Cities Stronger Together: Keeping Cities Safe and Healthy

December 14, 2020 - (3 min read)

In cities, towns and villages across America, local leaders have stepped up more than ever before. As local leaders, we are on the front lines of the COVID-19 pandemic, working hard to build equitable communities that ensure families have access to broadband, local businesses remain afloat and competitive, individuals and families have access to the food and shelter they need, and that critical health protocols are in place.

In my hometown of Lexington, SC, we continue to work to keep spirits up and to support our local businesses. But the fact remains that Congress has not kept up its end of the bargain to provide important fiscal relief to many communities, mine included. But that doesn’t mean we have stopped working – quite the opposite.

As the virus continues to spread across our country, it is as important as ever that local leaders have the support and resources they need to continue to lead. Local voices are so important when it comes to providing useful and timely information to our residents. As I unveiled my Presidential platform at City Summit last month, NLC will be working hard to provide cities, towns and villages with the tools they need to Respond, Recover and Rebuild.

As a former teacher I know that once a teacher, always a teacher. I know from experience that an important way to learn is from each other. So today, NLC is formally unveiling ten policy briefs that provide clear, actionable steps that we can all take as municipal leaders to respond to the impact of COVID-19 in our communities. Whether your community is small or large, urban or rural, these briefs are easy to read and have something that you can easily adapt to your local response efforts.

Local voices are so important when it comes to providing useful and timely information to our residents.
Kathy Maness, NLC President, Councilmember, Lexington, SC

These briefs are just the first step, though. NLC will use these ten policy areas as a foundation for providing content and resources to local leaders in the coming days, weeks and months. Together I know that we will recover from this challenging time and rebuild our communities stronger, safer and more equitable.

Stay safe and healthy.