For several years, some of our local activists (especially Bob Ferguson) have been interacting with an organization called the Intelligent Community Forum. Their mission is: “…to help communities build innovative, inclusive, and prosperous economies and cultivate strong social connections and rich and meaningful cultures. We do it for communities large and small, in urban clusters and outlying suburbs and rural places. We believe that digital connectivity and technology create the opportunity for almost every community to develop economic, social, and cultural vitality – giving them all a chance to be great places to live, work, learn, grow, raise a family, and prepare a path for the next generation.”
We’ve sequentially climbed their ladder of recognition, until this year, Fairfield and Jefferson County have been named one of their Top 7 Intelligent Communities of the Year! The others are in Brazil, Turkey, Canada, the USA, and Spain. With this recognition, ICF will be providing extra resources and opportunities for our continued growth.
Fairfield’s citation includes: “Fairfield has the advantages of a small place in a rural setting: natural beauty, plenty of elbow room, and a human pace and scale where longtime residents know each other and are quick to offer a helping hand. But city leaders recognized long ago that its future depends on the world around it: specifically, on attracting and retaining people who can build an economy that reaches far beyond its borders.
“The city has a record of success in that regard. According to GoDaddy’s Venture Forward research project, Fairfield has nearly six times more small businesses per 100 people than the average for US cities. Dubbed “Silicon Valley” by Wired magazine, the city has the kind of entrepreneurial culture and person-to-person network for which that other valley is famous. It has a diversified economy of education, software development, telecom, financial services, manufacturing, and marketing companies, some employing thousands.”
And it concludes: “A small place in a big world, Fairfield has leveraged the happy accidents of its history, and the entrepreneurial spirit of residents, businesses and government, to make a point – that “the middle of nowhere” is a myth for places that know what it takes to prosper today and are determined to make it happen.”
Sometimes we have to stop and smell the Fairfield flowers and reflect on the wonderful, creative, quirky community we call home.
As you enjoy the summer–maybe with some out-of-town, state, or country trips–let’s remember to be grateful for every one who actively contributes to this Fairfield.