Business View Civil and Municipal | September 2022

2 CIVIL AND MUNICIPAL VOLUME 3, ISSUE 9 Welcome to fall! Living where I do in southwestern Ontario, Canada, autumn brings cooler nights and a bit of a respite from the ever-running AC, after a sweltering summer season – a refreshing change. School is back in full swing on both sides of the border and ‘education’ is top of mind for students and the business sector, as well. Every community is discovering that there is much to be learned, no matter your age, or occupation, or interests. This month in Business View Civil & Municipal, we are treated to a wealth of creative solutions for a variety of challenges faced by 16 diverse communities. While speaking with the leaders of these municipalities, I noticed a common bond and priority emerging; a three-word sentiment that crosses state and country lines –“quality of life.” Specifically, aiming at a better quality of life for everyone, which inevitably comes back to a fine education system, and in many cases, research and development opportunities. Our cover feature on beautiful Los Alamos County, New Mexico is a prime example, having a “safe, small-town environment with a ready- made ecosystem for technology development.” The County collaborates with entrepreneurs to bring important discoveries out of the Los Alamos National Laboratory and into the private sector – for the benefit of all. Not to be left behind, Deming, NM is creating an incubator with a vision to help new businesses grow and then move on to bigger locations in the community. Meantime, New Mexico’s capital city of Santa Fe shares a joyful quality of life through its love of arts and culture. Santa Fe is the first UNESCO designated Creative City in the U.S., an achievement that recognizes creativity as a factor in urban development. On the Jersey Shore, we discover how economic inroads are being made in world-favorite playground, Atlantic City, and a savvy future growth approach from Atlantic County, as well EDI TOR ’ S NOTES Lorie Lee Steiner Editor in Chief as plenty of works in progress in New Jersey’s Townships of Hillsborough and Washington. And there’s more… Pennsylvania’s Borough of Phoenixville has a “Wonderful Life” kind of vibe and Warwick Township, PA is “prime for redevelopment,” while maintaining its enviable small-town lifestyle. The Town of Lancaster, New York is thriving as a well-rounded, tourist-friendly destination; the Milwaukee suburb of Franklin, Wisconsin boasts The Rock - a hub of recreational activity built on a former landfill; and Baytown, Texas is gearing up to embrace environmental stewardship. As companies invest in carbon recapture, recycling, and blue energy, Baytown looks to become an energy-industrial hub for those cleaner, greener industries. In Massachusetts, we visit Easthampton – a welcoming cultural center, with its historic old mills serving as reinvented spaces for artisans and business owners – and the delightful Town of Dracut that is on a mission to attract, diversify, and bolster its local businesses. Heading northwest to the Province of Alberta, we see that Cypress County is busy, busy with infrastructure projects, along with a recent investment of $800,000 into walking trails in one community, alone. Evidence of Cypress County’s commitment to a healthy, happy community. I hope you enjoy reading about the many special meanings that ‘quality of life’ takes on in our wonderful features this month. Live well and prosper, my friends!