Letter to the City of Republic: Policies Build Cities; Neighbors Build Communities

 

Dear Mayor and Members of the City Council in Republic, Missouri,

Over the past several weeks I have been thinking about something I believe is important for the long-term health of Republic: the role that connected neighborhoods and engaged neighbors play in building a thriving and welcoming city.

As someone who has lived here for 25 years and cares deeply about the future of our community, I recently wrote two reflections exploring this idea. I focused on the Mission and Vision of the City of Republic because I know how important this is to you and future decisions for our city. I wanted to share these articles with you in case they are helpful as you continue to think about the direction of our city.

The first piece, “My Vision for Republic: A Thriving City Where People Know Each Other,” reflects on why neighboring matters and why I hope our community continues to think about ways to strengthen connection at the neighborhood level. It argues that thriving cities are not built by infrastructure alone, but also by the everyday relationships between the people who live there.

The second piece, “From Policy to Porchlight: How Neighboring Can Advance the Missionand Vision of Republic, Missouri,” looks at neighboring from a civic perspective and explores how stronger neighborhood connections can support Republic’s mission of building community through processes, relationships, and trust. It suggests engaged neighbors help city processes work better, strengthen communication, and increase trust between residents and government.

I have also included the article “Connecting a city through neighboring” about Excelsior Springs, Missouri. I have worked closely with Laura Mize since 2021 to design and implement a neighboring program that has changed that city for the better. The article tells that story and there is a YouTube video online too. 

Finally, I have provided a proposed “Republic Neighbor Network” that enhances and matches the mission and vision of the city. This proposal could be implemented with help from grant monies, other organizations and city support.

My goal in sharing these is simple: to encourage continued conversation about how Republic can remain not only a city that grows, but a city where people know and care for one another.

I would welcome the opportunity to briefly share these ideas with the Council if that would ever be helpful. I am also willing to meet you for coffee or lunch at any time to discuss, as a group or even one-on-one. Perhaps this would even work as a council workshop at some future date.

Thank you for your service to our community and for the time you invest in helping Republic thrive.

Sincerely,

David L. Burton
Republic Resident
Community Development Specialist
University of Missouri Extension


Written by David L. Burton

MORE INFORMATION

Take the Engaged Neighbor pledge and become part of a movement! The pledge outlines five categories and 20 principles to guide you toward becoming an engaged neighbor. Sign the pledge at https://nomoregoodneighbors.com. Individuals who take the pledge do get special invitations to future events online and in person. Contact the blog author, David L. Burton via email at dburton541@yahoo.com or burtond@missouri.edu. You can also visit his website at https://engagedneighbor.com.



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