ALSO IN THIS ISSUE OAK FOREST, IL • SCUGOG, ON • TOMS RIVER REGIONAL SCHOOLS DEC 2025 VOL 06 BUSINESS VIEW CIVIL & MUNICIPAL CHARLES FENNER, CITY MANAGER BUILDING A CITY CENTER BALCH SPRINGS, TX Farro’s Tees The American Way Pg. 361
WWW.BUSINESSVIEWMAGAZINE.COM Email for all inquiries: info@businessviewmagazine.com 2422 Palm Ridge Road, Suite 820 Sanibel FL, 33957 239.220.5554 CONTACT US TITLE SPONSORS GREAT NEWS! Business View Publishing was named to the 2020 Inc. 5000 list of America’s Fastest-Growing Private Companies! Read the press release Editor in Chief Karen Surca Research Directors Paul Payne Brendan McElroy Thomas Hiley Chad Loveless Jessica Zaneis Dylan Tenbrink Clementine Walton Caroline Verner Javier Robles Contributing Writers Andrew Macfarlane Michelle Mahoney Brett Anningson Caroline Verner-Hiley Al Krulick Ian Gyan Dan Marcharia Veronica Enair Vice President of Production Jared Ali Director of Administration Michelle Siewah Director of Marketing Nora Saliken Digital Strategist Jon Bartlow Art Director Renée Yearwood Managing Director Alexander Wynne-Jones COO Matthew Mitchell Executive Publisher / CEO Marcus VandenBrink 1 CIVIL AND MUNICIPAL VOLUME 06, ISSUE 12
EDITOR’S NOTES Dear Readers, Candy Canes, holiday lights and warm cups of coco are swirling around in the heads of children across North America as school lets out and the holidays officially begin. Families are busy preparing for the holiday season and decorations line the stores and offices from coast to coast. We are also just a breath away from a new year. Many companies and organizations, numerous municipalities, and the airports serving communities across the continent, are wrapping up the 2025 calendar year, taking stock while firmly looking ahead to what the next fiscal year will bring. Just as jolly old St Nick will be filling countless stockings, the new year calendar will also be filled with new projects, innovation and initiatives that will ensure success well into 2026 and beyond. December’s issue landed at Thunderbay International Airport for an in depth view of this dynamic aviation hub. We had the opportunity to speak at length with the Airport Director regarding the role it plays as gateway to the north and the pride it takes in serving the region both on the commercial and general aviation side. Airports are not the only ones taking flight, municipalities throughout North America are also flying at impressive altitudes. Each municipality is putting its residents first and are busy implementing master plans that range from downtown street scapes to offering a choice of amenities and new business options as we gear up to 2026. This issue brings you profile features of Balch Springs, Texas, Bernardsville, New Jersey, Bristol, Virginia, Covington, Louisiana, Gulfport, Mississippi, London, Ohio, Taylor, Texas, Sturbridge, Massachusetts, Fairview, Tennessee and Erie County, Ohio. We discovered that from coast to coast, and everywhere in between, city officials are doing what is needed to ensure top housing, business and infrastructure projects reflect a progressive path ahead. Turning to business growth, we also covered impressive and fast-growing companies and organizations,including Detroit Athletic Club, DMC Group, Central National Bank, G70 International, High Tech Pools, Mountain Cabin & Home Builders, Orbital Engineering, Union County Transportation and Vintage Bank. These companies continue to demonstrate leadership, innovation and produce noteworthy projects to expand their business foothold . Our December issue also continues to bring you our popular school district series. We had the opportunity to sit down with school officials from several leading school districts to discuss the pivot to the changing demands of the economy and their innovative approaches to ensure students are college and career-ready while always being put first. We spoke with Alexandria Community School Corporation, Bellville Independent School District, Berrien Springs Public Schools, Brevard County Public Schools, Chester County School District, Cranbury School District, Dickinson Independent School District, Fort McMurrey Public School Division, Haverhill School District, Ingleside Independent School District, Mount Sinai School District, Roselle Public Schools, Southern Wells Community Schools, Vance County Schools and Uvalde Consolidated Independent School District among other top school districts. All of these educational powerhouse are providing students with hands-on educational opportunities and real-world experiences as they proudly serve their communities. As we continue to bring you leading sector and industryfocused features, we will keep a keen eye on current economic developments and business readiness to provide the best business view. Happy Holidays from Business View Publishing! We hope you are fortunate to be able to spend time with family and friends and soak up every moment of this very special time of year. Karen Surca Editor in Chief 2 CIVIL AND MUNICIPAL VOLUME 06, ISSUE 12
CITY VIEW 19 BALCH SPRINGS, TX Building a City Center 29 TAYLOR, TX A City on the Rise 39 BERNARDSVILLE, NJ A Legacy of Community in 2025 49 VIRGINIA ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT PARTNERSHIP Partnering to Bolster Economic Growth throughout Virginia 55 BRISTOL, VA Building an Innovation Economy on Country Music’s Birthplace VOLUME 06, ISSUE 12 COVER BALCH SPRINGS, TX 2 EDITOR’S NOTES 7 OPENING LINES 69 COVINGTON, LA Historic Heart, Modern Momentum 79 ERIE COUNTY, OH A Thriving County’s Economic Future Beyond Tourism 93 LONDON, OH Growing with Purpose 103 FAIRVIEW, TN Smart, Strategic Growth 113 GULFPORT, MS The Rebirth of a Coastal City 123 OAK FOREST, IL Revitalizing from Within 133 PEA RIDGE, AR A Stand Alone City with Much to Offer 143 SCUGOG, ON Building Balance 153 STURBRIDGE, MA Charming, Scenic and a Great Place to Call Home BRISTOL, VA ERIE COUNTY, OH 55 79 3 CIVIL AND MUNICIPAL VOLUME 06, ISSUE 12
GO-TO COLLECTION WHEREVER YOU PLAY
VOLUME 06, ISSUE 12 EDUCATION 165 ALEXANDRIA COMMUNITY SCHOOL CORPORATION Every Student, Every Day 175 BELLVILLE ISD Cultivating Curiosity 185 BERRIEN SPRINGS PUBLIC SCHOOLS Individual Educational Plans 195 BREVARD COUNTY PUBLIC SCHOOLS Preparing Students for Liftoff 209 CHESTER COUNTY SCHOOL DISTRICT Deep Roots, Bright Futures 219 CRANBURY SCHOOL DISTRICT At the Heart of the Community 229 DICKINSON ISD Shaping Student Success: The Gator Way 239 FORT MCMURRAY PUBLIC SCHOOL DIVISION Resilient by Design 249 GOOSE CREEK CONSOLIDATED INDEPENDENT SCHOOL DISTRICT Innovating Education and Growing Giants GOOSE CREEK CONSOLIDATED INDEPENDENT SCHOOL DISTRICT DICKINSON ISD 249 229 259 HAVERHILL PUBLIC SCHOOLS Meeting Every Child Where They Are 269 INGLESIDE ISD Innovation Meets Family 279 MOUNT SINAI UNION FREE SCHOOL DISTRICT Balancing Tradition with Workforce Transformation on Long Island’s North Shore 297 NORTHBROOK SCHOOL DISTRICT 27 Educating Students to Succeed in a Changing World 307 ROSELLE PUBLIC SCHOOLS Shift & Transcend 5 CIVIL AND MUNICIPAL VOLUME 06, ISSUE 12
