In recent months, Greenfield Advisors has been looking to expand our advisory services to city and county governments. We’ve been attending various conferences to learn more about the needs of local governments.

In September, Director of Economic Research Dr. Clifford Lipscomb attended the 100th Annual International City/County Management Association (ICMA) Conference in Charlotte, North Carolina. The ICMA conference offers a good mix of educational sessions, information-sharing, and networking opportunities for community management professionals, and Dr. Lipscomb walked away with a new understanding of how we could help local governments.

To continue building upon the lessons learned at the ICMA conference, earlier this month I exhibited at the Georgia City and County Management Association (GCCMA) fall conference in Dunwoody. It was a great opportunity to meet with the decision makers and strategists who work with local city councils and county commissioners to keep municipalities running smoothly.

Prescott City Council

John Greer speaking to the Prescott City Council, photo courtesy of J.C. Brandon, CC BY 2.0.

One thing I learned was that while the size of a city or county may vary, often the issues they are dealing with echo through governing bodies across the state. Whether it was a question on stretching an already tight budget or how to best use a vacant piece of property, there didn’t seem to be any problem that at least one other attendee wasn’t dealing with too.

Although Greenfield Advisors is often thought of first in the realm of real estate litigation and complex real estate valuation issues, our staff has a number of tools we can use to help communities grow sustainably and prosper. These are just some of the wide range of services with which we can assist local governments and planning organizations:

  • Highest and best use analysis
  • Brownfield assessment, remediation, and redevelopment
  • Feasibility studies
  • Economic impact studies
  • Economic development and land use plans
  • Consulting on other real estate, property tax, and economic issues, including
    • Millage rate issues
    • Economic forecasts
    • Demographic changes
    • Cost of living trends

It’s important to note that our services are not just for large cities and counties. Local governments, no matter what the size, are all fighting the same battles, and Greenfield Advisors can help them find the strategies and enact the plans to help officials succeed in their goals for their communities.