The Keys to the Cities

Adults, too, often find a moment to say, “Job well done.” “Whether or not people agree with me,” says Pass, “they are generous in appreciating the amount of effort invested in our community’s well being.”

The scope of the new mayor’s new city job is large. It requires working double and triple duty. It necessitates living under a microscope. And making scores of difficult decisions honestly, from the heart. But, says Mayor Paul Pass, “You can’t put a price on the education I’ve received and the fun I’ve had this past year.”

Mayor Bonnie MacKenzie

City of Naples

“If people love living here, visitors will enjoy coming too.” City of Naples Mayor Bonnie MacKenzie’s focus on local residents’ experience of their city permeates her agenda. Somewhere along the way, she observes, surrounding growth, commercial development, and catering to tourists have come to override the residents’ need for a pleasant sense of community.

In a city of 20,000 people feeling the impact of 100,000 cars teeming into the city each day, her emphasis is commendable. As mayor, her role is to see that residents’ needs receive priority. In her 25 years in Naples, she has discerned that, “When people feel valued and cared for, they welcome visitors.”

Backed by a new city manager whose job is to ensure that day-to-day functions run smoothly, Mayor MacKenzie is free to collaborate with him in examining crucial long-range issues of concern to residents. Then she’s off into the neighborhoods gathering data and opinions at the source; conversing with residents; answering questions in up to 24 citizen forums each month; orchestrating town hall meetings on key issues being accessible, and reporting her findings for action by city government. MacKenzie delights in staking her reputation on her individualized service and the community’s collective success.

February 2001 marked MacKenzie’s first anniversary as mayor, her fifth year in local public office, having served as Naples councilwoman and vice mayor. Because she believes that “you must know what you’re talking about before you open your mouth,” she spent the early months of her administration reviewing projects, helping to map out funding, and setting a course of accomplishment. Roads, sidewalks, storm water management, hurricane preparedness, and water utility upgrades rose to the top of the agenda. All require major long-term commitments plus persistent year-in, year-out investment.

“Our big concern is getting maximum use of every tax dollar,” says MacKenzie. “For example, the insurance and litigation costs a city faces are breathtaking figures. We ask, ‘How much more could be accomplished with these dollars?’” One part of the answer lies in collaborating creatively with other government entities to secure group rates. Another resides in cost-efficient scheduling of localized redevelopment projects, so that contractors install sidewalks, revamp roads, and move utility lines underground at the same time.

MacKenzie points to Fifth Avenue South as a Naples hallmark that combines conscientious redevelopment with good business sense. “Redevelopment here started with Naples’ first female mayor, and my goal is to expand it to other parts of the city.” She is quick to note that businesses that orient themselves to serving residents, take an active part in community, and conduct themselves as good neighbors, enjoy loyal year-round patronage by residents.

Historically, Naples has benefited by alternating spurts of development and redevelopment followed by a resting period. Far-sighted business leaders, elected officials, and residents have made good use of these pauses to step back and clearly see how things stand. Time-outs allow those who live here to carefully evaluate what is working, what to leave out, and how best to move forward.

Mayor MacKenzie’s benchmark is as straightforward as she is. “Fifty years from now, will people look back and consider what we did as good?” With that in mind, she continues exploring opportunities to advance the expressed interests of residents patiently and diplomatically.

Neapolitans let her know she’s on the mark. Wherever she goes, throughout the city, people refer to Bonnie MacKenzie not as “the mayor,” but as “our mayor.” And that conveys a most pleasant sense of community.

S. Alison Chabonais is a freelance business writer.