This article is part of From the President’s Desk, where I share reflections from the field, drawn from conversations with city leaders and the real-world challenges facing local governments today.
If you’re a city manager in a small to medium size city, chances are you’ve been handed more than your fair share of challenges lately. Economic shifts, whether sparked by declining industry, housing pressures, workforce disruption, or shrinking tax revenue can place a tremendous burden on already lean teams. I’ve had the privilege of working with hundreds of communities across the country, and what I’ve seen time and again is that success during these moments isn’t just about managing change. It’s about leading through it.
The reality is, economic change is no longer episodic…it’s constant. What matters is how you position your city to respond. And that starts with mindset.
Cities that thrive through disruption adopt a future-facing approach. They view change not as a threat but as an inflection point, an opportunity to rethink services, revisit regulations, modernize processes, and accelerate their vision for what their community can become.
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That mindset shift starts with asking the right questions:
- Are our development services helping or hindering growth?
- Are we staffed to meet the needs of both residents and developers?
- Do we have the right partners at the table to move quickly when opportunity knocks?
I’ve seen communities miss out on major investments not because they lacked ambition or community support but because they couldn’t move fast enough. Outdated permitting systems, inspection delays, or a lack of staff capacity can stall momentum and frustrate the very people trying to invest in your city.
That’s where the role of a strategic partner becomes critical.
At SAFEbuilt, we help cities increase capacity without increasing overhead. Whether it’s streamlining plan review and inspections, modernizing permitting workflows, or offering flexible staffing solutions, our mission is to help you deliver excellent service without burning out your team or overextending your budget.
What I admire most about these communities is their resilience. You know how to do more with less. But sometimes, doing more requires thinking differently. It means aligning resources with your most urgent priorities, being proactive with developers, and giving your community the confidence that City Hall is open for business not just physically, but functionally.
We’ve walked alongside communities as they transitioned from manufacturing to tech, from stagnant growth to revitalized downtowns, and from budget shortfalls to smart redevelopment. The thread that runs through all of them? Leaders who said yes to change and surrounded themselves with partners who could help them get there faster.
If you’re navigating a turning point in your city, now is the time to assess, prioritize, and act. The way you respond today will shape how your community grows tomorrow.
Let’s make sure it grows strong, smart, and ready.
If your city is facing a critical moment of change, the right partner can make all the difference. Let’s talk about how SAFEbuilt can help you move forward—strategically and sustainably.
Let's Bring Your Vision to Life
Revitalizing a Small-Sized Building Department
Welcome to Maryville, Georgia, population 12,000, led by City Manager Michelle.
Michelle and the city's building department have been unable to keep up with increasing workloads. Their backlog has only intensified as residents:
- Use insurance money to replace roofs following a spring hailstorm
- Continue to move to the community
- File complaints about the quality of their public spaces
City Manager Michelle:
- Time as city manager: < 6 months
- Platform: Revitalize her small community
Let's see what Michelle accomplishes in the next year:
New High School
With certified inspectors at the ready, Michelle made it possible to:
- Schedule inspections and manage inspectors online
- Streamline inspections with multi-disciplinary staffing
- Receive real-time inspection and project updates
Leading to:
- Less scheduling & administrative logistics
- A faster timeline to ribbon cutting
City Hall
With third-party plan reviewers on stand by, Michelle made it possible to:
- Complete plan reviews electronically
Leading to:
- Same-day inspections, leading to quicker plan review turnaround
- Breaking ground faster on new projects
Updated Public Park
With additional resources, such as planning and landscape architecture, SAFEbuilt helped:
- Design a practical, eco-friendly public space to better suit the neighborhood
- Interpret zone codes for Michelle
- Preserve the historical look and feel of the city
Leading to:
- A healthier, happier community
- A more desirable neighborhood to live in with increased property values
New Housing Development
With a third-party staff member to manage permitting, and SAFEbuilt’s electronic permitting software, Michelle was able to help:
- The department to keep up with the busy season via a permit technician
- Residents to submit, manage, and approve permits online
- The department to reduce their outstanding permits
Leading to:
- Happier residents
- Budget protection
- Speed to revenue
- Reduced calls and complaints to city hall
Do Michelle's experiences as a city manager sound familiar? Let SAFEbuilt bring your vision to life.
