This episode of the Amazing Cities and Towns Podcast sponsored by Bearing Advisors, Jim Hunt interviews Janice Allen Jackson, host of the Local Matters Podcast.   A candid conversation about why local government matters How to get more young people involved in local government How the Local Matters Podcast helps promote involvement in local government What's the impact of the current state of national politics on local government How do City Managers balance their non-partisan roles and do what is best for the city How homelessness impacts smaller cities and how can local governments improve the situation And, much more   7 Steps to an Amazing City:   Attitude Motivation Attention to Detail Zing Inclusiveness Neighborhood Empowerment Green Awareness   Thanks for listening and look forward to having you join us for the next episode.   Links Mentions During Show:   https://janiceallenjackson.weebly.com/ AmazingCities.org AmazingCities.org/podcast to be a guest on the podcast   About  Janice Allen Jackson Mrs. Jackson has served as City Manager of Albany, GA, and Administrator of the consolidated Augusta, GA government. She also worked as one of four General Managers reporting to the County Manager in Mecklenburg County, NC, and Assistant City Manager in Albany. She began her career in local government as a Management Intern in Prince George's County, MD. Throughout her career, she has always enjoyed bringing major projects to fruition, building public trust in government, and empowering staff to become their best and most productive. Her unique talents revolve around her willingness to address issues head on with honesty, sincerity, and integrity, and in so doing, bring people closer to the organizations that serve them, and employees closer to the organizations for which they work. ​ Over the years, she has been active in various civic and professional organizations, to include the United Way organizations in Augusta, Albany, and the Central Carolinas, the International and Georgia City-County Manager's Associations, Women's National Book Association, Charlotte Chapter, and the National Forum for Black Public Administrators. She is also a graduate of Leadership Georgia, Leadership Albany, Leadership Charlotte, and Leadership Augusta. She is a Diamond Life member of the Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc., and an active Rotarian/Paul Harris Fellow.  She has also served on the boards the Institute for Social Capital at the University of North Carolina-Charlotte, Partners for Out of School Time, Caring, and the Steering Committee of the Charlotte-Mecklenburg Women's Summit. She also served as a member of The Executive Leadership Team of the Central Savannah River Area (CSRA) American Heart Association Heart Walk. Additionally, she is an active member and Vacation Bible School teacher at Good Shepherd Baptist Church. A native of Augusta, Mrs. Jackson graduated from the Academy Of Richmond County. She was the first student at the College of William and Mary to pursue the interdisciplinary major in Public Policy, completing it with a concentration in Urban Policy.  Later, she was a recipient of the Alfred P. Sloan/Association for Public Policy Analysis and Management Fellowship, and earned a Master's Degree in Public Policy with a concentration in Management from Duke University. About Your Host, Jim Hunt: Welcome to the “Building Amazing Cities and Towns Podcast” … The podcast for Mayors, Council Members, Managers, Staff and anyone who is interested in building an Amazing City.   Your host is Jim Hunt, the author of “Bottom Line Green, How American Cities are Saving the Planet and Money Too” and his latest book, “The Amazing City - 7 Steps to Creating an Amazing City”   Jim is also the former President of the National League of Cities, 27 year Mayor, Council Member and 2006 Municipal Leader of the Year by American City and County Magazine.   Today, Jim speaks to 1000’s of local government officials each year in the US and abro