The articles in this publication are for information purposes only. Business View Publishing assumes no liability or responsibility for any inaccurate, delayed, or incomplete information, nor for any actions taken in reliance thereon. The information contained about each individual or organization has been provided by such individual or organization without verification by us. The opinion expressed in each article is that of its author and does not necessarily reflect the opinion of Business View Publishing. 317 SOUTHERN WELLS COMMUNITY SCHOOLS Small School, Big Impact: Building Character 327 SPARTANBURG SCHOOL DISTRICT THREE A District that Wants to “Be the Change” 337 STOUGHTON AREA SCHOOL DISTRICT Literacy, Math, and Belonging 347 TENAFLY PUBLIC SCHOOLS Elevating Engagement 357 TOMS RIVER REGIONAL SCHOOLS Entrepreneurial by Nature 371 TULOSO-MIDWAY ISD Forging Pathways for Every Learner 381 UVALDE CONSOLIDATED INDEPENDENT SCHOOL DISTRICT Building Student Agency and Hope Three Years After Tragedy 391 VANCE COUNTY SCHOOLS Personalizing the Journey 401 WOODVILLE INDEPENDENT SCHOOL DISTRICT Small, Rural, and Mighty 411 YALE PUBLIC SCHOOLS The Bulldog Learning Legacy NORTHBROOK SCHOOL DISTRICT 27 SPARTANBURG SCHOOL DISTRICT THREE 297 327 6 CIVIL AND MUNICIPAL VOLUME 06, ISSUE 12
HOW DO CITIES ACCELERATE HOUSING? PARTNERSHIPS, LAND BUYING AND ZONING, EXPERTS SAY Source: www.smartcitiesdive.com, Ryan Kushner, Editor, First Published Dec 18th, 2025 Cities must be intentional about housing, a National League of Cities panel said. When Northrop Grumman announced it would expand operations in Utah and bring thousands of new jobs, many considered it a boon for the state. But when the company hired workers from outside the area, it soon became apparent that “we don’t have anywhere to put” them, Clearfield City, Utah, Mayor Mark Shepherd said during a housing accelerator panel at the National League of Cities City Summit 2025, held in Salt Lake City in November. Now the company’s employees are competing with Clearfield City residents for housing, Shepherd said. Housing is as important a part of community infrastructure “as high speed internet, as water, as sewer,” Shepherd said. “If we don’t have it and we don’t build it, we cannot attract jobs. We won’t be able to build that economic base.” How can communities balance the housing needs of both new and longtime residents? It’s all about intentionality, the panelists said. They described approaches including the following. Buy land. For Shepherd, purchasing land is a key piece of the housing puzzle.“If you can own the land, you have a huge stake in the game,” he said. Clearfield City began purchasing land to build smaller multifamily developments, such as townhomes, while leaders promised concerned residents that even greater density would not come to their neighborhoods.“We would be very structured about where we put it,” Shepherd said. Opening Lines 7 CIVIL AND MUNICIPAL VOLUME 06, ISSUE 12
enough to afford the market-rate housing,” Harris said. In Montgomery County, Maryland, new developments of 20 units or more must have 12.5% of their units reserved for low-income households.“So you create that income diversity and inclusivity,” Harris said. Avoid concentrating poverty. With funding from the state, Bridgeport, Connecticut, is in the process of rebuilding public housing that was demolished in the 1990s and early 2000s, according to Deputy Chief of Staff Constance Vickers. Instead of concentrating the housing in one place, the city is building it into mixed-income communities to promote greater economic diversity and all of the additional public infrastructure amenities that come with it. Use zoning. While the housing crisis seems to be spinning out of control,zoning is a mechanism cities can flex to stabilize it, the panelists said. Bridgeport, a city of only 16 square miles, has limited space. Changing its zoning to allow for school and office conversions into housing has helped move it toward its goal of adding 6,000 housing units by 2030, Vickers said. “We are a densely populated city, but we’re really tiny, so we have to make use of all our land,”Vickers said. Find partners. “Often [housing] developers have to be incentivized” to construct affordable or low-income housing, Harris said. “Most market-rate developers don’t know anything about affordable housing and vice versa.” Only a handful of companies do both, she noted. “Partnerships are crucial. You can’t do this on your own,” said Shepherd.“That developer has to be your partner.” Bridgeport is coordinating with several developers that are flipping properties. It also purchased a dilapidated mobile home park and found a development partner that would construct low-income housing there, Shepherd said.The result was a development with 50% low-income housing and 50% market-rate housing. All the housing is identical, according to Shepherd. “You would never know the difference driving down the street,” he said. “My residents look at it and go,‘Wow, this can change the city, and it’s great.’” Safeguard affordability. Vonnette Harris, a Marylandbased housing development coordinator, agreed that proactively buying land can be an effective strategy. Another is to create or expand incentives and tax credits. While affordable housing tax credits traditionally go to people who make 60% of the area median income, Maryland sets them aside for households with up to 80% AMI.“That touch … those young professionals that technically make too much to qualify for low-income housing but don’t make 8 CIVIL AND MUNICIPAL VOLUME 06, ISSUE 12
