied, “No, I don’t find it difficult.” The investment is small and the return on that investment can be very significant in terms of knowledge and experience gained.
Elected officials should always seek opportunities to expand their awareness of solutions available to them, and find workable resolutions to the challenges that face us. By participating in these seminars and meeting with fellow leaders from across the country, we develop beneficial relationships that expand our opportunities to learn what works for other cities and share our successes with them. Now, as our economy is beginning to improve, is the best time for these investments.
I believe it is imperative that our City Council work together to discover the best solutions to the challenges that face us, and education and collaboration are tools we use to seek out the best solutions. Conferences such as the one in Arizona forge stronger relationships and cooperation among the council members, while recognizing that discussions and disagreements are normal, appropriate and productive when managed respectfully.