As I’ve traveled around this year, visiting our communities and meeting with the tireless public servants that lead them, I’ve been consistently reminded of the mission behind the League—of who we work for and why we do the work we do.
That notion has been particularly felt in the past few months. With summer turning to fall, it is a time of life and activity, and I have seen our state abuzz with full calendars of events and gatherings. It’s as true for our organization as it is our cities themselves.
On the League-side of things, the changing of seasons this year brings with it the end (or near end) of the legislative session. The successes we’ve earned this year in advocating for our cities and protecting their local authority have been outstanding. Those wins are noted throughout this issue, ranging from issues of land use to housing to infrastructure. Always, we are guided by the legislative priorities set forth by you, our cities and towns, and in following those priorities, we’ve been able to continually support our local governments as they face ever-evolving problems.
The ‘we’ that I mention extends far beyond just the staff or leadership of the League. It includes the hundreds of municipal leaders that support the work too, whether by advocating back at home on the key issues, by contacting your legislators directly, or by simply attending an NCLM event that builds relationships with state leaders. These efforts make a significant impact. Truly, our advocacy successes would not be possible without the grassroots work done across North Carolina local governments.
It is not taken for granted, and it speaks volumes of the people we have leading our cities. The business of city leadership is difficult, challenging and time consuming. And yet, you take up that mantle every day, year after year, with a true sense of public service. The life we see in our cities is as much credit to you as it is the citizens, families and businesses that make up your community.
So, with the work of state lawmakers just about done for the year, I would encourage each of you to take a moment and enjoy the fruits of your labor. The vitality of your downtowns, the continued well-being of your citizens, the beautiful amenities, and the many social gatherings—these are signs of the successes that you have earned.
We are thrilled to be a part of it, and we are ready to continue to serve you any way we can.