OPENING LINES AS EPA MOVES TO FAST-TRACK DATA CENTERS, SOME CITIES ARE MOVING TO SLOW THEM DOWN Source: www.smartcitiesdive.com, Robyn Griggs Lawrence, Editor, First Published Dec 17th, 2025 The EPA is streamlining the Clean Air Act permitting to accelerate development. Will local communities pay the price? Tech companies are investing billions of dollars to build data centers to train and run AI platforms. President Donald Trump on Thursday signed an executive order forbidding state AI laws that conflict with his administration’s AI-forward policies and threatening to restrict federal funding if their laws are found to be burdensome.That order follows one Trump signed in January calling for a national AI action plan “to sustain and enhance America’s global AI dominance.” EPA Administrator Lee Zeldin announced in July that the EPA was “committed to increasing certainty in the permitting process that is crucial to securing power demand for data centers” and partnering with state, local, and tribal air-quality agencies to promote “ways for Americans to invest and develop AI domestically.” EPA is updating Clean Air Act rules requiring companies to “maintain proper pollution control” that it says “have not been updated to reflect technological advancements of the 21st century,” according to last week’s press release. “EPA is diligently working to eliminate burdensome regulations and ensure data centers and related facilities can be built in the U.S. as we Power the Great American Comeback,”Zeldin said in a statement 9 CIVIL AND MUNICIPAL VOLUME 06, ISSUE 12
announced Thursday that they are opening an investigation into “alarming reports that tech companies are passing on the costs of building and operating their data centers to ordinary Americans as AI data centers’ energy usage has caused residential electricity bills to skyrocket in nearby communities.” “City leaders are faced with significant challenges when data centers decide to locate in their communities, because the data centers themselves are so resource-intensive, both in terms of energy and water usage, it can be challenging for a municipality to actually evaluate and understand the full impacts of what permitting that data center in their community might be,” Walsh said. Walsh said Trump’s executive order “doesn’t do anything to prevent local communities from exercising their existing powers” to enact moratoriums on building new data centers in their jurisdictions. Local governments are beginning to push back. In November, the Board of Supervisors in Hazle Township, Pennsylvania, unanimously rejected a land application that would have enabled a data center campus. Phoenix and Portland, Oregon, have signed a global initiative to address the environmental and community impact of data centers in their communities. “AI and advanced computation have transformational potential, but communities need basic standards and transparency to ensure the infrastructure that supports them is developed in a way that benefits local residents,” Phoenix Mayor Kate Gallego said in a statement. announcing the new website. The website furthers two core pillars of that initiative: making the U.S. the AI capital of the world and “advancing cooperative federalism,” according to the press release. In their letter to Congress, the environmental organizations stated that tripling the number of data centers in the next five years would require as much electricity as about 30 million households, as much water as about 18.5 million households and contribute to escalating electricity costs. Bloomberg reported in September that wholesale power costs as much as 267% more than it did five years ago in areas near data centers. U.S. Senators Elizabeth Warren, D-Mass., Chris Van Hollen, D-Md., and Richard Blumenthal, D-Conn., 10 CIVIL AND MUNICIPAL VOLUME 06, ISSUE 12
LOCAL GOVERNMENTS NEED TO STEP UP AS FEMA’S FUTURE REMAINS UNCERTAIN, EXPERTS SAY OPENING LINES Source: www.smartcitiesdive.com, Robyn Griggs Lawrence, Editor, First Published Dec 16th, 2025 The upheaval in emergency management could ultimately strengthen a long-overlooked profession, former FEMA leaders said Monday during a Carnegie Institute panel. On Monday, the Carnegie Institute convened a panel of Federal Emergency Management Agency experts to talk about the agency’s future based on a highly anticipated FEMA Review Council report that was to be released last week. But after the abrupt cancellation of the meeting where that report was to be discussed Thursday, “we’re really left without a vision and without leadership about the way forward,” said Sarah Labowitz, the panel’s moderator. “There was this feeling last week that the bottom had just kind of dropped out,” Labowitz, a senior fellow in Carnegie’s Sustainability, Climate and Geopolitics Program, said.“People are hungry for clarity and for leadership.” Without the report, which former FEMA administrator Pete Gaynor described as a“North Star,”the emergency management community remains in limbo. Will staff continue to be cut? Will responsibility for disaster preparation and response shift to cities and states? Could the Fixing Emergency Management for Americans Act under consideration in the U.S. House of Representatives provide the reform and direction the community seeks? “Where it leaves us now, at the end of the year, is still just wondering what is going to be next, what is going to be the future of FEMA as we go forward,” said former FEMA administrator Deanne Criswell.“It just leaves so much uncertainty as states and locals are trying to plan for their next year, as well as the federal government trying to plan for their budget.” At the state and local level, Gaynor said, “everyone is just kind of holding their breath about making major investments.” “It stifles innovation,” he said. “It stifles hiring.” “A BRIGHT LIGHT” Meanwhile, disasters continue to happen. “There’s never a dull day at FEMA,” Gaynor said. “There’s always something going on.” So, in the midst of all the disarray at the federal level, local governments need to pick up the slack, the panelists said. “We have not yet seen enough conversation about 11 CIVIL AND MUNICIPAL VOLUME 06, ISSUE 12
