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Strategies to Improve Communities <br />The specific and weak ratings of these economy - <br />related community characteristics and services were <br />enlightening even as the general sentiments were not <br />news to city leaders. Knowing the economic <br />challenges they faced, Hamilton leaders had put in <br />place a rigorous public -private partnership program <br />to grow the economic base of the community — even <br />before the national economic meltdown in 2008. <br />The Hamilton Community Foundation, with <br />cooperation of the city, sold the Hamiltonian Hotel <br />to Concord Hospitality Enterprises, developer of <br />Marriott Hotels. With favorable financial <br />arrangements, the redevelopment of the old hotel <br />into a Courtyard by Marriott created great <br />opportunities for riverfront redevelopment — a boon <br />to community quality as well as to the Hamilton <br />budget. There is now an ambitious strategic plan for <br />"Energizing Hamilton's Urban Core" <br />(httns: / /www.hamilton- <br />citv.org /Modules /ShowDocument. asnx?documentid <br />=4707) that includes housing for workers, <br />commercial and industrial development, upgraded <br />infrastructure and enhanced entertainment <br />opportunities. This extensive redevelopment effort <br />should affect resident perceptions about the <br />economic vitality of Hamilton and the next iteration <br />of the citizen survey will demonstrate if this <br />aspiration is being met. <br />Partnerships for Sustainability <br />Partnerships found to be most effective often involve <br />multiple partners from multiple sectors. Areas <br />commonly addressed through collaboration of <br />private, public and non-profit groups focus on <br />sustainability and food security. Advocates working <br />on community food security have been one of the <br />most innovative groups in terms of forming <br />partnerships to address community needs. For more <br />information on these partnerships, please see the <br />following web pages. <br />• American Planning Association: Helping local, <br />regional, and state governments address food <br />system challenges <br />hat): / /www.Dlanning.org /nationalcenters /healt <br />hibriefinaDauers/foodcouncils.htm <br />• Nuener Kailee, Kelly Sylvia and Samina Raja. <br />Planning to Eat? Innovative Government Plans <br />and Policies to Build Healthy Food Systems in <br />the United States. September 2011. <br />httD://cccfoodDolicv .org/sites/default/files/reso <br />urces/Dlanning to eat sunvbuffalo.Ddf <br />Partnerships with other government organizations <br />also are becoming a necessity of modern <br />government. Issues related to sustainability, <br />mobility and economic development often are <br />addressed best through a regional model. <br />A Case Study in Intergovernmental Cooperation <br />Puget Sound Clean Air <br />Agency <br />Wood burning devices (fireplaces and wood stoves) <br />rank as one of the top air pollution offenders in the <br />Puget Sound area of Washington. Although these <br />devices create light, warmth and atmosphere, they <br />are harmful to the environment and the health of <br />area residents. Pollution levels from these sources <br />were higher than the goals established by the Clean <br />Air Agency's Board of Directors. <br />The Puget Sound Clean Air Agency's mission is to <br />protect the health of residents who reside in King, <br />Kitsap, Pierce and Snohomish Counties and to <br />improve air quality by adopting and enforcing air <br />quality regulations, sponsoring voluntary initiatives <br />to improve air quality, and educating people and <br />businesses about clean -air choices. The four -county <br />Puget Sound region spans an area of 6,30o square <br />miles and is home to approximately 3 4 million <br />people. The Board understood that collaboration <br />with educational, governmental, non-profit and <br />corporate entities was key to facilitating awareness <br />and behavior change among residents. <br />Do you think a gas or propane stove, fireplace <br />insert, or fireplace could meet your needs as well <br />as your wood stove, wood -burning insert, or <br />wood -burning fireplace? <br />No <br />33% <br />Yes <br />47% <br />Don't <br />know <br />20% <br />To understand if there would be resistance to <br />modifying wood burning sources, the Board <br />commissioned a survey to gather information about <br />the use of wood -burning devices in households in <br />the Puget Sound region. Information from this <br />survey was combined with scientific data to create an <br />emissions inventory and determine policies for the <br />region. <br />© 2014, National Research Center, Inc. Page 14 <br />