Carlee Alm-LaBar, Strong Towns’ chief of staff, will be leading a preconference workshop during the ILCMA Winter Conference hosted by the Illinois City/County Management Association on February 5, 2025.
LOCATION: Bloomington-Normal Marriott Conference Center | DATE: February 5, 2025
TIME: 1:30 p.m. CST
Why are so many cities and towns across North America going broke? Our roads are deteriorating. Our governments are in debt. No matter how much we increase them, our taxes aren’t enough to fix it all. And no one seems to be able to agree on how we got here — much less how to change the course. This isn’t just about numbers on a budget. This is about the fate of the communities we love most and the real people who live there. This is about giving our citizens, today and tomorrow, a chance at the future they deserve. If we want American cities to be strong and resilient, we need to change everything about the way we plan and build our places.
In this workshop, Carlee will explain in plain language how so many American cities have found themselves in decline after decades of “growth.” She’ll then share a revolutionary way forward that could create enduring prosperity — if we just have the courage to change our minds.
Learning objectives:
Explain why our cities are on the cusp of a long, slow decline and how to approach the necessary triage in a rational way.
Articulate why inducing growth and development (the conventional response to urban financial struggles) just doesn’t work.
Explain why old and blighted areas are often more financially productive than shiny new ones.
Make the case for why “little bets” are a powerful way to strengthen communities and improve the lives of citizens.
This workshop is a preconference session of the ILCMA Winter Conference, but can be registered for separately. Tickets are $75.
Addresses ICMA Practice Areas: 6 (Strategic Leadership); 8 (Policy Facilitation and Implementation).
