By Susan Jarvis
January 31, 2005

On Monday, January 17th, during the Conference of Mayors 73rd Winter Meeting, a special plenary session was held focusing on new and innovative best practices for public/private partnerships. Conference of Mayors Vice President Long Beach Mayor Beverly O-Neill presided over the plenary session. James Brainard, Carmel (IN); Randy C Kelly, St. Paul (MN); Colleen J. Seng, Lincoln, (NE); John Street, Philadelphia (PA); and Will Wynn, Austin (TX) shared their successful programs in areas as diverse as capitol improvements, urban renewal and development, fitness and transportation.

Carmel's challenge was to "design a new city." " The new city needed to be more than just sprawl," began Brainard. " We wanted to create a community, which would be a place to live, work and raise a family." This city of almost 80,000 people embraced the principles of New Urbanism, focusing on a mixed-used pedestrian friendly downtown. The city and its private sector partners invested $12 million for infrastructure improvements, provided $25,000 grants to existing businesses to renovate. The city linked different parts of the city with the 5.2 mile "Rails to Trails" program, made schools and libraries a priority, developed an arts district and purchased land to make redevelopment smoother. All totaled, $55 million has been invested by the private sector, with another $55 million pledged.

Kelly shared St. Paul's experience for building a 21st century city. The city focused on housing, education and neighborhood improvement as keys to sustainable development. The city's Achievement Plus program, on the city's economically and culturally diverse East Side, is a comprehensive education reform model which ensures academic achievement and integrates schools, the city, the county, the school district families, organizations like the YMCA and the private sector. St. Paul is the birthplace of Peanuts creator Charles M. Schultz, and Peanuts on Parade has attracted international attention. The Capitol City Partnership comprised of CEO's from the regions top 50 companies and the city partnered to bring the celebration of Charles Schultz and his work to life.

The city has also partnered with the University of Minnesota and to foster technology and information sharing. A continued focus on education, including placing Americorp volunteers, the creation of a charter school and conservatory has helped energize economic development, making St. Paul an attractive relocation choice for company headquarters. "Public-private partnerships are standard operating procedure for the city of St. Paul," said Kelly.

The Antelope Valley Project is the largest public works project in Lincoln's history, began Seng. "It's the culmination of our twenty year vision on a three legged stool- flood control, roadways and community revitalization." The city of Lincoln partnered with the University of Nebraska, and the Natural Resources District. Like many growing cities, the city's traditional urban center is showing signs of stress, as residents are flocking to the city's edge. The Antelope Valley Project will address core infrastructure issues, including storm water, blight, traffic, and the creation of recreation programs, parks and shopping for residents. With a projected cost of $240 million, the Antelope Valley Projects represent the biggest community initiatives to date. The Antelope Valley has had a history of floods. By re-opening and reconstructing two miles of the creek to carry more storm water, reduce the flooding threat and spur reinvestment along the creek. Lincoln struggles with traffic congestion, caused by both trains and commuters. The construction of two new roadways, an east-west roadway and a north-south roadway, creating an X shaped bridge, allowing traffic to move above the railroad tracks and the closure of two dangerous crossings. The third "leg" of the project includes the development of new housing and retail opportunities, community service centers, and parks.

"Just as highways were a critical infrastructure component of the last century, wireless internet access must be part of our infrastructure for the 21st century," began Street. After a successful pilot program in Love Park last summer, the city's Wireless Executive Committee, compromised of stakeholders from all aspects of the city, civic leaders, community advocates, the school district, the hospitality industry, was challenged with making Philadelphia the first major wireless city in the nation. Under the proposed plan, all outside areas of the city will be a wireless hot spot in the next eighteen months. Citywide wireless access will streamline city services, increase internet access in households and among small businesses and provide an enhanced experience for visitors. The Wireless Philadelphia Initiative was met by some resistance from the General Assembly. The early support of the Wireless Executive Committee, as well as 3,000 individuals, businesses and organizations has ensured that Wireless Philadelphia will be the cornerstone of a new 21st city.

"Steps to a Healthier Austin" is a five year, multi-intervention plan, aimed at reducing chronic diseases, like diabetes, asthma, and obesity by promoting better nutrition, increasing physical activity and reducing high risk behavior. "Like everyone everywhere, we in Austin have seen not only the cost of health care skyrocket lately . . . but also the health of the community decreasing," began Wynn. Along with six other cities, Austin received a seven-figure grant from the Center For Disease Control and Prevention (CDCP) to "connect the dots between the cost of public health and the health of the public." The city identified an intervention area, and created some intervention strategies around nutrition, risky behavior, including tobacco use and eliminated soda machines in schools. The Mayors Fitness Council has identified twenty "silos of influence", to increase physical activity among residents. Programs include "Marathon Kids," which encourages elementary school students to run or walk a mile a week for twenty'six weeks and "Fit for The King," a fitness ministry. Wynn would like to see the CDCP and the Presidential Council on Physical Fitness create standardized benchmarks like decreased absenteeism, improved employee productivity, and lower chronic disease rates to measure the health of a city.

In closing, O'Neill reminded the mayors that cities need to be prepared. "Remember, it wasn't raining when Noah built the Ark."