Earlier this year President Obama’s federal “stimulus program” swept across the country offering federal funding to jump start “shovel-ready” capital improvement projects.

This highlighted the ongoing need for local governments to be more nimble and able to respond without delay to new economic development and community building opportunities. For long-term success, local governments must do more than simply respond and react.

An up-to-date capital improvements program (CIP) is a tool local governments can use to plan for major expenditures, to ensure that public funds are used wisely and as efficiently as possible, and most importantly – to be prepared with “shovel-ready” projects when unexpected sources of funding appear!

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UPDATE 4:

Here is an example of how ONE PERSON can make a difference:  Senate Bill 726 (substitute S-1) to remove the option for youth under 18-years-old to have a place on local planning commissions has been approved by the Michigan Senate and sent over to the state House with something more than…
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