Building Stronger Communities

Hiring the right people is the most critical foundational element of any organization's success.  From assessing the needs of a position, to creating the most effective job description, to selecting the best candidate, every step of the process must link together to get the best result.

MRB Group's local government services team supports cities, towns, villages, and counties in developing strong organizations.  In this episode, team members Matt Horn and Heather Simmons Jones will walk through some tips and best practices for finding and keeping top talent!

Taxpayers consistently demand a high value for their investment of tax resources.  In response, local governments should always be on the lookout for ways to deliver the best service at the lowest possible cost.  Partnering with non-profit and private sector partners can enable local leaders to create, expand, and deliver new and better programs and initiatives at a far lower cost than traditional government-led efforts.  In this episode, we'll talk about what services make sense for partnership, how to select the best partner, and how to build a framework that ensures a high value for taxpayer investment.

Across the U.S., growth is appearing in places that haven't seen it in decades.  Communities who take the time to plan for this will ensure that your quality of life is only positively impacted by this influx of new activity.  In this episode, Matt Horn walks you through some simple steps to ensure that the market doesn't plan over you, and that you retain everything you love about your community--even in the face of tremendous growth pressure.

If your meetings are empty and your public hearings are quiet, it could be a symptom of "engagement fatigue". In many cases residents don't understand the impact of their feedback on your decisions. This session will focus on how best to prepare an authentic, robust, and meaningful public engagement strategy; and how to weave engagement into the culture of your community.

The nature of economic development has shifted from a field intensely focused on major industrial projects, to a more balance approach--creating a quality of life in communities that draws workforce and ultimately major employers.

This has created a focus on placemaking and downtown revitalization--with small business as its core building block.  In this episode, we'll share our experiences on the power of downtown development, and some simple strategies that even the leanest local governments can employ to get downtown moving.

Short term rentals are a fast growing economic phenomenon that is affecting most communities around the country.  Local government leaders are challenged to harness the economic opportunity of new investment without negatively impacting the quality of life for year-round residents.  This episode takes a look at the positives and challenges of short term rentals, and offers some advice on structuring regulations to achieve your community goals.

Change is hard for everyone.  In local government, it is even harder.  Local Government leaders are dealing with older systems, complex challenges, and a diverse set of stakeholders for nearly every issue.  In this episode, we walk you through some ideas about how to understand your challenges a little better, and take incremental steps to create lasting change.

Local governments are consistently facing escalating costs and challenging revenue trends. Your toolkit for continuing to deliver more with less is limited. Working with neighboring communities to share in the cost of service delivery is an opportunity that can both drive down the cost of services and enhance value to taxpayers.  

This episode looks at some of the questions you need to answer in defining shared services opportunities, identifying partners, and creating great service partnerships.

The American Rescue Plan Act represents a once-in-a-generation opportunity for local governments to accelerate investment in local priorities.  Regulations around ARPA, as it is known, have been greatly simplified to allow local governments to spend on nearly any priority you identify.

The first reporting deadlines are rapidly approaching, and our SmarterLocalGov team has put together some simple things you can do to stay ready and compliant, select allowable projects, and remain in the federal government's good graces throughout the grant cycle.

While local governments have traditionally been immune to global workforce fluctuations, "The Great Resignation," along with the impacts of Millennial and GenZ lifestyles, is creating havoc with local government staffing. Matt Horn provides insights into formalizing a culture that will attract and keep high-performing team members. You can more effectively address the needs and opportunities in your existing workforce and gain immense value by integrating organizational culture into employee interviews, selection, and retention.

As an elected or appointed leader, it's easy to get mired down in the day-to-day necessities of managing a local government organization.  However, if you don't take some time to step back and set a strategic direction, your community will struggle at sustained success.  This week we look at the value of moving out of the "meeting-to-meeting" mindset, and setting aside some time each year to discuss big picture issues.  We'll provide listeners with tips on how to set an engaging, productive agenda, ensure your Board is prepared for the session, create a productive environment, and produce value for the time invested.

Nearly every community in the country is facing a housing challenge.  It's likely that costs and inventory shortages are hampering your ability to grow your community, attract employers, and generate new revenue.  Matt Horn walks through a three-pronged approach to accelerate housing development and be ready when investors show up!

Telling your story is one of the most critical jobs in local government, but it’s also the most typically forgotten.  We get so busy doing the work in our communities that we forget to tell folks about the work we’re doing.  Matt Horn walks you through a few easy tools and tips for keeping residents informed, and opening two-way communication.

There are more federal, state, and philanthropic funds flowing to local government than at any time in recent memory!  Matt Horn provides a quick look at what you can do right now to be ready when the funding announcement drops!