we’re trying to achieve, and that’s to help the people that have been impacted by disasters,”Aymond said. State and city officials were rightfully nervous about making waves as it became clear that the Trump administration was determined to radically change FEMA, said Criswell.“Policy actually started changing rapidly. Then we moved into the next phase, which was staff turnover that started happening in the spring. And then by summertime, we saw regional administrators changing positions that had been in those positions for over 10 years and more.” The bright spot in all that turmoil, Criswell said, is that emergency management, which has “been kind of an unsung profession,” is taking the spotlight.“I’m personally thrilled to see emergency management get this much attention and have so much analysis on it. It brings a bright light to the future.” “EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT WILL BE STRONGER” “Over the last year, we’ve seen a lot of unnecessary anxiety and a level of uncertainty, especially among FEMA employees and emergency managers across the country,” said former FEMA Chief of Staff Michael Coen. “FEMA is at a crossroads, but everybody in emergency management — these are the times we train for,” Coen said.“So, I do think that, in the end, emergency management will be stronger.” Emergency managers’ work “matters more profoundly now than ever,” Gaynor said. He urged them to set aside headlines and politics so they can focus on delivering help to disaster survivors, “the ultimate measuring stick.” “Stay steady, stay compassionate and stay missionfocused,” he said. “And really, thank you for serving, especially in these really, really hard days.” the budgetary and legislative capacities that states are going to need to develop to fill the gap,” Labowitz said. “There’s been a lot of conversation over this last year about pushing more responsibility down to the state and the local level,” said Danielle Aymond, disaster recovery and FEMA funding specialist at law firm Baker Donelson. “But let’s be clear, the states and the locals have always had the responsibility. That has not changed, and whatever happens here, that will not change.” Local governments should focus on partnerships — between local agencies, the private sector and the federal government — “to accomplish the goal that 12 CIVIL AND MUNICIPAL VOLUME 06, ISSUE 12
OPENING LINES BELLEVUE, WASHINGTON, WANTS FASTER PERMITTING. CAN AI HELP? Source: www.smartcitiesdive.com, Ryan Kushner, Editor, First Published Dec 16th, 2025 As the housing crisis rages on, cities are testing artificial intelligence to improve permitting processes. Earlier this year, the city of Bellevue, Washington, turned to artificial intelligence to help monitor pedestrian safety in an effort to cut down on traffic accidents.The tech hub is also employing AI to meet another goal: speeding up permitting. In partnership with Govstream.ai, Bellevue is aiming to reduce its pre-application inquiries by 30% and cut application resubmissions in half using the Seattle-based company’s AI tools. “This partnership reflects our vision as a city where people want to be,” City Manager Diane Carlson said in an August announcement of the pilot program. “The initiative will help reduce the turnaround time and complexity of permit applications — an objective Bellevue has prioritized for several years. We think it will reduce headaches for residents and staff alike.” The three-phase pilot program includes 24/7 chatbots that can answer questions for city staff and provide real-time application guidance and reviews for applications. The parties believe the AI aid will free up city workers to focus on more complex issues. Govstream.ai’s PermitGuide tool provides parcelspecific guidance and can draft responses for city staff via email, web and voice based on the city’s codes and policies, according to the company, which called permitting “one of the first, most fixable levers in the housing crisis.” “Our goal is to give permit techs, planners, and reviewers an intelligent layer on top of the systems they already use, one that can reason over hundreds of pages of plans and regulations and surface the few things that really matter,” Govstream.ai founder and CEO Saf Rabah said in a recent press release. “That’s how cities move more homes and critical infrastructure from ‘submitted’ to ‘approved’ without burning people out on either side of the counter.” An update on the pilot program for the Bellevue Development Committee is scheduled for Jan. 14, 2026. Recent years have seen a wave of housing-starved local governments rushing to AI permitting tools that promise more efficiencies, including Los Angeles, Honolulu and Austin, Texas. Hernando County, Florida, this year incorporated AI into its zoning 13 CIVIL AND MUNICIPAL VOLUME 06, ISSUE 12
The effort is catching the eyes of investors, with Govstream.ai recently securing $3.6 million to grow its engineering team.The company said it is planning deployment into additional cities. review process, enabling it to trim the process from 30 days to two. “Cities are under intense pressure to add housing, support small businesses, and keep development sustainable, all while working inside permitting systems that were never really rethought for this moment,” Rabah said. 14 CIVIL AND MUNICIPAL VOLUME 06, ISSUE 12
OPENING LINES CONSIDER THESE TOOL CONTROL TIPS FOR SAFER AIRCRAFT MAINTENANCE Source: www.nbaa.org, Editor, First Published Nov/Dec 2025 Issue In the aircraft maintenance world, inadequate tool control procedures can potentially contribute to catastrophic consequences. The countless possibilities of worst-case scenarios that begin with misplaced tools or foreign object damage are why business aircraft maintenance technicians put a priority on ensuring their tool control procedures are top notch.That means carefully managing every tool in a flight operation. Traditionally, many aircraft maintenance operations have typically “shadowed” their technicians’ toolboxes at the company’s expense – in other words create custom foam inserts with precise cutouts (aka shadows) for each tool. These tools would be managed and tracked through periodic inventory actions. “Three years ago, we graduated to the Snap-on tool reclamation boxes which utilize a camera system in each drawer and inventory management software,” said Lee Bradshaw, director of technical operations for NBAA member Cox Enterprises. Currently, the Cox maintenance team deploys three Snap-on boxes, supplemented by several personal boxes. Sonic USA also has a version of built-in visual tool control with labels that identify two-color foam inlays that are cut with machines driven by precise computer software with one-to-one cavities, “so a missing tool is obvious at-a-glance,” said National Sales Manager Blake Burkett. This system is Ideal for pre- or post-job audits and for preventing foreign object damage (FOD), he said. Another control tactic is serialized, laser-etched tools and drawer maps. Every tool in a toolset has a unique laser-etched ID that is linked to a specific toolbox and technician.