One of the ways local governments improve efficiencies is through collaborative service delivery arrangements with nearby communities. When local governments partner with one another, particularly those that serve smaller communities, they can provide much needed services while keeping costs low.

Mark Perkins, city administrator of Creve Coeur, MO, (pop. 17.868) has had a great deal of success at building and maintaining cooperative relationships with other public entities to mutually benefit everyone involved. Some examples include:

• As a member of the St. Louis Area Insurance Trust (SLAIT) and executive board member since 2008, Perkins was instrumental in finally enabling SLAIT to offer health insurance to city employees (after failing on two prior attempts), and initiated and/or expanded wellness programs both through SLAIT and Creve Coeur, which save money.
• Perkins led Creve Coeur in its mission to pool resources with two neighboring communities by sharing police and emergency dispatch services. Formation of the West County Dispatch Center, which became operational in 2011, has increased the emergency services to the participating communities, reduced response times, and cut costs.
• Creve Coeur residents also enjoy additional collaborative partnerships with area communities to share recreational facilities. This win-win system enables all their residents to enjoy a greater diversity of recreational opportunities while simultaneously improving cash flow for facility operations.

Perkins’s communications skills help make these partnerships successful. He values transparency and makes sure that all parties are informed in a fair and non-biased manner. He demonstrates enormous diplomacy and vision, along with a consistent effort to understand and respect differing opinions among all stakeholders on any given issue—whether those of residents, council members, other public officials, or staff. This, combined with his long-standing open door policy making him accessible to anyone, has won him the trust and cooperation of these key stakeholders and, as a result, improved the quality of life in Creve Coeur.

Meet the Manager

Mark Perkins

City Administrator

Mark Perkins has more than 20 years of experience in local government management and has served as Creve Coeur's city administrator since 1999. He recently served as president of the Missouri City Management Association and received his MPA from the University of Kansas.