How can a city capitalize on its proximity to beautiful natural landscapes? Gatlinburg lies in the foothills of the Great Smoky Mountains National Park, one of the most visited national parks in the country.

Residents believed members of the Beaufort County government were making \"back room” deals. This perception, real or unreal, created a severe lack of public confidence and threatened to bring chaos to the county government, its officials, and residents.

Businesses have many options when it comes to choosing where to set up shop. Cities that do not have a business-friendly attitude have a hard time retaining existing businesses and attracting new ones. When this happens, downtown and Main Street areas become hollowed out, jobs become scarce, the tax base decreases leaving the city unable to provide public services, and then its citizens move away. It's a slow and steady death for a community.

Warwick Township Manager Gail Weniger envisions her township as a place where residents can opt to leave their cars at home and still get to their favorite destinations—even in neighboring communities.

Private well water in an area of Bucks County, PA, was polluted. For three decades, residents and businesses in the Cross Keys neighborhood of Doylestown, Buckingham, and Plumstead townships had to rely on bottled water and carbon filters for potable water.

Philadelphia is the fifth largest city in the United States. What comes with this ranking is the challenge of connecting with individual citizens. How can 1.5 million Philadelphians feel connected to their city government? How can those citizens receive information? How can they have the tools to improve their community?

Ranked number four among the \"Top 30 Safest Cities in Oregon,” the quaint city of Philomath, Oregon (pop. 4,580), is nestled at the base of the Mary's Peak in the Oregon Coast Range, just five miles west of Corvallis.

The backstory on most successful community programs includes some degree of collaboration. In Albany, OR, there was concern about childhood obesity and the growing traffic volume from several new subdivisions where many parents and buses where driving kids to school. The city manager collaborated with community groups, the school district, and parents to implement a program that improved roadway safety and encouraged more children to walk or bike to school.

As the city evolved, the number of young residents who had family issues, substance abuse problems, and gang involvement grew, along with crime. Between 2005 and 2008, the rate of juvenile crime jumped by 48 percent.