Mid-sized Municipality Research Articles

Local Democracy in America: How Access, Competition, and Place Shape Turnout in Mayoral Races

The vast majority of the roughly half-million elected officials in the U.S. occupy local offices, however, research examining how they get elected to remains scant. The present study examines turnout in local elections, focusing on the effects of electoral rules, the competitiveness of local races, and whether and how place matters. Based on a sample of roughly 10,000 mayoral elections, this study represents the most systematic empirical analysis of local turnout to date. While we find substantial differences in turnout across rural towns, suburbs, and central cities, these differences are largely explained by electoral and contextual factors that are unevenly distributed across the local landscape. Though election timing is far and away the most important factor, uncontested mayoral races, local elections in states with restrictive voting laws as well as those mid-sized municipalities are associated with significantly lower turnout.

O.5.3-1 Implementation of an online group model for work-related well-being among sport instructors

Abstract Purpose Sports instructors, who work in small and mid-sized municipalities and the public sector, provide physical activity counselling and group guidance for municipality residents of all age groups. Sport instructors execute a variety of physical activity and well-being promotion activities. Many of them are working independently, having only little collegial or community support. Additionally, only little is known about work-related well-being of their own as well as methods on how to improve it. Project description Within research and development project TOGETHER -Towards an online community among sport instructors, an online group for work-related well-being was created and piloted. There were 32 participants who were working as sport instructor in small or mid-size municipalities in Finland. Before the start of the group meeting process, the participants were interviewed about their perceptions about work-related well-being. The group process consisted of six online small group meetings with four to six participants and the facilitator in a group. Each of the biweekly group meetings took 1,5 hours. The themes of group meetings were pre-stated, nevertheless, the participants' own reflections and discussions were highlighted. The main themes focusing on work-related well-being were sense of community, autonomy, capability and social support. The participants were instructed to set their own aims for their individual work-related well-being process. Between the group meetings the participants have made written reflections about the themes and the process. After the last group meeting, group interviews will be made to find out the outcomes and reflections of the process. They will be shown in the presentation. Conclusions Based on the reflections and findings of the implemented online group meeting process, the model will be further modified. The final outcome of the project will be a tested online model for increasing work-related well-being among sport instructors working in municipalities, which will be presented. The research has been funded by the Finnish Work Environment Fund.

O.3.1-6 Work-related well-being of sport professional at public sector

Abstract Sports instructors, who work in small and mid-sized municipalities and the public sector, provide physical activity counselling and group guidance for municipality residents of all age groups. Over the last decade, the work has expanded from group guidance to promote the well-being of residents. Many of them are working independently, having only little collegial or community support. Additionally, only little is known about work-related well-being of their own as well as methods on how to improve it. The aim of this study was to investigate the experiences of a sport professional’s work-related well-being and what factors increase or decrease it. The study was carried out using qualitative methods. In the study, there were 32 participants who were working as sport instructors in small or mid-size municipalities in Finland. On average, the interviewees were 42 years old and had work experience in the municipality’s sport instructor work for an average of seven years. The data was collected with thematic interviews during the autumn and winter 2022-2023 and it was analyzed using content analysis. The results showed that work-related well-being was confirmed by the relevance of the work, and by the customers and their success in their own goals. The study also found that the appreciation and sense of community experience also played a significant role in the well-being experienced at work. Work-related well-being is also strengthened by supporting autonomy. Work-related well-being was weakened by the fragmentation of work and hurry at work. Clients were a strength resource for sport instructors, but they could also increase mental stress. The clients may tell sport instructors about their own illness and loneliness, but workers did not have enough tools to help them. The results also showed that physical problems can affect well-being at work. The study provides a broader understanding about the art of sports instructors’ work. It makes visible which are the main elements that increase and decrease sport instructors’ work-related well-being. The results can be utilized when implementing activities of sport instructors’ well-being promotion. The research has been funded by the Finnish Work Environment Fund.

Building on firm foundations: Organizations and growth in urban arts communities

ABSTRACT This paper examines changes in the size of the nonprofit arts sector in mid-sized U.S. cities over the period from 2012 to 2019. Asking why some cities have more robust arts organizations than other cities, and why some see more organizational growth over time than others, the paper analyzes data collected on 223 mid-sized municipalities. I find that organizational capacities both within and beyond the arts sector strongly predict the size and growth of a city’s arts organization. Those capacities are measured by the presence of Fortune 500 firms, local arts councils, and successful applications for NEA grants. The findings also suggest that cities with greater income inequality have larger nonprofit arts sectors.