Comprehensive planning represents a unique opportunity to pull back from the day-to-day challenges facing community leaders, and set a long term course for community success.  The right planning process can convert skeptics into champions for local projects, policies, and programs.  Town leadership from Ovid, New York join SmarterLocalGov team members Matt Horn and Diana Smith in a discussion about the critical roles that education, process, and public engagement play in creating strong, implementation-focused plans.

Local governments must prioritize resources.  Economic Development is a great way to ensure sustained future financial success.  The team at MRB Group and SmarterLocalGov have identified the top three things local government leaders can do to create economic success, without breaking the bank.

In this episode, our host Matt Horn helps local government leaders think through the best opportunities to invest newfound federal dollars.  The recently revised regulations provide  much more flexibility.  Thinking creatively about infrastructure, economic development, and technology can significantly change the trajectory of your budget—for years to come!

This Week in Local Gov is a Building Stronger Communities feature that provides an insider's look at topics the town, village, city, and county leaders are facing in your daily operations. Our host, Matt Horn, digs deep at critical issues facing local governments and provides unique insight into opportunities to grow your community. In this episode, we explore new, big pots of federal funding designed to boost infrastructure and other investments at the local level.

Economic Development is a team sport, and a successful effort means every player executing well on their specific role.  Mayors and other elected officials have a unique role in communicating confidence in the regional market, ensuring constituents and other elected officials have the best information available, and holding staff accountable to sound performance metrics.

This panel discussion gets unique insights from two first-term Mayors, learning from their experience in working with investors, staff members, and their respective communities to ensure growth and development without compromising community values.

MRB Group has developed the SmarterLocalGov initiative to support communities around the U.S. with local government operations challenges, including those in administration, finance, planning, economic development, and public works.

This episode introduces the audience to the SmarterLocalGov leadership team, provides background on our team members, and overviews the service lines that can advance total community health in your city, town, or county.

In this Episode of Building Stronger Communities, SmarterLocalGov team members, Matt Horn and Michael N'dolo sit down with Lisa Nagle from Elan Planning to discuss how communities can benefit from federal and state programs to address brownfields.  Join us to find out more...

Local government has a critical role in attracting investment and jobs to communities.  This episode of Building Stronger Communities addresses the tools and expertise needed to attract large scale projects to your industrial park or other community sites.

The podcast features a panel discussion with MRB Group's Michael N'dolo and Heather Simmons Jones, as well as Didi Caldwell, CEO of Global Location Strategies; a nation-leading site selection firm working to draw national and international projects to sites around the U.S.

Communities across the country consistently face funding gaps when pursuing priority projects.  Grant funding can be a boost to a community and its priorities, but they aren’t always easy to win, and once you win, managing these funds can be a challenge. In this episode, Matt Horn sits down with Emily Palumbos, Director of Grant Services at MRB Group, to share how grants have three critical phases and what municipalities can expect during these phases.  

In this episode of Building Stronger Communities, SmarterLocalGov team members Jane Nicholson and Matt Horn discuss some surprising facts about affordable housing, and its unseen influence in a community.  Misconceptions often drive discussions about affordable housing.  Jane and Matt consider the importance of offering a range of housing types, how business growth can be affected by a lack of appropriate housing, and some of the barriers that challenge communities today.

In this episode of Building Stronger Communities, SmarterLocalGov team members Jane Nicholson and Matt Horn discuss municipal planning and its role in a community’s success.  How does a community define its core values?  How can those values be implemented?  What tools exist for communities to utilze?  Listen in to learn more about preserving the character and beauty of your community.

In this episode of Building Stronger Communities, SmarterLocalGov team members Jane Nicholson and Matt Horn discuss how the pandemic is playing a role in planning processes. How has the perception of personal space and social distancing changed the landscape of our public spaces? Is this just a problem in cities, or is it affecting rural communities too? Will the community's vision be affected by the pandemic in the long-term? Join us to learn more...

In this episode of Building Stronger Communities, SmarterLocalGov team members Michael N’dolo and Matt Horn discuss the factors that shape business recruitment in a community.  Do you ever wonder why Target hasn’t come to the neighborhood yet?   What would it take to attract a “big-box” store?  This episode considers what drives business investment and growth, as well as how you can play a role in economic development in your own community.

In this Episode of Building Stronger Communities, SmarterLocalGov team members Michael N’Dolo and Matt Horn discuss the role housing plays in your community’s economic development potential. Available housing can impact your community’s growth in significant ways.   Join us to find out more…

In this episode of Building Stronger Communities, SmarterLocalGov team members Michael N’Dolo and Matt Horn breakdown the roles in economic development played by key members of the community.