City of Franklin, TN
Home MenuTwitter Feed
City of Franklin News & Updates
Franklin Wins Voice of the People Award for Excellence in Economy
Commitment to resident-centered decision-making earns the City national recognition.
Franklin— The City of Franklin has won a 2023 Voice of The People (VOP) Award for Excellence in Economy. The VOP Awards honor local governments that best engage residents and include public opinion in community decisions. These are the first and only nationally recognized awards given to local governments based on resident input. This is the 15th year of the awards, presented by Polco and the International City/County Management Association (ICMA). In a time of fading public trust and polarization, community-centered governance is more important than ever.
“There are acute challenges disrupting local government today. Collaboration, resident participation, and data-informed decision-making are the only ways to solve these complex issues. These amazing communities are national models for taking on pernicious problems in government. It’s why the VOP awards are so important—these organizations are making the blueprint to better democracy in an era of profound transition," said Nick Mastronardi, CEO of Polco. “We are so excited to honor the hard work of these deserving communities.”
“It is a privilege to be awarded this honor for our City,” said City Administrator Eric Stuckey. “Our leadership team is top notch and goes out of their way to be transparent and engage the community on decisions that affect their pocketbook. I value the hard work of all our employees who work to serve the citizens of Franklin every day.”
Many award recipients were nominated after receiving the highest or most improved ratings from residents on The National Community Survey (The NCS). The NCS is a nationwide community livability assessment with the largest database of its kind and nearly a thousand participating municipalities throughout the last 30 years. The database represents perspectives of more than 50 million Americans, and well over 100 jurisdictions conduct the survey in each year.
Other winners demonstrated outstanding online engagement or the innovative use of simulation-based technology to educate and connect with residents. The simulations, provided by Balancing Act from Polco, allow residents to show what they value most by ranking budgeting and other priorities.
VOP Award categories include excellence or transformation in economy, safety, natural environment, health and wellness, mobility, education, parks and recreation, utilities, housing, finance, and online engagement.
Polco, a community engagement and civic analytics technology company, presents the Voice of the People Awards in partnership with ICMA. The full list of winners was released at the 2023 ICMA Annual Conference in Austin, Texas.
-###-