Op-Ed: Doing more with less: how local governments are reinventing public service

The views and opinions expressed herein are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of PublicCEO, its sponsors, its employees or any corporate relationships.

Op-Ed written by Will Ibershof, Manager in Transition

Will Ibershof is an ICMA Credentialed Manager (ICMA-CM) with over 17 years of experience leading full‑service local governments through growth, organizational change and community‑centered initiatives. His career in public service includes tenures as City Administrator for the cities of Madras, Oregon, and Sultan, Washington, as well as serving as the Mayor of Duvall, Washington. 

Local governments are in transition. State mandates grow without matching funding. Revenues remain unpredictable. Workforce shortages strain lean organizations. The cost of essential services rises every year. Cities must do more with less; the old standalone model no longer works.

This drive for reinvention is taking many forms. Across the country, cities are embracing collaboration, shared services and nonprofit partnerships to maintain service levels, protect taxpayers and strengthen community outcomes. This shift is not theoretical — it is happening in real time, driven by necessity and sustained by innovation.

The New Reality: Mandates Up, Revenues Down

The financial pressures on local government are structural, not temporary. State legislatures continue to pass new requirements — reporting mandates, regulatory changes and program expansions — without providing the resources to implement them.

At the same time:

• Property tax growth is capped or constrained in many states.
• Sales tax revenues fluctuate with economic cycles and online purchasing.
• Federal funding is competitive and episodic.
• Infrastructure costs outpace available capital.

For many cities, the traditional approach no longer adds up. The central question has shifted from whether local governments can revert to old ways to how cities will adapt and develop sustainable, innovative partnerships and solutions to safeguard their future.

Shared Services: A Practical Path Forward

One of the most effective strategies emerging is shared services — cities pooling resources to deliver essential functions more efficiently and more effectively.

A compelling example is two neighboring cities partnering to provide police services. Instead of each city maintaining its own command staff, training program, dispatch system and specialized units, they combine forces.

The results are tangible:

• A larger, more flexible police force
• Shared training and equipment
• Lower administrative overhead
• Better emergency coverage
• More consistent service for residents

This model preserves local identity while strengthening public safety. It is a practical, cost‑effective way to maintain high standards without overburdening taxpayers.

Another example gaining traction is three cities and a county pooling resources to hire a regional economic development director. Individually, none of the communities could afford a full‑time professional with the expertise to attract new businesses, secure grants or coordinate regional strategy. Together, they can.

This shared position:

• Aligns economic development goals across jurisdictions
• Reduces competition between neighboring communities
• Strengthens regional grant applications
• Creates a unified message for business attraction
• Ensures smaller cities have access to professional expertise

Collaboration, not competition, is the emerging model for local government resilience and effectiveness.

Partnering With Nonprofits to Strengthen Human Services

Cities are also turning to nonprofits to help deliver services that the government alone cannot sustain. Nonprofits bring flexibility, specialized expertise and deep community relationships — especially in areas where needs are growing faster than municipal budgets can keep pace.

Across the country, cities partner with nonprofits to provide youth and family services, address homelessness and housing instability, expand mental health response, support food security and senior services and operate recreation and cultural programs.

These partnerships allow cities to focus on their core responsibilities while ensuring residents still receive essential support. When done well, they create a seamless network of services that is more responsive and more human than the government acting alone.

Innovation Through Necessity

Cities are modernizing, enabling reduced workloads, using data to prioritize investments, reorganizing to break down silos, automating routine tasks, and engaging residents through online platforms and roundtables.

These innovations represent not just efficiency, but a decisive shift in how local governments must reimagine service delivery under persistent constraint.

The Human Side of Reinvention

Behind every shared service agreement, every partnership and every innovation is a team of public servants who show up every day because they care about their community. They are the ones who make reinvention possible.

But they cannot do it alone.

Cities must invest in their people — through training, support and clear expectations. They must create cultures where staff feel valued, trusted and empowered to solve problems. And they must communicate openly with residents about what is possible, what is not and why.

Reinvention means more than efficiency — it is about strategically aligning partnerships and resources to meet community priorities and ensure long-term sustainability.

A New Model of Local Governance

The future of local government will be defined by collaboration, not isolation. Cities that thrive will be those that:

• Share services with neighboring communities
• Pool resources to hire specialized expertise
• Partner with nonprofits to deliver human services
• Embrace innovation and modernization
• Communicate honestly with residents
• Focus on long‑term sustainability rather than short‑term fixes

This is not a story about scarcity. It is a story about resilience, creativity and community. Local governments are proving that, even in the face of shrinking resources, they can find new ways to serve, lead and strengthen the places we call home.

Doing more with less is not easy. But with the right partnerships, mindset and leadership, it is possible.