Business View Civil and Municipal | Volume 2, Issue 7

2 CIVIL AND MUNICIPAL VOLUME 2, ISSUE 7 Questions, questions, so many questions. It seems for the last 15 months, all we’ve been doing is asking questions – of ourselves, of our families, our medical professionals, our employees, our co-workers… our IT people! How are you? How are you really? How do I do this? When can I do this? Do I have to? Is it safe? What do we do now? It’s no wonder “I’m exhausted” and “I’m so over it” are the prevailing sentiments, as we come out of (hopefully) the worst of COVID-19. That being said, I just had to ask one more question of the execs I interviewed this month for Business View. It was actually a question about a question… see what I mean? Yes, I’m exhausted and so over it but I just needed to hear what they had to say. So I inquired, “As we come out of the pandemic and move on toward recovery, what is the biggest question you’re asking yourself?” You can read a variety of those replies in our “Power Question” segment of this issue. But one remark really got me thinking… Nathan Steele, Director of Economic & Community Development for the City of Maricopa, Arizona equated it to “like when you’re leaving a gym. You’re exhausted because you just finished working out and your muscles are all sore. But hopefully you also feel a bit of pride in knowing you accomplished something hard, and you have hope for the future knowing that you’re going to come out stronger because of it.” Nathan has a good point. We’ve all had a ridiculously long and strenuous workout but we can, and should, feel more than a bit proud of what we’ve accomplished, how we’ve learned to pivot and Zoom, and above all, the fact that we’ve come through it together by going through it, for the most part, alone. It’s not a time for celebration – the losses are too deep – but the valuable lessons learned will guide us through whatever’s on the horizon. And that’s something we shouldn’t question, but just accept… with gratitude. This month’s edition of Business View C & M is a going concern, starting with people-moving in the nation’s capital – where having access to reliable bus service is vital for a stress-free commute. This is where the Alexandria Transit Company, aka DASH, excels! Then we travel from DC to beautiful Prince Edward County, Virginia, followed by a New York state-of- mind Town tour of Poughkeepsie, Pomfret, Lloyd, Lancaster, and West Seneca – with a stop at the delightful historic Village of Ossining. We discover how Augusta, Georgia is ‘master’ing its own realm, and Dixon and New Lenox, Illinois are making their own mark outside of Chicago. The Victorian port city of Manistee, Michigan is a joy to behold, and Paulding County and Reynoldsburg show how progress works in Ohio. From Santa Rosa County, Florida to Ranch Cucamonga, California to the northern Regional District of North Okanagan, British Columbia, Business View brings a world of communities right to your virtual door. All this and more, at your fingertips, my friends. Take us out to the hammock, and enjoy the read! EDI TOR ’ S NOTES Lorie Lee Steiner Editor in Chief WWW. BUSINESSVIEWMAGAZINE .COM Email for all inquiries: info@businessviewmagazine.com 2422 Palm Ridge Road, Suite 820 Sanibel FL, 33957 239.220.5554 CONTACT US Editor in Chief Lorie Lee Steiner ResearchDirectors Paul Payne Brendan McElroy Lisa Curry Thomas Hiley ContributingWriters Caroline Verner-Hiley Michelle Mahoney Dan Macharia Brett Anningson Victoria Gray Lauren Shoots Candace Allison Barclay Ballard Andrew Macfarlane Victoria Rosenthal Director of Production Vicki Lewis Director of Administration Ana Forlin Digital Strategist Jon Bartlow Creative Director Todd Calfee Vice President of Business Development Matthew Mitchell CGO Alexander Wynne-Jones Executive Publisher / CEO Marcus VandenBrink