The final project for this course is the creation of an Action Research Project whereby students will be responsible for conducting an interview of a municipal official (elected or appointed) of their

ACTION IN MOTION, NEW CITY IDEAS:

Georgia has historically always been a conservative state regarding its social issues and politics, and naturally, contained within those parameters are its views on local city politics as well. Within a city government there are numerous individuals working extremely hard to produce a good outcome. One position that has to bear it all is the local chief executive officer or a city manager. I chose to conduct an in depth interview with my local city manager. The city that I work and live in has a city manager. This position is appointed by the local city commission. The position of city manager serves at the discretion of the local governing body which in this city is the elected city commission.

I chose to interview this position due to my current rank with the local police department. I have been moving up in rank and when you advance you have different responsibilities. I have observed that most major decisions and some minor ones, has to be approved by the city manager. The city manager position has to contend with local politics and run the local city as a business. Some citizens and employees don’t see, feel or comprehend the ideas and rationale coming from this department of this local government.

Interview

Topics or Concepts

The concepts that I plan to serve as the basis for the interview are transport management, community development, environment, and recreational services. Transport management questions will include all of the information regarding roads and traffic along with the formation of particular new routes for the local individuals. Community development will outline the economic and social problems that different population groups are presented with and what strategies the government is implementing to mediate them. The environment is going to be a major field to discuss as there are considerable changes needed in order to facilitate corporate social responsibility. Queries and questions related to recreational services will involve any new activities and routines that are being taken into consideration for the amusement of the general public.

Reason of Topic Selection

I have selected transport management as the interview concept mainly because of the expenditure that is associated with it. Transportation is an expensive and cost-consuming process on which a substantial amount of government funds are utilized. There are different renowned companies working in the business of transportation management in terms of providing shipments, inventory and warehouse management and coordinating supply chain structures. It is definitely important to know which methods and techniques are being arranged, allowing businesses to streamline their shipping operations. Effective transport management provides a framework for profitability and revenue generation for the entire economic system. With an effective implementation of locomotive services and road planning, consumer satisfaction will increase, which will significantly benefit the regional productivity. Once the infrastructure is under way, this community can then develop a community train(public transit system) to link lager cities with this community.

Community development is an ideology which is critical to be discussed in the interview. It highlights processes where individuals of a society can collaborate to mediate a positive response and create solutions for common challenges. With the help of studying data and statistics highlighted in different community development researches, I realized that there is a need of empowering individuals and population groups with multiple required capabilities to influence change within the people (Gordon, 2013). These skills are mostly formed through the cultivation of social groups working for a collaborative approach. I have prepared questions on the topic in a way that will present an official’s insight on working with individuals and how different departments are working within the context of substantial social institutions.

Outlining interview questions on environment and sustainability was the most important task. I initially ruled out this domain because, in all parts of the world, conservation of natural resources and control of human activities is needed (Bulkeley & Castán Broto, 2013). This concept will determine which commitments and regulations are being arranged by the regional authorities regarding environmental challenges. Relating environmental regulations, the significance of using an ecological-energy-friendly framework on a local scale is going to have accelerated benefits. On a daily basis, I see a lot of examples through which the environment is being constantly deteriorated and strict government laws are needed for matters such as pesticide control, elimination of industrial waste and even wildlife conservation (Bulkeley & Castán Broto, 2013). Asking questions on these matters will highlight the government’s agenda on alterations in the environment which can have considerable harmful outcomes on the future generations.

Recreational services are not a priority in this community. For the same reason, I wanted to prepare a list of queries which would highlight government’s commitment to developing a sustainable and diverse system for sports and leisure activities. Being involved in recreational routine, particularly outdoors, individuals of the society can enhance their physical wellbeing (Pierre, 2016). There is an insufficient amount of parks and jogging tracks present around the area which is of a greater concern as these locations are essential for people to gather and spend some quality time at. I want to stress on this topic particularly because recreational activities decrease the level of depression and stress in individuals as well and are beneficial for overall health. The ratio of patients undergoing psychological treatment for multiple emotional and household issues in the region is consistently on the rise. Having a balanced lifestyle can actually help the common people enjoy some routine activities (Pierre, 2016). The questions will also involve what measures the local governing structure is taking to improvise recreational therapy strategies. There are some rehabilitation programs which are helpful for the general population but their availability to underprivileged is still questionable. Identifying some of the gaps and deficiencies will be the ultimate objective of the interview.

Sample Questions

1. Please highlight some aspects of your background (education and experience) that you think have assisted you in getting this City manager position

2. What are some of the common issues you have to deal with in your job as City manager? How do you address them and with who?

3. What is your stance on the development of older roads and appropriate traffic routes for vehicle traffic and warehouse facilities? Do you think increasing information systems and technology methods will improve transport management?

4. Which assistance benefits are you offering for citizens of this community who cannot afford emergency care and affordable housing?

5. Do you plan to increase the homeowner vacancy rate?

6. Please share your thoughts on the waste disposal strategies which are being arranged under your authorization.

References

Bulkeley, H., & Castán Broto, V. (2013). Government by experiment? Global cities and the governing of climate change. Transactions of the institute of British geographers, 38(3), 361-375.

Gordon, G. L. (2013). Strategic planning for local government. ICMA Publishing.

Pierre, J. (Ed.). (2016). Partnerships in urban governance: European and American experiences. Springer.