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Athens Mayor Steve Patterson reflects on 2025 NLC presidency and lessons for small cities
Summary
Steve Patterson, mayor of Athens, described how his 2025 term as president of the National League of Cities prioritized helping small and underserved communities secure and manage federal grants, cultivating young local leaders, and launching international outreach. He said those efforts brought national attention and practical resources back to Athens.
Steve Patterson, mayor of Athens, reflected on his 2025 term as president of the National League of Cities and said his focus was ‘‘uplifting small and underserved communities.’’ Patterson said the presidency gave him opportunities to press Congress and national partners for tools that smaller municipalities need to compete for federal funding.
Patterson said one central goal was building local capacity. "For me, it was pretty simple. It was uplifting small and underserved communities," he said. He described how the NLC and the Bloomberg Institute expanded a "local infrastructure hub" aimed at helping communities with limited staff to apply for and manage federal grants, and said the program addressed common concerns that small governments lack personnel to handle grant reporting.
Patterson traced his NLC rise to attending the…
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