Edmond, OK vs. Northfield, VT
Welcome to this first round match-up in the sixth annual Strongest Town Contest! In this round, 16 towns are facing off, and eight will advance to the next segment of the contest based on your votes. We invite you to read answers representatives from these two cities provided to our questions about economic resilience, citizen involvement, community response to the pandemic, and more. Then vote for the strongest at the bottom of this page.
Can’t decide? If you’re looking for inspiration, check out how we describe the Strong Towns approach, or take a look at our free ebook, The Local Leader’s Toolkit: A Strong Towns Response to the Pandemic.
You may vote once per match-up.
Round 1 voting closes at 12pm CDT on Thursday, March 18th.
For rules, and to follow along with the contest, visit the Strongest Town Contest page.
Note: All entries are lightly edited for clarity and readability.
EDMOND, OK
Entry submitted by: Josh Moore, David Chapman
What is your favorite thing about your town?
Our financial stability.
How easy is it to live in your town without regular access to a car? What are some steps your town has taken—or is in the process of taking—to make it safer and easier to walk, bike, or use a wheelchair?
By adding more bike trails, filling sidewalk gaps, including side paths with each new road project, and completing a downtown parking study, we’re taking measurable steps to improve mobility in our city.
What are some steps your town has taken—or is in the process of taking—to increase housing options and affordability?
In 2018 our comprehensive plan was updated to better identify redeveloping areas in the community, and better identify opportunities for more diverse housing projects such as multi-family and cottage courts. In 2019 our Central Business District was expanded to create more opportunities for housing in the core. In 2020, we started an East Edmond 2050 study to research best and balanced development patterns for a large portion of undeveloped area in our city limits. In 2020, we approved our first TIF district in our downtown with a goal to replace aged infrastructure so we can better attract density and commerce to the core.
At Strong Towns, we believe that financial solvency is a prerequisite for long-term prosperity. What steps has your community taken to ensure its financial security? How do local leaders adequately do the math on new investments proposed in your town to ensure that they’ll be able to afford them now and afford their maintenance in the future?
Our greatest asset in Edmond is our financial health. We believe that each city service, department, and utility should be able to support itself longterm with sustainable revenues. We rely on experts and consultants to advise us with rate structures and growth patterns that we can be proud to hand over to upcoming generations. We use debt carefully, leverage bonds appropriately, and save adequately for the future.
At Strong Towns, we believe that local government is a platform for strong citizens to collaboratively build a prosperous place. How are residents in your town involved in shaping its future? How do residents’ experiences, struggles and concerns directly inform the projects undertaken by local government? Provide one or more examples.
From biking to special events, we believe our 26 citizen based committees are crucial in making best decisions for Edmond’s future. More than 30 citizens currently belong to a steering committee for the East Edmond 2050 study. Sixteen citizens currently make up the Arcadia Lake Visioning Task Force to define a better future for greatest tourist attraction. Most decisions on policy and projects are discussed at committee before being voted on at city council.
How is your town proactively making it possible for more people to get outdoors safely during the pandemic?
It was a blessing in disguise that we had already completed a three-mile section of paved trail in a highly visited area before the pandemic arrived. This trail had over 10,000 visitors in the first month of the pandemic. We had also just broken ground on an additional section of paved trail that is now complete and offers and additional three miles of trails at our lake. Our planning department was also proactive in enacting a “streatery” policy for our downtown restaurants. This has been so popular that we’re now talking about ways to make it permanent.
How is your town proactively helping local businesses and entrepreneurs during the pandemic? Describe how you are providing flexibility for small businesses and entrepreneurs to adapt and innovate.
In addition to the streatery policy mentioned above, we also offered two separate rounds of micro-grants for our small businesses that were affected the most. We also worked with our County officials to release over $7 million in Cares Act funds for our small businesses in Edmond, and we partnered with some of our local non-profits like Edmond Mobile Meals to increase funding for packaged meals that would decrease the amount of times our volunteers need to enter a home.
How are you measuring success and progress during this pandemic? What metrics tell you that your community is thriving and what metrics have helped you see where people are struggling?
The metrics we have used to measure our overall pandemic health are local sales tax collections, mobile meal and food pantry requests, utility bill delinquencies, financial assistance requests through our local hope center, and unemployment data provided by the State.
Image provided by John Knox, of Vermont by a Vermonter.
NORTHFIELD, VT
Entry submitted by: Bonnie Kirn Donahue, Lydia Petty, Denise MacMartin, Carolyn Stevens, Jeff Schulz, Jon Ignatowski
What is your favorite thing about your town?
Northfield is a resilient, small town with a big heart! When Hurricane Irene devastated the Town in 2011, residents were out in force, helping neighbors and strangers with cleanup and recovery efforts. Almost every student from Norwich University, located in Northfield, helped with the cleanup effort. When COVID-19 struck, Northfield’s compassion was effusive. Three local relief groups have been regularly providing food, clothing, masks, and volunteer support since.
