by Ann Swing Kelly

Nine outstanding programs that promote excellence in improving the quality of life in local communities will be recognized this week with the 2006 Awards for Municipal Excellence.

Co-sponsored by the National League of Cities and CH2M HILL, in recognition of James C. Howland, the winners will be honored this week on December 8 at the 2006 Congress of Cities in Reno, Nev.

Each of the winners will receive a cash award that will be donated to a community nonprofit organization of the city?s choice. Most importantly, these cities have shown how partnerships, community cohesiveness, determination and ingenuity can turn a worthwhile idea into a dynamic community program that provides benefits to the city as a whole.

The gold winners are:
? Population Category Under 50,000: Erlanger, Ky.:  Tiered Advanced Life Support Systems for Emergency Medical Services
? Population Category 50,001 ? 150,000: Asheville, N.C.: Cultural Renaissance Arts Program
? Population Category 150,001 ? 500,000: Oakland, Calif.: Neighborhood Law Corps (NLC)
? Population Category Over 500,001: Chicago, Ill.: Troubled Buildings Initiative (TBI)

The silver winners include:
? Population Category Under 50,000: Bell Gardens, Calif.: Bell Gardens Sports Center
? Population Category 50,001 ? 150,000: Portsmouth, Va.: Portsmouth Online Legislative Information Tracking and Intergovernmental Communications System (POLITICS) and Lawton, Okla.: City Wide Sewer Rehabilitation Program (tie)
? Population Category 150,001 ? 500,000: Tempe, Ariz.: CARE7 Crisis Response Team
? Population Category Over 500,001: Indianapolis, Ind.: Fall Creek Place

Erlanger provides affordable Advanced Life Support to its citizens and surrounding cities by bringing the services in-house to its local fire department. By dispatching a paramedic in a staff car with ambulance calls, the city provides an innovative and cost-effective service to its community.

Asheville provides a summer and after-school arts and humanities program that focuses on youth ages 5?18, and provides a platform to address social issues through theatrical productions, visual arts exhibits and dance recitals.

Inspired by the Peace Corps and Legal Aid, Oakland took an innovative approach to community legal work, with funding from the private sector through a non-profit foundation. Newly minted lawyers work with neighborhood leaders to combat blight, public nuisances and substandard housing conditions.

Chicago?s initiative mobilized the resources and expertise of various city departments and non-profit organizations. They were able to curtail the deterioration and loss of housing property through targeted enforcement efforts and direct intervention with building owners.

With more than half of its residents under the age of 25, Bell Gardens partnered with Chivas USA Major League Soccer to build a sports center, meeting the needs of its youth.

Portsmouth created a state-of-the-art, on-line, searchable database that provides access for city departments to review bills, submit fiscal impact statements, and recommend positions on Virginia state legislation.

Instead of hiring a private contractor to eliminate sanitary sewer overflows, Lawton opted to perform the work using in-house personnel, which provided a tremendous cost savings.

By forming a partnership with police, fire, mental health and social services personnel along with citizen volunteers, Tempe provides on-scene response to victims of crime and other trauma 24 hours per day, seven days per week.

Indianapolis transformed a blighted inner-city neighborhood into a healthy, mixed income and diverse community that provides a range of housing opportunities, recreational amenities, and commercial support services.

Information on these outstanding programs will appear daily throughout the conference on NLC?s website. Visit the winning city booths at City Showcase where you can get firsthand knowledge on how you can implement these winning programs in your own community.