“This not only eliminates cross contamination of boxes and toolsets but also reduces FOD,” said Burkett. SPREADSHEETS AND SOFTWARE Not every system has to be sophisticated. NBAA member Joe Peebles, owner of Georgia-based JP Aerotechnics LLC, utilizes a simple spreadsheet system in conjunction with a maintenance software called Quantum. Notifications come out a month before the items are due to ensure tools do not run out of date. Additionally, the company also uses a floating set of tools that are calibrated and can drop into place when tools are pulled for calibration. ADVANCED TECHNOLOGIES AND SMART DRAWERS Other tool control systems involve specifically designed ecosystems.“At the core of Snap-on’s approach is its Level 5 Automated Tool Control ecosystem — an integrated family of hardware and software solutions that identify, track and secure every tool in real time,” said Joe Chwan, director, worldwide aerospace for NBAA member Snapon Industrial. Each Snap-on system uses advanced technologies, smart drawers and serialized inventory management to ensure every tool is accounted for before, during and after each task, Chwan said. The L5 Connect platform is designed to tie together all tool control data across facilities and geographies, enabling instant visibility, alerts and reporting on tool usage, calibration and FOD compliance. TOOL CALIBRATION AND AUDITING Not all tools are created equal.A maintainer must have the ability to audit and track the calibration of specific tools such as torque wrenches, micrometers and multimeters. 15 CIVIL AND MUNICIPAL VOLUME 06, ISSUE 12
3 KPIS TO REINFORCE ACCOUNTABILITY Sonic advises quarterly FOD/tool-control drills with timed “missing tool” scenarios and so-called “5S audits,” a systematic review methodology that focuses on five criteria: sort, set in order, shine, standardize and sustain. It’s also important to reinforce tool-control accountability by using key performance indicators, such as: • Measure lost-tool rate per 1,000 labor hours • Track audit pass percentage and average time-tolocate • Capture monthly tools in-calibration exception count ALIGN THESE 3 PILLARS OF TOOL CONTROL Continuous improvement is the baseline of aircraft maintenance, and tool control is no different. According to Chwan, the most successful flight operations start by aligning three pillars: 1. Culture: Define and reinforce a “no-exceptions” mindset around tool accountability. 2. Process: Standardize tool issue, return, calibration and inspection steps. 3. Technology: Deploy right-sized control systems, from the basic custom foam inserts and shadow boards to fully automated aircraft tool control systems with enterprise data integration. Drawer shadowing, inventory spreadsheets, camera systems and tracking software are all hugely beneficial. However, at the end of the day, “each individual is responsible for managing their own tools,” said Bradshaw. It is imperative that every technician and quality control inspector remains vigilant when it comes to tool reclamation “so much so that it eventually becomes ingrained in the aircraft return-to-service process.” ‘ABSOLUTE BEST’ TOOL INVENTORY METHOD “The shadowed toolbox is probably the absolute best way to do a personal tool inventory,” said Peebles, a 2022 NBAA Business Aviation Top 40 Under 40 Award recipient. When fatigue sets in, the ability to glance at the shadowed toolbox is easy. But if a tool is not present in its shadowed spot, it is easily recognized as missing, he said. The bottom line is, whether you’re using a complex system or a simple method, a safe and effective aircraft maintenance tool program boils down to diligence, vigilance and personal accountability. At Cox, each technician has a periphery duty, including tool calibration. The individual assigned to tool calibration uses the same maintenance control software program that is deployed for the aircraft (Computerized Aircraft Maintenance Program, aka CAMP). Along with managing calibration with exceptional accuracy, it is front and center every time there is a status check on the aircraft. TRACKING TOOLS WITH RFID TECHNOLOGY Radio-frequency identification (RFID) “is one of many enabling technologies – but only when integrated thoughtfully into a complete system,” said Chwan. Snapon has developed hybrid approaches that combine RFID, machine vision, digital imaging, electronic locks and database traceability to suit different environments and tool types. The key is not simply tracking tools but connecting that data into workflow systems that improve decision-making, reduce downtime and strengthen compliance. 16 CIVIL AND MUNICIPAL VOLUME 06, ISSUE 12
city view INTERNATIONAL CITY/COUNTY MANAGEMENT ASSOCIATION (ICMA) ONLINE ARTICLE INTERNATIONAL ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT COUNCIL ONLINE ARTICLE TEXAS MUNICIPAL LEAGUE ONLINE ARTICLE CAREER & TECHNICAL ASSOCIATION OF TEXAS ONLINE ARTICLE MARYLAND DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE ONLINE ARTICLE NEW JERSEY ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT AUTHORITY (NJEDA) ONLINE ARTICLE TEXAS ASSOCIATION OF BUILDERS (TAB) ONLINE ARTICLE FLORIDA SCHOOL BOARD ASSOCIATION ONLINE ARTICLE CAREER TECH NEW JERSEY (CTNJ) ONLINE ARTICLE ASSOCIATION OF FLORIDA COMMUNITY DEVELOPERS ONLINE ARTICLE TAYLOR, TX A CITY ON THE RISE BERNARDSVILLE, NJ A LEGACY OF COMMUNITY IN 2025 BALCH SPRINGS, TX BUILDING A CITY CENTER VIRGINIA ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT PARTNERSHIP PARTNERING TO BOLSTER ECONOMIC GROWTH THROUGHOUT VIRGINIA BRISTOL, VA BUILDING AN INNOVATION ECONOMY ON COUNTRY MUSIC’S BIRTHPLACE 17 CIVIL AND MUNICIPAL VOLUME 06, ISSUE 12
COVINGTON, LA HISTORIC HEART, MODERN MOMENTUM ERIE COUNTY, OH A THRIVING COUNTY’S ECONOMIC FUTURE BEYOND TOURISM GULFPORT, MS THE REBIRTH OF A COASTAL CITY STURBRIDGE, MA CHARMING, SCENIC AND A GREAT PLACE TO CALL HOME LONDON, OH GROWING WITH PURPOSE PEA RIDGE, AR A STAND ALONE CITY WITH MUCH TO OFFER SCUGOG, ON BUILDING BALANCE FAIRVIEW, TN SMART, STRATEGIC GROWTH OAK FOREST, IL REVITALIZING FROM WITHIN 18 CIVIL AND MUNICIPAL VOLUME 06, ISSUE 12
BUILDING A C BALCH SPRINGS, TX AT A GLANCE BACH SPRINGS, TEXAS WHAT: A n historic and dynamic municipality with development that signals growth that lies ahead WHERE: Texas, USA WEBSITE: www.balchspringstx.gov CATALYZING MIXED-USE GROWTH, INFR 19 CIVIL AND MUNICIPAL VOLUME 06, ISSUE 12
CITY CENTER RASTRUCTURE, AND MOMENTUM Fifteen minutes from the towers of downtown Dallas, Balch Springs sits at a strategic crossroads—literally. Three major highways—I-20, I-635, and US175—slice through the city’s footprint, carrying commuters and customers between Dallas and the booming southeast corridor anchored by Kaufman County, one of the fastest-growing counties in America. Mayor Taylor calls Balch Springs the “gateway” to that growth—and the city is moving quickly to capture more of it at home. Guided by a newly adopted 2050 Comprehensive Plan and a detailed Elam Road City Center Plan, Balch Springs is transitioning from a passthrough community to a destination—layering mixed-use development, refreshed infrastructure, 20 CIVIL AND MUNICIPAL VOLUME 06, ISSUE 12
