Member Testimonials

June 15, 2015 Strong Towns

Join the Strong Towns movement today by becoming a member of Strong Towns.

To say that Strong Towns and the work of Chuck Marohn has transformed the way I view and practice my profession would be an understatement. The Strong Towns awakening came to me three years ago after 10 years working in a traditional civil engineering design role. Everything I worked on until that point was simply done by the book; there seemed no reason to question 50+ years of engineering standards. This was not the way I wanted to practice nor the legacy I dreamed of fulfilling when I entered engineering school. Strong Towns has provided me the framework, guidance, and support I need to fulfill the calling of my profession -- that as engineers we must strive to innovate, not regulate; to place service before profit. Chuck’s writings and those of other members help me to frame every day discussions with colleagues and the public - within my roles as an engineer and also as a planning commissioner. Anyone who has the opportunity to bring the Strong Towns message to your community can rest assured that, with consistency and passion, your voice will be heard, it will resonate, and you will have a positive, everlasting impact.

Lindsey Meek, Strong Towns Member from Rochester, MN

Our country and many communities are on a path that is neither fiscally nor environmentally sustainable. Too many politicians and professionals are comfortable continuing to do the same things that have put us in this situation, often falling back on the excuse that more of the same is what the people want. Affecting change in communities will require engaging citizens and elected officials in meaningful conversations about the real costs of our current development pattern and empowering them to support bottom-up, low-cost implementation in local neighborhoods. It will also require identifying and connecting forward-thinking professionals who are willing to throw out traditional standards and help the communities that are ready to try new approaches. This is what the Strong Towns movement is all about. It is both exciting and encouraging to see how the movement has grown in a few short years and how conversations and actions are changing as a result.

Kevin Shepherd, Member from Dallas, TX