Government & Politics  February 25, 2011

Administrators bringing big ideas

FORT COLLINS – Fort Collins will host some of the best and brightest city managers and administrators in the country at an exclusive meeting centered around government and community innovation.

The third annual Big Ideas conference is coming to Northern Colorado this fall, organized by the Alliance for Innovation, an international network of forward-thinking cities and counties. The invitation-only conference will bring together about 100 leaders from local governments, philanthropic foundations, think tanks and universities to brainstorm big-picture issues and problems facing metropolitan areas and their civic institutions.

“We picked Fort Collins because both the city and Larimer County are recognized nationally for innovative solutions that they employ internally and in the community,´ said Karen Thoreson, president of the Alliance for Innovation. “They’re well-recognized as leaders, and as on the front edge of problem solving.”

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The alliance held its first Big Ideas conference in 2009. Fort Collins city manager Darin Atteberry had been asked to participate but was unable to attend, so holding the meeting in the city should guarantee his involvement. Atteberry announced this year’s conference during the State of the City address in late January.

The conference is scheduled to take place Oct. 14-16. Organizers are still developing programs, but Thoreson said the theme will center on “placemaking,” a planning concept of capitalizing on location and landscapes to attract businesses and people.

Northern Colorado is an ideal setting for such a discussion, Thoreson said, because visitors will be able to see placemaking at work in the region.

Partner of ICMA

The Alliance for Innovation has been in existence since 1979, although the group renamed itself five years ago after entering into a strategic partnership with the International City/County Management Association. Under the agreement, the alliance, which counts a limited membership of about 300 cities, counties and special districts – including Fort Collins and Larimer County – serves as a sort of research laboratory for ideas and programs that can be shared with the significantly broader ICMA, which acts as more of an educational network for its nearly 9,000 member cities and counties.

The alliance is now based in Phoenix, where it is affiliated with Arizona State University. And as might be obvious from its name, the organization brings together entities that “value innovation” and promote “innovative culture,” Thoreson said.

Fort Collins was among a dozen cities invited to host the 2011 Big Ideas conference, which took place in Decatur, Ga., and Ann Arbor, Mich., the last two years. About half of those cities submitted a proposal, with Fort Collins prevailing. At the State of the City address, Atteberry said Fort Collins’ selection as the host “speaks highly to the caliber of our city employees.”

“It’s a great chance for us to showcase our community, both the small “c” as a city and the big “C” as an organization,´ said Claire Thomas, a city spokesperson who is helping to plan the conference.

For context, consider Big Ideas as a civic-oriented version of the idea-oriented workshops and events put on by TED, the nonprofit group that brings together innovators and thinkers from all walks of society to share stories, experiences and solutions.

At Big Ideas, experts from various fields share thought-provoking white papers on specific issues pertaining to government administration and civic involvement. From there, lively conversations ensue where all attendees contribute to the dialogue and share insight from their own experiences, Thoreson said.

At the moment, a planning committee that includes local officials is still sketching out the details for this year’s conference, but Thoreson said past Big Ideas meetings have tackled financial stability and sustainability and then community engagement.

The place for placemaking

Fort Collins and Northern Colorado are an apt place for the forthcoming meeting and its focus. Thoreson said the region has excelled at placemaking, citing as case studies the local open space and natural areas programs and the development of regional industry clusters, each of which have taken innovative approaches to funding, administration and collaboration.

One particular issue that Thoreson hopes the October conference will explore is how cities may reorganize or restructure administratively to better utilize technologies and respond to community needs. As a prominent, local example, she points to Larimer County’s vote centers, which allow citizens to vote at any polling station instead of a specified precinct. The move has saved the county money and potentially increased voter participation by taking advantage of available technology.

“It’s about the resources of government working with the community – and not just in a superficial way,” Thoreson said.

Most local people won’t get to glimpse the proceedings due to the limited invitation list, but planners say city and county staff will certainly participate, and representatives from Colorado State University and locally based corporations and foundations could also be a part of the discussions. Thoreson said organizers also hope to involve more students and young professionals in this year’s conference.

FORT COLLINS – Fort Collins will host some of the best and brightest city managers and administrators in the country at an exclusive meeting centered around government and community innovation.

The third annual Big Ideas conference is coming to Northern Colorado this fall, organized by the Alliance for Innovation, an international network of forward-thinking cities and counties. The invitation-only conference will bring together about 100 leaders from local governments, philanthropic foundations, think tanks and universities to brainstorm big-picture issues and problems facing metropolitan areas and their civic institutions.

“We picked Fort Collins because both the city and Larimer County are…

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