and a civic campus into an emerging downtown corridor designed for walkability, convenience, and community life. “With the City Center in motion, we’re bringing housing, retail, trails, and civic services together in one place,” says the city’s Senior Director for Business & Capital (Economic Development, Planning & Zoning, and Capital Improvement Planning). “The public feedback has been overwhelmingly positive, and the first projects are already moving from zoning to planning and permitting.” A DOWNTOWN BY DESIGN The Elam Road City Center Plan—adopted this spring after a year-long corridor study—establishes four “character areas” that will anchor the downtown experience: A focus on a Town Center – a pedestrianforward hub that blends ground-floor retail and restaurants with upper-floor residential, creating a Gateway Corridor – a welcoming, highly visible entry sequence that signals arrival, looking towards an Infill Town Area – targeted sites for mixed-use and civic infill to knit assets together and creative Civic Uses – a consolidated government campus that brings dispersed services into one accessible place. Early momentum is tangible. This spring, City Council approved mixed-use rezoning within the corridor, enabling a blend of single-family homes, townhomes, and retail. The developer is now moving through planning, advancing a five-to-ten-year phasing horizon that will populate the district with residents, everyday conveniences, and green public spaces. City Manager Charles Fenner frames it as equal parts placemaking and practicality.“We’re creating a place people choose to go—because they can take care of business, meet friends, and enjoy open space in one trip. As we get the streets right—new lighting, turn lanes, traffic flow—it invites the buildings to follow.” INFRASTRUCTURE FIRST: WATER, SEWER, STREETS, AND SPEED Balch Springs has pursued a “maintenance-plus” approach: fix what’s aging and expand capacity where growth is coming. Water and sewer systems have seen pipe-bursting upgrades and a forthcoming water/sewer master plan update to align capacity 21 CIVIL AND MUNICIPAL VOLUME 06, ISSUE 12 BALCH SPRINGS, TX
22 CIVIL AND MUNICIPAL VOLUME 06, ISSUE 12
with target development areas. On the city’s east side, Balch Springs partnered with Mesquite on a sewer flow realignment and capacity project, with additional phases scheduled to keep pace with residential expansion. On the mobility side, the city collaborates with TxDOT, Dallas County, and the North Central Texas Council of Governments (NCTCOG) on access improvements— including frontage roads and internal connectors that link neighborhoods to the highway network. Inside the City Center, the focus tightens to complete streets design: safer turns, new signalization, and pedestrian comfort to support storefronts and civic destinations. Connectivity isn’t just about roads. The city is mapping opportunities to strengthen high-speed internet coverage as part of its capital planning— recognizing that online reliability is now a core business and quality-of-life utility. INCENTIVES, PARTNERSHIPS, AND A 173ACRE WIN Delivering the City Center and corridor upgrades requires a toolkit as diverse as the projects themselves. Balch Springs is positioning a Tax Increment Reinvestment Zone (TIRZ) to help fund infrastructure, a Public Improvement District (PID) for long-term maintenance, and targeted economic development incentives through its Type A and Type B boards—ranging from infrastructure participation to performance-based sales tax support. One recent success highlights how the city blends public-private collaboration with regional alignment. On a 173-acre tract—once jointly owned with a neighboring locality and off the tax rolls for decades— the city led an RFP process to secure a master-plan developer. Proceeds flowed back to the original landowner, while Balch Springs brought the site back to taxable life. Early phases are delivering quality housing, with retail and restaurant components 23 CIVIL AND MUNICIPAL VOLUME 06, ISSUE 12 BALCH SPRINGS, TX
queued up to follow—creating the essential resident base to justify destination retail along I-20. “It’s a win-win,” the city’s economic development lead explains. “The county and state partners helped us with corridor and intersection improvements. Now a long-dormant site is generating property tax and— soon—sales tax, while adding the rooftops retailers want to see.” FROM PASS-THROUGH TO PULL-OVER The highways that once whisked traffic past Balch Springs are becoming the city’s biggest asset. With I-20, I-635, and US-175 converging inside city limits, location is a differentiator for logistics users, light industrial, and business park prospects seeking regional reach and labor access. The city is working active acreage along these corridors with willing landowners to recruit higher-value uses—from destination retail to high-employment commercial. Mayor Taylor points to a simple sales pitch with a big impact: “From Balch Springs, you can be in downtown Dallas or out again in about 15 minutes—and that’s compelling. Our goal is to capture spending from commuters heading home and welcome those coming in.The gateway strategy is about putting the right offerings in the right places so people choose to stop.” A WALKABLE “SMALL-TOWN NEXT TO THE BIG CITY” Even as the market accelerates, city leaders are careful to preserve what residents love. Balch Springs maintains a small-town feel—where neighbors often know one another—and the City Center is designed to amplify, not erase, that community DNA. Plans call for green commons, trail connections, and eventfriendly spaces tied to existing anchors like the library and civic center—all within steps of new City Hall, police, and courts, consolidated into a modern campus. 24 CIVIL AND MUNICIPAL VOLUME 06, ISSUE 12