Institutional Blendscapes: The Suburban Governance Role of the Diputación de Barcelona

The analysis of suburbanization patterns and processes necessarily implies looking beyond towns and cities. Suburbanization is a blendscape because it occurs within the transition zone between urban and rural areas surrounding urban centres. Therefore, a tension emerges between the growth expectations of small- and medium-sized municipalities and the supra-local authorities (e.g. metropolitan, provincial or regional public bodies) that provide essential (mostly financial) support to those municipalities. Supra-local authorities hence perform the governance role of institutional blendscapes because they can mediate between those growth expectations and more efficient, area-wide land management. By using the Barcelona Province as a case study, this paper examines three inter-related issues in suburbanization processes: (i) the question of land transformation; (ii) the relation between municipal size and suburban pa erns; and (iii) the role of supra-local authorities in the management of suburban areas in the city outskirts. Findings show that, overall, while municipalities up to 9,999 inhabitants have a housing stock that is predominantly suburban in character (i.e. 76.5 per cent single-family dwellings), it is small-/mid-sized municipalities between 10,000 and 49,999 inhabitants that have the highest proportion (31.2 per cent) of suburban residential areas within the Barcelona province. These small- and mid-sized, often rural, municipalities tend to rely on financial and technical support from the supra-local authority of the Barcelona Diputación – a key governance actor in suburbanization processes. As an institutional blendscape, on the one hand, the Barcelona Diputación can steer a more efficient land allocation and management through environmental protection and assistance in developing (supra-)local spatial plans. On the other hand, by distributing essential financial help to provide basic public services in small- and mid-size suburban municipalities, it also partially mitigates the planning, construction, and maintenance of suburbanity in (very) small- and medium-size municipalities 'far from the city' and rural areas.

“I get a whiz in my body as I walk past it”: Visceral imaginaries in children's everyday mobilities

This article focuses on how the visceral, sensual and the imagined shape children's everyday mobility experiences and their meaning making around their everyday mobility, thus contributing to the growing field of study on children's emotional geographies and to the field of visceral geographies. By introducing the concept of visceral imaginaries, the role of the imagined in children's spatial and mobile experiences is highlighted and developed. The children further emerge as aged bodies in these visceral processes, as the affective practices and visceral imaginaries position children as aged subjects. The findings are based on a qualitative research project on children's practices and experiences of their everyday mobilities, in which 59 children (7–13 years old) participated, predominantly from white urban middle-class families in a mid-sized municipality in Sweden.

A network optimisation approach to identify trade-offs between socio-economic and ecological objectives for regional integrated planning

Integrated regional planning aims to achieve sustainable development by considering multiple socio-economic, environmental, and ecological goals. However, determining the synergies and trade-offs between sustainability goals is a challenging task that requires an in depth analysis of the system-level effects of the implementation of planning policies. For example, polycentricity (i.e. multiple urban centres) is a common regional urban planning goal, which has shown to be beneficial for a region’s socio-economic conditions, but may also change the configuration of the settlement network (i.e. settlements connected by roads and traffic). Given the dependency of animal species on well-connected habitat networks, another possible planning goal is to maximise habitat availability (i.e. the total amount of habitat that is accessible for an individual animal). However, changes to a region’s settlement network can have a variety of impacts on the region’s habitat networks. Due to these interactions, it is unclear whether maximising polycentricity and habitat availability are compatible planning goals. To address this question, we developed a mathematical model of interacting settlement and habitat networks in a region of Switzerland. The settlement network model allowed us to predict commuter and traffic flows in our study region under a certain distribution of jobs and people across the municipalities. The level of polycentricity in our region was measured by calculating the hierarchy in the commuter flow network. The traffic flow network was linked to the habitat network, which was used to calculate the mean habitat availability. With multi-objective optimisations, both polycentricity and habitat availability were maximised by changing the distributions of jobs and people. Although both goals could be improved compared to the current situation, there was a trade-off between polycentricity and habitat availability along the Pareto front. Developing the region towards either of the planning goals could be achieved by changing the distribution of jobs and people mainly in mid-sized municipalities and by a strong collaboration between municipalities. Our results increase the understanding of the complex interactions in urban regions and can lead to recommendations for integrated urban and conservation planning.

