Like many cities across the United States during the recent fiscal crisis, the city of Hampton, Virginia, faced a huge budget shortfall of about $19 million. City Manager Mary Bunting knew it would take outside-the-box thinking to find a solution.

As a result, Hampton embarked on one its largest citizen engagement efforts ever, the “I Value” campaign, to get ideas from the community to guide the city manager and her staff through the tough budget decisions that needed to be made.

What made Hampton residents proud of their community? Which city services did they value most? The “I Value” campaign inspired a broad cross-section of residents to share their visions for the city. Reaching out both in person and online, the campaign brought more residents into the decision-making process than ever before.

The campaign was a huge success, and the city council approved a $412 million budget without major conflicts or controversies. Although there was no way the approved budget could give everyone everything they wanted, the process ensured that everyone’s opinions and thoughts were heard, carefully deliberated, and valued.

“I Value” received the 2012 ICMA Annual Award for strategic leadership and governance (populations 50,000 and greater).

Meet the Manager

Mary Bunting was hired as city manager in January 2010 after serving as assistant city manager since 1995. She is the first female city manager of Hampton since the position was created in 1956. Professional management runs in her family: her mother, Darlene Burcham, is the current town manager of Clifton Forge, Virginia.

Bunting has many successful city initiatives to her credit, including creating the award-winning 311 customer call center; consolidating three separate permit functions into one central office; developing Hampton’s Crime and Grime campaign; coordinating the city’s emergency planning for and response to Hurricane Isabel and Tropical Storm Ernesto; and innovative neighborhood initiatives such as creating the Neighborhood Office.

Life, Well Run

Hampton’s “I Value” campaign is featured on the Life, Well Run website map. Found at www.LifeWellRun.org, the map highlights stories of successful projects from across the country that are good examples of professional local government management.

Have your story put on the Life, Well Run map! Just send us an email explaining a need or challenge in your community, how a recent project or program addressed that need, and the city/county/town manager’s role in the project.

E-mail your story to Keith Strigaro at kstrigaro@icma.org.