The city’s active community events calendar will benefit from the new setting: more walkable streets, safer crossings, and a retail mix tuned to “grab-andgo” convenience and boutique variety. As the City Center fills in, residents will be able to live upstairs and walk downstairs to coffee, lunch, fitness, and services—keeping daily life local. SUSTAINABILITY WITH A BUSINESS CASE: EV CHARGING AND BEYOND Sustainability is showing up in Balch Springs in pragmatic ways—tied to funding and feasibility.The city is exploring EV charging stations through grants and private-sector partnerships. As Mayor Taylor notes, one developer group has floated a model to fund installation in collaboration with the utility (Oncor), then revenue-share with the host—precisely the kind of deal the city favors. City Manager Fenner says the team is ready to structure developer agreements that align public and private contributions on each project—reducing “red tape” and clarifying expectations up front. The city has already standardized these agreements across recent developments to streamline approvals and keep infrastructure responsibilities transparent. 25 CIVIL AND MUNICIPAL VOLUME 06, ISSUE 12 BALCH SPRINGS, TX
while business park and destination retail efforts along the highways continue to mature. Each deal flows through a refined development process designed to welcome high-quality partners and keep projects moving. WHY BALCH SPRINGS, WHY NOW? There are many compelling reasons to choose Bach Springs a great place to put down roots and the Mayor pinpoints some of the more tangible ones when asked to look ahead to the municipality’s growth ahead. He lists; location advantages: Three highways, 15 minutes to downtown Dallas, and proximity to the nation’s fastest-growing county, plan-led growth: A 2050 Comprehensive Plan and a corridorspecific City Center blueprint guide decisions and investment, infrastructure in motion: Water, sewer, and mobility capacity are being modernized in step with development as well as Bach Spring’s PublicPrivate Alignment. THE 18-MONTH OUTLOOK: STREETS, SITEWORK, AND A CIVIC ANCHOR Asked to define the near-term horizon, Mayor Taylor returns to fundamentals: “Get the streets right first— lighting, turn lanes, traffic flow—so the buildings can follow.” With several roadway projects already approved, the city expects to advance City Center sitework, kick off early vertical components, and continue the neighborhood-facing water/sewer improvements that sustain growth. On the private side, mixed-use projects inside the corridor will progress from planning to permitting, 26 CIVIL AND MUNICIPAL VOLUME 06, ISSUE 12
27 CIVIL AND MUNICIPAL VOLUME 06, ISSUE 12 BALCH SPRINGS, TX
In short, Balch Springs is moving from promise to proof. With zoning decisions made, corridors prioritized, and infrastructure queued up, the city is charting an intentional path to an authentic downtown, resilient neighborhoods, and a diversified tax base—all while preserving the small-town spirit that residents value. “We’re creating an atmosphere where developers want to come in,” Mayor Taylor says.“Harmony, clarity, and momentum—those are the qualities we’re building into Balch Springs.” PREFERRED VENDOR/PARTNER n Wash Masters Car Wash www.washmasters.com Wash Masters offers a reliable, high-quality car wash experience with convenient unlimited memberships. Visit us during our opening period to take advantage of exclusive introductory specials. n PNC Bank www.pnc.com PNC Bank, National Association, is part of The PNC Financial Services Group, Inc. (NYSE: PNC), one of the largest diversified financial institutions in the U.S. PNC focuses on strong customer and community relationships, offering retail and business banking, a full range of lending products, and specialized services for corporations and government entities. It also provides comprehensive wealth management and asset management services. 28 CIVIL AND MUNICIPAL VOLUME 06, ISSUE 12
TAYLOR, TX A CITY ON TH AT A GLANCE TAYLOR, TEXAS WHAT: A thriving small city that feels more like an economic engine of growth WHERE: Williamson County, Texas WEBSITE: www.taylortx.gov A BOLD PLAN FOR SMART GROWTH, HOUSING THRIVING WORKFORCE 29 CIVIL AND MUNICIPAL VOLUME 06, ISSUE 12
HE RISE G DIVERSITY, AND A For Mayor Dwayne Ariola, Taylor, Texas, is still the same friendly town he grew up in—just with a lot more happening. “We’re only about 17,000 people, but it’s still a village,” he says with a laugh. “You can’t go out and about without seeing someone you know. But there are more and more new faces these days, and that’s exciting. We’ve embraced 30 CIVIL AND MUNICIPAL VOLUME 06, ISSUE 12
the growth that’s coming, and we’re making sure we do it right.” Taylor’s transformation is being guided by one of the most significant economic catalysts in Texas: Samsung’s new semiconductor campus, a multi-billion-dollar investment that’s redefining opportunity across Central Texas.Yet,Mayor Ariola,the City Council, and the Taylor Economic Development Corporation (TEDC)—led by President and CEO Ben White—are ensuring that growth doesn’t outpace planning. Their approach emphasizes balanced development, infrastructure investment, and community preservation, making Taylor —located in eastern Williamson County—one of the most closely watched cities in the Austin metropolitan area. BUILDING A FOUNDATION FOR SMART GROWTH At City Hall, multiple long-range initiatives are moving forward in lockstep. Taylor is currently updating its Downtown Master Plan, conducting a citywide water and wastewater study, and preparing a new comprehensive plan that accounts for the sweeping impact of Samsung’s arrival. “The previous [comprehensive] plan was approved right before Samsung selected Taylor,”Ariola explains. “It didn’t anticipate that level of growth. The old approach was to grow from the inside out—fill in the open lots first. Now, with Samsung, we have to plan for the ETJ [extraterritorial jurisdiction] and surrounding acreage that’s suddenly viable for nearterm development.” The city’s new affordable housing study—the first phase of that larger comprehensive plan—will define what affordability means specifically for Taylor’s workforce. “We need housing for everyone,” Ariola says. “First-year teachers, first responders, skilled workers, and executives. The mix has to reflect the diversity of the people who are moving here.” The TEDC has taken the lead in funding and coordinating much of the infrastructure planning. “The water and wastewater master plan will give everyone—from staff to developers—a clear view of where future lines are going,” says White.“It’s about giving the city, the business community, and our residents a roadmap for sustainable growth.” STRENGTHENING THE HEART OF TAYLOR While planning for new neighborhoods and industrial zones, Taylor is also investing in the places that define its identity. The Heritage Square 31 CIVIL AND MUNICIPAL VOLUME 06, ISSUE 12 TAYLOR, TX