Sociodemographic and sanitary profile of chikungunya virus infection in medium-sized municipality in Mato Grosso, from January to March 2018, Brasil.

Introduction: The chikungunya virus has already been identified in more than 60 countries in Asia, Africa, Europe and the Americas, and chronicity after the disease impacts the lives of those affected by the virus, as well as society, the economy and public health. The objective was to characterize, through epidemiological survey, the profile of chikungunya infection in a mid-sized municipality in Mato Grosso according to sociodemographic and sanitary factors. Methods: The serum-epidemiological survey was conducted with 596 adults aged ≥ 18 years selected by cluster sampling process, with application of questionnaires and biological material collection. Positive cases of chikungunya fever were those with positive results in the anti-chikungunya virus enzyme immunoassay (ELISA). The statistical analyses used descriptive and inferential techniques with confidence intervals of 95% and a significance level of 5%. Results: The overall prevalence of chikungunya fever found in the community was 8.4%. The profile of infection by chikungunya fever is composed of women (p<0.204), aged between 18 and 39 years (p<0.780), more than 08 years of study (p<0.079), non-white reported race/color p<0.871) and employed in the past 12 months (p<0.927). Not residing with affective companion was statistically significant for infection by chikungunya virus (CHIKV) (p<0.028). Conclusion: The study found that women are the most affected by the infection, as well as being single represented a risk factor, and risk behaviors, such as presence of larvae and breeding of mosquitos at home, reflect a low level of awareness of the disease.

Cyberbullying and Psychological Well-being in Young Adolescence: The Potential Protective Mediation Effects of Social Support from Family, Friends, and Teachers.

In the current study, we tested the relations between cyberbullying roles and several psychological well-being outcomes, as well as the potential mediation effect of perceived social support from family, friends, and teachers in school. This was investigated in a cross-sectional sample of 1707 young adolescents (47.5% girls, aged 10–13 years, self-reporting via a web questionnaire) attending community and private schools in a mid-sized municipality in Sweden. We concluded from our results that the Cyberbully-victim group has the highest levels of depressive symptoms, and the lowest of subjective well-being and family support. We also observed higher levels of anxiety symptoms in both the Cyber-victims and the Cyberbully-victims. Moreover, we conclude that some types of social support seem protective in the way that it mediates the relationship between cyberbullying and psychological well-being. More specifically, perceived social support from family and from teachers reduce the probability of depressive and anxiety symptoms, and higher levels of social support from the family increase the probability of higher levels of subjective well-being among youths being a victim of cyberbullying (i.e., cyber-victim) and being both a perpetrator and a victim of cyber bullying (i.e., cyberbully-victim). Potential implications for prevention strategies are discussed.

Sustainability assessment of a bus system in a mid-sized municipality

Transportation has significant economic, social and environmental impacts and is an important dimension of urban sustainability. Public transportation is recognisably a smart, efficient and sustainable mode of transportation. This paper describes a multi-criteria analysis to assess the sustainable performance of a bus transportation system in a Portuguese mid-sized municipality. The assessment is based on a list of 18 environmental, social, economic and institutional indicators. A group of specialists and political stakeholders defined the relative importance of these indicators. Results showed significant disparities in the sustainable performance of the analysed bus system. Political stakeholders were more sensitive to institutional indicators while specialists were more concerned with operational issues. The research also indicates that the institutional dimension is important for assessing the sustainability of a bus transportation system. The method proves to be useful for identifying the main problems of a bus transportation system and for supporting policies to mitigate these problems.

MAPEAMENTO DE DIFERENCIAIS INTRAURBANOS DE VULNERABILIDADE EM SAÚDE

Considering census tracts of urban situation as area units, this study employed an ecological approach to identify and map intra-urban differentials of health vulnerability in Divinópolis, a mid-sized municipality from Minas Gerais State, Brazil. The study evaluated variables from different socioeconomic databases, municipal health indicators and research findings carried out in UFSJ, and classified census tracts in scores. Results showed high sanitary coverage ratios in contrast to health indicators, income-and-literacy levels mostly intermediate and low. It was built a choropleth map for health vulnerability patterns, which made it possible to visualize the distribution of intra-urban differentials and specific urban areas with high health vulnerability that require prioritization of municipal public administration. It was concluded that sanitary improvements gained with socioeconomic development and urbanization policies may not protect populations from unsafe levels of health risk exposure and vulnerability. Score classification methodology seemed to be a fairly simple tool, with wide-range applicability and potentially efficient to identify intra-urban differentials in health vulnerability.