Northfield has a deeply involved community. One group of volunteers secured a large grant to create a master plan for trails and pedestrian infrastructure. Another group successfully petitioned the Town to hire an Economic Development Director. On Valentine’s Day, an unidentified cohort plastered the town with pink hearts, spreading joy and love in bleak time of year. Our committed community has created a beautiful community.
Northfield has a vibrant local economy with engaged entrepreneurs. Northfield is the sock capital of the world, home to Darn Tough socks, an innovative textile company that keeps 100% of its manufacturing in Vermont. Northfield also has a state renowned coffee roaster and brewery. Our hills are full of craftspeople, artists, musicians, and farmers. With a population of only 6,200, we have over 200 small businesses that established roots in our town.
Northfield has an exceptional quality of life. We have four-season recreation, which includes hiking, paddling, fly fishing, skiing, and cycling. Northfield also has a robust agricultural community and a dedicated farmers market that supports local producers. Norwich University, a nationally renowned private military academy, offers Northfield unique cultural and continuing education opportunities.
How easy is it to live in your town without regular access to a car? What are some steps your town has taken—or is in the process of taking—to make it safer and easier to walk, bike, or use a wheelchair?
Northfield is a pedestrian-friendly town, and both the local government and its citizens are actively making improvements.
Vermont is a notoriously vehicle-centric state due to its geography and historic land use patterns, but Northfield has shown that no matter the prevailing circumstances, change is possible.
In the past ten years, we have made significant investments to our pedestrian infrastructure. Sidewalks and street lights have been upgraded, rectangular rapid flashing beacons (RRFBs) have been installed, and the Common, the heart of Northfield, was revitalized. It is easy for someone to safely walk to get a bite to eat, to pick up their prescriptions, and to hike in our 421-acre Town Forest.
Northfield’s dedicated citizens have also spearheaded projects that will increase pedestrian and bicycle access in town. The Northfield Ridge and River Routes group recently received a $90,000 grant in 2019 to create a master plan for pedestrian and recreation interconnectivity. An AARP Placemaking Demonstration Grant was received in 2019 to perform a pilot project connecting the village center to a park that was recently built on FEMA buyout properties. In 2018, the Northfield Promise Community received grant funding to build an accessible, educational community playground.
Northfield also has inter-town transportation options that allow residents without a car to move freely about the region and state. There are two bus routes that service Northfield. A weekday bus route services commuters five times a day, while a Wednesday route is dedicated to connecting residents to shopping centers. Additionally, there are a handful of taxi companies that serve Northfield.
What are some steps your town has taken—or is in the process of taking—to increase housing options and affordability?
Northfield was integral in the development of a 30-unit, elderly housing community on the bank of the scenic Dog River. The Town assisted with the cleanup of the site, once a former industrial operation.
In 2016, Northfield produced an Area Wide Plan that studied how brownfield sites can be developed into affordable, pedestrian-friendly, “live-work” residential communities. Our 2020 Town Plan defines concrete goals for housing, such as diversifying the housing stock, improving affordability, and promoting compact, walkable neighborhoods.
Northfield has also structured its zoning bylaws to encourage housing diversity and affordability. Our high-density zoning district promotes efficient use of land and affordable housing development. We also have adopted “Planned Unit Development” into our bylaws, with the purpose of encouraging innovative, compact, mixed-use residential development that is premised on affordability, walkability, environmental conservation, and efficiency.
At Strong Towns, we believe that financial solvency is a prerequisite for long-term prosperity. What steps has your community taken to ensure its financial security? How do local leaders adequately do the math on new investments proposed in your town to ensure that they’ll be able to afford them now and afford their maintenance in the future?
The Town of Northfield has a proven track record of financial solvency and of wise investment strategy. The Town develops and implements a comprehensive and realistic capital planning and budget process to fund most of its capital projects and equipment purchases. These projects and purchases are fastidiously evaluated every year, and Town officials work hard to find a balance between new investments and maintaining old infrastructure.
The debt load for capital projects and equipment, for which loans or bonds are obtained, is at an amount that is easily absorbed by the taxpayers and/or utility ratepayers through low and manageable rate increases. Northfield manages its own electrical supply, governed by the Northfield Electric Department, which allows the Town to ensure fair rates and rate increases. Northfield is one of the only small municipalities in Vermont that manages its own electric supply, and as such, we have some of the lowest rates in the state.
In 2014, the Town and Village of Northfield merged, which consolidated services and staff under one budget, thereby increasing efficiency and financial solvency.
Lastly, the Town of Northfield ensures the wisest use of taxpayer dollars by hiring high quality staff and performing an annual audit. The Town firmly believes that it is vital to subscribe to the highest levels of transparency in order to cultivate a trusting relationship with our taxpayers.
At Strong Towns, we believe that local government is a platform for strong citizens to collaboratively build a prosperous place. How are residents in your town involved in shaping its future? How do residents’ experiences, struggles and concerns directly inform the projects undertaken by local government? Provide one or more examples.
Northfield residents have been the driving force in attaining a brighter future. Community groups have been directly responsible for the recent hiring of an Economic Development Director, the purchase of a local mountain summit, the purchase and revitalization of a historic school house, the development of a Promise Community playground, and the development of a pedestrian interconnectivity master plan, just to name a few recent examples.