To ensure continued downtown vitality, the city has hired a dedicated downtown coordinator—someone with an economic development background who can work hands-on with small businesses.“We can’t forget about our existing business owners,” Ariola emphasizes. “They’ve been here through thick and thin. As property values rise, we’re helping them with façade redevelopment downtown has become a vibrant community gathering space, complete with a splash pad, amphitheater, and covered farmers market. “It’s been a huge success,” Ariola says. “It’s given us a central hub for events that used to shut down Main Street, which was expensive and complicated because it’s a [Texas Department of Transportation] road. Now we have a space that’s beautiful, functional, and accessible.” 32 CIVIL AND MUNICIPAL VOLUME 06, ISSUE 12
grants, signage, and marketing to keep foot traffic strong.” SAMSUNG AND THE POWER OF PARTNERSHIPS No discussion of Taylor’s growth is complete without Samsung. The company’s first fabrication plant, Fab 1, will begin operations in 2026, bringing thousands of high-tech jobs to the area.“Samsung has already moved between 500 and 1,000 employees into their office section,” White says.“They’ll have several thousand people on-site during the equipment installation phase next year, which will create a surge in local business activity.” But Samsung’s impact extends beyond direct employment. The company’s community and educational partnerships have made it a model corporate citizen. “Samsung is required to provide internships to Taylor ISD students as part of their incentive agreement,” White explains. “They’ve already been doing that for two or three years.They’ve also given a $1 million grant to support education programs, and we’re exploring externships so teachers can experience the technology firsthand and bring that back into the classroom.” Samsung’s commitment has also attracted additional investment in education. The University of Texas recently announced a 68-acre satellite campus just half a mile from the new fabrication facility. “That’s a game-changer,” says White. “It’s going to produce the future workforce for Samsung and for Taylor’s growing economy.” DIVERSIFYING BEYOND SEMICONDUCTORS Even as Taylor rides the wave of semiconductor expansion, its leaders are intent on avoiding overreliance on a single industry. “When I arrived two 33 CIVIL AND MUNICIPAL VOLUME 06, ISSUE 12 TAYLOR, TX
years ago, some people wanted to chase all 150 Samsung suppliers,” White says. “But I don’t believe in putting all our eggs in one basket.” The city’s first Economic Development Strategic Plan—completed under White’s direction—lays out a clear vision for diversification. In addition to attracting semiconductor suppliers,Taylor is pursuing opportunities in defense and aerospace, advanced manufacturing, logistics, rail-served industries, and downstream chemical production. “Our goal is to make Taylor a hub for multiple sectors,” White says. “If one sector slows, others keep the economy strong. And we’re the only city in Central Texas with a rail park, which gives us a major logistical advantage.” HOUSING FOR EVERY RESIDENT Growth brings housing challenges, and Taylor’s leadership is tackling those head-on. New singlefamily homes, apartments, and mixed developments are already under construction inside the city limits and beyond the ETJ, but the goal is balance. “We use the term workforce housing rather than ‘affordable housing,’” White explains. “We’re talking about the teachers, nurses, police officers, and paramedics who keep the community running. We want them to live here, not commute from elsewhere.” At the same time, the city is pursuing executive-level housing and amenities to attract company leaders to put down roots in Taylor.“When executives live in the community, they become part of it,” White says. “They join boards, volunteer, and run for council.They become the fabric of Taylor.” To that end, the TEDC is exploring a hotel and conference center project with an 18-hole golf course and surrounding executive housing—a development that would diversify both the housing market and the local economy. THE FERGUSON CONDOS • LIVE/WORK • RETAIL INVESTING IN TAYLOR’S FUTURE WITH 34 CIVIL AND MUNICIPAL VOLUME 06, ISSUE 12
INFRASTRUCTURE: PLANNING FOR GENERATIONS Behind every headline project is a massive investment in infrastructure. Taylor’s wastewater treatment plant has been modernized to handle up to 4 million gallons per day, with room to expand as growth continues. “We’re currently using 1.5 million,” Ariola says. “But as development increases, we’ll hit those thresholds that require us to start planning for the next facility. We’re already looking at potential sites downstream of Samsung and talking about oversized infrastructure so we’re not replacing it in 30 years.” On the transportation side, the partnerships with TxDOT and Williamson County are transforming regional mobility. The East Wilco Highway—a new connector linking Taylor to SH 130 and I-35—is under construction, while Samsung Boulevard will form a southern loop around the city. Expansion of Highway 973 to six lanes will further improve north-south access. “These roads are critical,” White says. “They open up entire corridors for commercial, industrial, and residential growth.They’re also what make Taylor the emerging hub for the northeast side of the Austin metro area.” PARKS, RECREATION, AND QUALITY OF LIFE For Mayor Ariola, growth isn’t just about infrastructure—it’s about livability. The city recently completed a recreation center feasibility study and continues to update its Parks and Recreation Master Plan, ensuring eligibility for future grants and guiding future amenities. “We lost a YMCA vote years ago,” he says. “Now everyone wants a recreation center. We’re not ready yet, but we’re planning for it—an indoor pool, training facilities, walking tracks, all of it. We’ve also invested in ADA upgrades to our pool, new trails, and park expansions. Every new development we approve includes connectivity to our hiking and biking network.” White adds that amenities are as much about workforce development as they are about leisure. “The next generation of workers cares about quality of life,” he says.“They want trails, outdoor spaces, and family-friendly parks. Those things are part of what makes Taylor competitive.” THE FUTURE OF TAYLOR Both Ariola and White see the next decade as the 35 CIVIL AND MUNICIPAL VOLUME 06, ISSUE 12 TAYLOR, TX
RkJQdWJsaXNoZXIy MTI5MjAx