By Quincy Midthun and Katya Spear, Mayors Innovation Project
At the Mayors Innovation Project, our commitment to peer learning means offering avenues to share and replicate good ideas. The MIP Innovation Showcase is a lightning round session where mayors get three minutes to share a policy, program, or practice that they have implemented or are working to implement. The Winter 2025 Showcase offered many great ideas for mayors to take home to their cities, from water affordability to zoning reform to new ways to inform and engage. Read on to learn more about the great ideas shared—and start implementing today!
Kicking off (and emceeing) the Showcase, Scranton, PA Mayor Paige Cognetti presented the “Mayor Minute”, a fun, easy, and innovative way mayors can increase communication, transparency, and engagement with their communities. Cognetti’s office posts a short video (no longer than 90 seconds) on her social media channels each week on topics ranging from city events to timely reminders for residents. Mayor Cognetti reports that short videos are more relatable and encourage engagement. In the true spirit of MIP peer-learning, Mayor Cognetti shared that this idea came from Mayor Barbara Buffaloe.
Mayor Thomas McLeod
of Tukwila, WA spoke about the City’s Community Leadership Initiative, providing community members with opportunities to learn how city government works and how to get involved. The initiative spans 7 weeks and includes meetings with the City Judge, City Council, and the City’s Police Chief. Participants are provided meals and compensated for their time upon completion of the program. The program helps build trust and understanding in local government and instills a sense of inclusion and belonging.
Mayor Sean Shultz highlighted Carlisle, PA’s Land Use Reform Subcommittee which evaluates City Council proposals through a comprehensive review of the adopted policies and land use regulations to ensure they support the City’s priorities of active transportation, climate adaptation, racial equity, and neighborhood connectivity. After review, the subcommittee recommends actions to the council. Carlisle City Council has approved several of the subcommittee’s proposals including amending the zoning code to allow for more mixed use development, reducing parking requirements, and increasing allowable distance between shared-use parking lots.
Tacoma, WA Mayor Victoria Woodards shared about a Faith Audit conducted by the City in partnership with NAYBA. The audit helps assess the impact of Tacoma’s faith and volunteer community by identifying the amount of hours, money, and services offered. It also helps providers coordinate services to maximize impact. For example, if an audit finds that three churches in a community provide meals on Wednesday, but none on Thursday, providers could coordinate to fill this gap.
Amherst, NY Supervisor Brian Kulpa spoke about the Town’s Accessory Dwelling Unit (ADU) Pilot Program which provides forgivable grant loans of up to $125,000 for ADU permitting, design, project management, and construction. This program, funded by the state, is available to homeowners earning below 100% of area median income and meant to encourage construction of ADUs, augmenting affordable housing options for elderly residents, recent college graduates, and workers.
Water costs across the country are rising as utilities work to replace aging water infrastructure and comply with EPA mandates, and this can significantly impact low-income residents. Mayor Danene Sorace showcased a spreadsheet template she created to demonstrate how current and projected water rates will impact residents of varying income levels. This tool can help frame community conversations about water rate structures, affordability, and utility burden and help local governments plan to help keep clean water accessible and affordable. Access it here.
Somerville, MA Mayor Katjana Ballantyne shared about the City’s exploration of a geothermal energy network. Funded by a grant from the Massachusetts Clean Energy Center, the City selected an engineering firm to assess feasibility and impact of a geothermal network, which could help Somerville reach its greenhouse gas reduction goals.
Athens-Clarke County, GA Mayor Kelly Girtz shared how a partnership between the County and School District helped bring sports programming to over 1,700 kids. The school district and county unified in 1990, but neither took responsibility for youth sports programming. That changed in 2023, when the two formed a 50/50 funding partnership to offer sports at each elementary and middle school. Programming uses existing facilities and most of the coaches are district employees, significantly reducing costs. The partnership obligated ARPA funds to forward-fund the sports programming through 2026.
Mayor Satya Rhodes-Conway presented on Madison, WI’s 2023 Transportation Demand Ordinance, which requires new development and existing sites looking to establish new uses to invest in sustainable transportation-focused amenities and infrastructure. This ordinance helps reduce vehicle miles traveled and encourages more sustainable forms of transportation such as the city bus and biking by providing amenities such as free/subsidized bus passes for employees/tenants, unbundling parking from rent, and establishing an emergency ride home program.
Mayor Barbara Buffaloe shared about Columbia, MO’s Civic Academy, a free eight-week program that allows residents to interact with city staff, tour municipal facilities, learn about government services, and see how local government functions. This program not only helps to “demystify” local government, but it builds trust and understanding between residents and local government. The program also connects residents with opportunities (volunteer, serving on a board, poll worker, etc.) to continue engaging with the city after the program.
Access all Winter 2025 Innovation Showcase materials here!