One would think our Town was much larger due to our impressive network of volunteer organizations that are collaboratively building Northfield into a more prosperous community. This includes the Ridge and River Routes group, the Northfield Community Development Network, the Mutual Aid Task Force, the Community Emergency Relief Volunteers, Common Connections, Rotary, emergency services volunteers, and all the different municipal boards and commissions.
In recent years, the Northfield Community Development Network has hosted an annual “Night on the Common” that invited every nonprofit group in Northfield to “meet and greet” with local residents. The event is designed to celebrate the resiliency and empathy of our community, and provide families with an evening of fun on the town common.
One example of residents’ experiences, struggles and concerns directly informing the initiatives of the local government relates to the
racial justice movement. The Northfield Equity Awareness and Justice Group held an outdoor book discussion in October on the book The Hate U Give. Another book discussion was held between key members of the group, police officers, and members of the Select Board. That same month, the Northfield Select Board formally adopted a statement supporting the mission of Black Lives Matter.
How is your town proactively making it possible for more people to get outdoors safely during the pandemic?
Northfield is fortunate to have bountiful recreational assets, many that are within walking distance. Our Town has focused on increasing the promotion of our outdoor opportunities to members of the community, as some of these resources are not well known. For instance, we have been promoting the Town forest and its trails, and have recently secured grant funding to study trailhead accessibility and parking.
Our local library has held a series of self-led Storywalks that encourage children to explore local parks and trails. Additionally, in response to a survey indicating that people were lonely and bored in their homes, the library hosted an outdoor puzzle swap.
The Northfield Farmers Market quickly adapted to social distancing guidelines and through perseverance and ingenuity, was able to safely hold an outdoor farmers market throughout the entire growing season. Not only did this provide an opportunity to be outdoors, it also supported local growers and increased the availability of healthy foods.
In Spring of 2020, adults and kids submitted art for the Uplift Northfield Art Walk (a Mutual Aid Task Force and Common Connections collaboration). Art was hung in several businesses as well as spread throughout a local park for walkers to stroll by and feel connected to the community during the time when we had to stay home and stay safe.
How is your town proactively helping local businesses and entrepreneurs during the pandemic? Describe how you are providing flexibility for small businesses and entrepreneurs to adapt and innovate.
Northfield quickly recognized that the pandemic was going to be especially hard on our local eateries, and for the summer of 2020, assisted three local businesses with converting eight on-street parking spots into a temporary parklet for patrons to eat and drink outdoors.
Many individual citizens have made it a policy to support local businesses in preference to shopping online, and local restaurants have benefitted from individuals' decision to buy local take-out food at least weekly, for the express purpose of supporting these local businesses.
Additionally, as a way to support businesses during the holiday season, the Town developed and promoted a website that showcased businesses that were offering gifts and gift certificates.
Northfield just received a grant to dramatically increase outdoor eating opportunities this coming year. The grant will enable the Town to purchase evening lighting and outdoor furniture for our Common, an area that is within walking distance to most of our local eateries. These improvements will encourage patrons to visit their favorite businesses and dine safely.
Northfield is currently in the process of establishing a revolving loan fund to provide a line of credit to local entrepreneurs. This loan fund will provide flexible capital to small businesses as they adapt and innovate.
The Northfield Farmers Market has provided tremendous support to local producers during the pandemic, and went a step further by creating an online winter market that has successfully connected customers to producers.
The Town of Northfield’s Select Board and Town Manager worked hard to attenuate any increase in the municipal tax rate. This included the deferment of purchases, and a temporary delay on non-essential investments.
How are you measuring success and progress during this pandemic? What metrics tell you that your community is thriving and what metrics have helped you see where people are struggling?
The Northfield Community Emergency Relief Volunteers (CERV) organization monitors the use of its weekly (or emergency) food shelf as well as requests for Christmas dinner packages, and has expanded its offerings in response to unemployment increases. Specifically, CERV keeps track of the number of family members using the clothing shelf and food pantry, looking at age, total number of visits, articles of clothing selected, and meals requested. This data gives the Town of Northfield the ability to see how people are struggling, and to what magnitude.
The minimal response to Northfield’s Mutual Aid Task Force's offerings of children's cold weather gear to the community indicates that the very busy and well-stocked CERV clothing shelf is supplying the need adequately. Coats, hats, and boots not distributed were brought to the elementary school nurse, who gives them to children who appear to need a little extra.
The Mutual Aid Task Force circulated surveys to monitor the needs of the community during COVID—electronically through popular social media platforms, and through phone calls and paper surveys distributed locally. The Task Force then responded to the expressed needs through phone contacts, and matched volunteer efforts with those who were struggling.
Northfield is measuring success and progress during the pandemic through the sheer number of local volunteers that are stepping up to assist the community in a time of need. Our data on financial donations, food and clothing donations, and volunteer hours are a powerful indication that our community is thriving, that we have a unyielding foundation of compassion that will ensure the well-being of Northfield residents now and in the future. We are a town built of love.