Swallowing disorders and 1-year functional decline in community-dwelling older adults receiving home care.

The purpose of this study was to clarify the effect of swallowing disorders on functional decline in community-dwelling older adults receiving home care. This was a 1-year follow-up survey of 176 individuals ≥60years living at home and receiving homecare services, without total dependence in basic daily living activities, in two mid-sized municipalities in Fukuoka, Japan. Functional decline was measured using the Barthel index (BI), and the primary outcome was total dependence in basic daily living activities (BI≤20 points). Swallowing function was assessed using cervical auscultation, and the primary predictor was swallowing disorders. Logistic regression models were used to assess univariate and multivariate associations between baseline swallowing function and functional decline during follow-up. During follow-up 16 (9.1%), the participants became totally dependent in basic daily living activities. The participants with swallowing disorders had 6.41 times higher odds of total dependence in basic daily living activities compared to participants with normal swallowing function. After adjusting for potential confounders, swallowing disorders were significantly associated with higher odds of total dependence in basic daily living activities (odds ratio=5.21, 95% confidence interval=1.33-20.44). Regarding swallowing disorders, the corresponding population attributable fraction (%) of the incidence of total dependence in basic daily living activities was 50.4%. The current findings demonstrated that swallowing disorders were associated with greater risk of functional decline in basic daily living activities among older adults living at home and receiving home nursing care. Maintenance and improvement of swallowing function may prevent late-life functional decline.

Intermunicipal cooperation, public spending and service levels

ABSTRACTLocal governments can increase size in particular policy fields through cooperation with other local governments. This is often thought to improve efficiency, but there is little empirical evidence supporting this hypothesis. We study the case of the Netherlands, which has been a veritable laboratory of intermunicipal cooperation (IMC), using panel data for 2005–2013. We find no evidence that IMC reduces total spending of the average municipality. Indeed, IMC seems to increase spending in small and large municipalities, leaving spending in mid-sized municipalities unaffected. In one specific field, tax collection, spending may be reduced through IMC. Spending in this field is low, which may explain why total spending is unaffected. Instead of lowering spending, municipalities may have used possible cost savings as a result of IMC to improve public service levels. We do not find evidence substantiating this hypothesis, however.

Characteristics of improved formative assessment practice

ABSTRACTAn earlier study showed that the changes in teachers’ classroom practice, after participation in a professional development program in formative assessment, significantly improved student achievement in mathematics. The teachers in that study were a random selection of Year 4 teachers in a Swedish mid-sized municipality. In the present study, we analyse and describe the characteristics of these changes in classroom practice, which were based on a combination of various strategies for formative assessment. Data were collected through teacher interviews and classroom observations. The teachers implemented many new activities that strengthened a formative classroom practice based on identifying student learning needs and modifying the teaching and learning accordingly. The characteristics of the changes the teachers made reveal the complexity of this formative assessment practice and why such developments of practice are likely to require major changes in most teachers’ practices. We also discuss how such changes in practice afford new learning opportunities.

Implementing integrated community sustainability planning: a comparative case study of three mid-sized municipalities in Ontario, Canada

Implementing integrated community sustainability planning: a comparative case study of three mid-sized municipalities in Ontario, Canada

Implementing integrated community sustainability planning: a comparative case study of three mid-sized municipalities in Ontario, Canada

Around the world, municipal governments are engaging with sustainability in daily practices. One approach gaining momentum in Canada is integrated community sustainability (ICS) planning, which involves integration of all sustainability pillars into policies and plans for more coordinated, inclusive approaches to planning and management. Drawing from established elements of effective ICS planning, we examined the implementation strategies of three mid-sized Ontario municipalities that use contrasting ICS planning approaches. While the cities studied address most elements of our analytical framework, each offers unique strengths and weaknesses. Overall, ICS planning appears flexible and adaptive enabling tailored approaches to unique political and fiscal realities.

