Local Government Commission (LGC)
Description
Local Government Commission is a nonprofit, nonpartisan, membership organization comprised of elected officials, city and county staff, and community leaders. LGC staff provides inspiration, technical assistance and information on creating livable, walkable communities. As a leadership partner, LGC works with local elected officials and key staff on issues related to active living and community design.
Through the Leadership for Healthy Communities initiative, LGC has made a significant impact on the way local leaders think about community design, active living, and health. An increasing number of local leaders are recognizing the importance of creating healthy communities, and using their land use powers to assure that walking and biking become viable forms of transportation for their residents. Recently, LGC has been helping local elected officials understand the importance of the food environment to community health and the role officials play as land use decision-makers in making fresh fruits and vegetables available to their residents.
Through workshops, conferences, presentations and other forms of outreach emphasizing active living strategies, LGC has influenced and supported thousands of leaders in California, Colorado and other states. Active Living leaders are picking up on the ideas and running with them, particularly in the 7-county Sacramento region in California and along the Colorado Front Range. In Year Four of the Leadership for Healthy Communities initiative, LGC is continuing to assist local leaders with building healthier, more livable communities.
Youth Obesity Prevention Forums
In Year Three, LGC coordinated a series of regional youth obesity prevention forums around California. Collaborating with other Leadership for Healthy Communities partners, LGC will organize three additional regional forums on developing coordinated strategies for preventing youth obesity. The objective of these events is to stimulate the adoption of active living and healthy eating policies by cities, counties, and schools.
LGC will also offer follow-up technical assistance to the local government and school leaders to help ensure implementation of strategies identified through the forums that include a comprehensive and collaborative approach to both physical activity and healthy eating. LGC will also identify ways in which local jurisdictions can work with schools in the design and implementation of school wellness policies.
New Partners for Smart Growth Conference
LGC will continue to work with other Leadership for Healthy Communities partners to promote the annual New Partners for Smart Growth Conference to government officials. This innovative, national event is organized by LGC and features the latest research, implementation tools, and strategies for creating safer, healthier, and more active communities. In addition to conducting an extensive outreach campaign to local and state leaders, LGC will host a special Leadership for Healthy Communities leaders luncheon during the conference. The 6th annual conference is scheduled for February 8-10, 2007 at The Westin Bonaventure Hotel in Los Angeles, California. More details at: www.NewPartners.org.
Colorado Active Living Conference
In partnership with the Denver-based Livable Communities Support Center, LGC will host the fourth annual Building Livable Communities in Colorado: Connecting Community Design and Active Living Conference. This annual statewide conference brings together a wide variety of livable community stakeholders to learn about active living strategies and to form new partnerships.
Presentations
Since the start of the Leadership for Healthy Communities project, LGC has effectively and efficiently promoted active, healthy living to government and school leaders by giving presentations at events around the nation organized by other organizations. In Year Four, LGC will provide presentations at conferences and workshops targeting local government elected officials, city/county managers, school officials, public health directors, planning and public works directors, and other leaders.
LGC has fostered a cadre of local government and school leaders in California and Colorado who are taking exemplary leadership in addressing childhood obesity. We will call on these leaders to speak at conferences and inspire similar action from their peers nationwide.
Center for Livable Communities
Over the last decade, LGC's Center for Livable Communities has assisted hundreds of communities nationwide with creating active, healthy communities. The Center maintains a web page and a library of guidebooks, reports, and articles that provide outstanding examples of active living-related policies and programs. The Center also has a useful catalog of videos, slides and presentations on creating healthier, more livable communities. In addition, the Center provides a monthly newsletter (Livable Places Update) and downloadable fact sheets, as well as responds to specific information requests. In Year Four, LGC will continue to offer the Center's free resources to government and school officials nationwide.
Contacting LGC
Local Government Commission
1414 K Street
Suite 600
Sacramento, CA 95814
www.lgc.orgJudy Corbett
Executive Director
Email: JCorbett@lgc.org
Tel: 916-448-1198 ext 319Paul Zykofsky
Director
Email: PZykofsky@lgc.org
Tel: 914-448-1198 ext 317
