We have now spent ten “Ronnies” on Gary McCaleb’s excellent book, The Gift Of Community, and both of us agreed we could start all over again and have plenty of new material. McCaleb has done an outstanding job of researching and explaining what makes a community “tick,” and the following 12 points serve to crystallize what we are striving towards as citizens of Athens, AL: a truly marvelous city.
- A clear identity-This means knowing who we are and where we ALL have come from.
- Positive change-A big challenge for any city manager is knowing what to change, and what to leave alone.
- Constant renewal-Having a commitment to deal with inevitable decay effectively.
- Attractive center-In Athens, we have the Courthouse Square and so much more.
- Congenial design-Where people can feel the friendliness of the layout and accessibility of a city.
- Planned celebration-Everything from Grease, Fiddlers’, Storytellers’, Earth Day, and the holidays.
- Visible future-Probably one of the hardest and most important jobs of a leader is to keep hope for the future alive and vibrant.
- Inclusive participation-One example would be the Mayor’s Youth Commission.
- External energy-What we can draw upon from other cities.
- Disciplined balance-Enough rugged individualism and tribal thinking to glue the town together
- Purposeful circulation-Where citizens and leaders keep the pulse of the 2 or 3 most pressing Issues. This is especially challenging for leaders, as everyone thinks their issue is paramount.
- Passionate leaders-People who genuinely love their communities, and it shows.