How older people perceive and experience sense of security when moving into and living in a nursing home: a case study

ABSTRACTSense of security is important throughout the lifespan not at least in advanced age with increased risks of functional declines and decreased social capital. Despite this, knowledge concerning older person’s perceptions and experiences of sense of security when moving into nursing homes is scarce. This study is a longitudinal, descriptive, exploratory case study with in-depth interviews and observations of three older persons in the age of 87, 88, and 91 years in a mid-sized municipality in the south of Sweden, in order to highlight how sense of security is experienced when moving into and living in a nursing home. Data were analysed using qualitative content analysis, which resulted in one main theme and four categories. The main theme, ‘Adaptation and sense of security’, indicates older persons’ need to adapt to the new context of the nursing home, and how this relates to their sense of security. The categories – ‘Control’, ‘Struggling for understanding’, ‘Lack of influence’, and ‘Grasping’ – suggest that older persons’ sense of security is reduced when they must adjust to routines without sufficient management and understanding. When able to maintain control over daily routines, and felt as a part of the new context, they perceived a sense of security.

Household-level dynamics of food waste production and related beliefs, attitudes, and behaviours in Guelph, Ontario

It has been estimated that Canadians waste $27 billion of food annually, and that half of that waste occurs at the household level (Gooch et al., 2010). There are social, environmental, and economic implications for this scale of food waste, and source separation of organic waste is an increasingly common municipal intervention. There is relatively little research that assesses the dynamics of household food waste (particularly in Canada). The purpose of this study is to combine observations of organic, recyclable, and garbage waste production rates to survey results of food waste-related beliefs, attitudes, and behaviours at the household level in the mid-sized municipality of Guelph, Ontario. Waste weights and surveys were obtained from 68 households in the summer of 2013. The results of this study indicate multiple relationships between food waste production and household shopping practices, food preparation behaviours, household waste management practices, and food-related attitudes, beliefs, and lifestyles. Notably, we observed that food awareness, waste awareness, family lifestyles, and convenience lifestyles were related to food waste production. We conclude that it is important to understand the diversity of factors that can influence food wasting behaviours at the household level in order to design waste management systems and policies to reduce food waste.

Embracing sustainability: the incorporation of sustainability principles in municipal planning and policy in four mid-sized municipalities in Ontario, Canada

The issue of planning for sustainability is becoming more established within Canadian municipal planning. As municipalities begin to align their planning policy to reflect a more sustainable approach, there is an increased interest in how sustainability is being operationalised within municipal documents. This research aims to better understand how principles of sustainability are imbedded within Ontario municipal documents, with a specific focus on the Integrated Sustainability Community Planning approach that has emerged in Canada. Drawing on a nested comparative case study of four mid-sized municipalities, we uncover the language and strategies employed by the municipalities as they relate to the principles of sustainability developed by Gibson [2006a. Sustainability assessment: basic components of a practical approach. Impact Assessment and Project Appraisal, 24 (3), 170–182]. The findings suggest that current policy-based approaches to sustainability are considering more socially oriented strategies focused on promoting community involvement, inclusive decision-making, equity, socio-ecological civility, long-term integrative planning, and responsibility through stewardship. However, there are potential limitations that will require future research to examine policy outcomes associated with sustainability uptake. The ICSP approach must still overcome the issues relating to lack of regulatory authority and the incorporation of policies based on popular trends rather than empirical evidence.

Using Pavement Management to Support Maintenance and Engineering Policy Decisions for Small and Mid-Sized Municipalities

This article presents the development of a pavement management system (PMS) for the town of Christiansburg, VA, and the effectiveness of pavement management applications as a decision support tool. Researchers worked with personnel from the town of Christiansburg to gather inventory data and past work history on all of the pavements within the town’s network. First, the network was defined by importing existing GIS data into commercially available PMS software. The expected pavement performance was then modeled using age data along with surface condition information gathered during a survey of the network. The surface condition, age, and performance data were all combined to develop several maintenance and rehabilitation scenarios for the pavement network. The results indicated that implementing the PMS provided a framework that significantly enhanced the ability of the municipality’s engineers to determine the optimal work types and work scenarios for long-term budgeting and planning.