A Roadmap for Community Engagement in Small Cities and Towns
Many municipal leaders face limited resources and the challenge of gathering input from everyone in the community—not just the loudest voices. Community Heart & Soul is a nationally recognized process that helps town leaders engage residents, build trust, and shape actionable plans rooted in local priorities. Across the country, city and town managers are turning to Community Heart & Soul to help create stronger, more vibrant communities by putting residents at the center of decision-making.
In this session, you’ll hear from Taylor Smith, Economic Development Director of Thomaston, Georgia, and George Needles, Borough Manager of Upper Chichester, Pennsylvania—two local leaders who have applied what matters most to their residents to everything from planning and parks to policy and public trust.
Learn how they integrated community priorities into daily operations, public planning, and economic development—and how you can do the same in your small city or town.
Objectives:
After attending this webinar, participants will be able to:
- Describe the Community Heart & Soul model and how it equips municipal leaders to meaningfully engage residents and build a shared vision for the future.
- Identify strategies to embed community priorities into municipal operations, planning efforts, and decision-making processes.
- Recognize the governance benefits of authentic community engagement through real-world examples—including capital projects, economic development, and strengthened trust.
SPEAKERS
Sara Lightner is Senior Program Director at Community Heart & Soul, a nonprofit organization that builds stronger, healthier, and more economically vibrant small cities and towns across the United States. Sara led the development of the Community Heart & Soul training curriculum, which is used by communities in over 25 states. Sara and the Training Team support over eighty Heart & Soul Coaches, who provide on-the-ground training and mentoring to community-based Heart & Soul teams. Prior to joining Community Heart & Soul, Sara was a Director of Programming and Training in the Peace Corps, working with programs in the Eastern Caribbean and the South Pacific for nearly a decade. Sara received an MA at the University of Hawai’i-Manoa and a BA from Brown University.
Taylor Smith, a native of Thomaston, Georgia has been serving as the Economic Development Director for his hometown since June of 2021. After volunteering with the local Thomaston Main Street Program in High School, Taylor found his passions lied in the ability to impact people’s lives through positive change and growth. In his capacity, Taylor directs the Thomaston Main Street Program, Downtown Development Authority, Historic Preservation Commission, and all City of Thomaston Events. Taylor serves on the Georgia Downtown Association Board of Directors and University of West Georgia Alumni Association Board of Directors.
George Needles has over 20 years of management experience and more than nine years in senior municipal leadership as the Township Manager of Upper Chichester, Pennsylvania. He oversees all aspects of local government operations, including public administration, policy development, labor relations, contract negotiations, economic development, and community engagement. George serves as a PEER consultant for the Pennsylvania Department of Community and Economic Development and teaches courses for Neumann University and the Pennsylvania Municipal League through the PATH Program. He is passionate about empowering organizations and individuals to build stronger, more resilient communities through innovation, collaboration, and effective governance.
