|
 A record number of participants learned the lessons of Louisville, Kentucky?s 2003 merger with adjacent Jefferson County at ARS?s National Forum on Regional Stewardship last month. The 12th and most successful ARS National Forum to date, which was hosted by Louisville and themed ?Collaborative GovernmentIs Your Community Ready?? was preceded by a two-day workshop on ?Lessons from the Merger? featuring Louisville city officials and veterans of the successful merger ballot campaign and consolidation process.
Topics at the workshop included:
- a review of the 40 years of debate on the idea of consolidationwhich included 3 past failed referenda
- an assessment of the alternative government reform measures used in the Louisville region prior to merger,
- a detailed analysis of how the 2000 campaign finally convinced voters to approve consolidation,
- the story of how the consolidated government was created after the referendum, with the help of local foundations and consultants,
- a case study of how the city county merged their police departments
- a discussion of how the consolidated legislative council started a new branch of government, and
- a very candid Q&A with Louisville Metro Mayor Jerry Abramson about what is working, what needs improvement, and what lies ahead.
Topics at the forum included:
- how Louisville?s experience with merger could benefit other regions,
- a look at the new cross-sector partnerships offering new approaches and collaboration in Louisville since consolidation,
- a review of the latest collaboration ideas being tried at the local, regional, and state levels,
- highlights of the power of leadership exchanges among regions to shared how similar communities have addressed their challenges,
- a discussion of how to find an identity for your region and how to market it to compete,
- a review of how programs in Northeast Ohio, the state of Florida, and the New England region are bushing the boundaries of regionalism,
- an effort to apply the principles of regional stewardship to rural settings,
- case studies from past ARS Stewardship Awards winners from Northern Kentucky, San Diego, and Northeast Wisconsin,
- an interactive session on how collaborative governance solves real-life problems,
- a group review of ARS?s draft Guide to Successful Local-Regional Government Consolidation, and
- Massachusetts Institute of Technology professor Xavier de Souza Briggs discussing his book The Geography of Opportunity: Race and Housing Choice in Metropolitan America and how building coalitions can bridge the gap.
Participants said they especially appreciated being able to hear Louisville?s story firsthand from officials like Mayor Abramson, Deputy Mayor Joan Riehm, and Police Chief Robert White. Other forum highlights included a detailed analysis of why the 2000 referendum succeeded after 40 years of failed efforts from campaign consultant Michel Shea, president of Connemara Communications LLC and consultant to U.S. Senator Mitch McConnell; and testimonials from consultants Jerry Newfarmer of Management Partners Inc. and Kevin Thompson of Public Financial Management about how Louisville was able to implement ?best practices? as its new standard of government service and end up increasing both service and efficiency.
The topic of local-regional government consolidation clearly stuck a chord among government officials, business and civic leaders from regions around the country. Representatives from more than 50 regions have contacted ARS and Louisville Metro to learn more about their experience. In response, ARS has begun compiling existing research and breaking new ground in a guide that will help regional leaders diagnose their region?s assets and challenges, identify stakeholders and engage the public in the process, explore the numerous options available to address their unique needs, learn how to implement the solutions they have chosen, and measure and communicate their results.
To learn more about or contribute to the development of the Guide to Successful Local-Regional Government Consolidation, contact ARS at .
|
