Taking the Field: Five Key Takeaways from Our Time Together in Greenville

There’s nothing quite like the buzz of hundreds of local leaders coming together with purpose. That was the energy in Greenville as we wrapped up CityVision 2025, the League’s signature annual conference and one of the most meaningful events we host each year. CityVision has always been about more than the sessions and speakers. It’s about community. And this year, Greenville delivered on every front—from the warm hospitality to the sense of purpose felt in every conversation.

We had more than 600 municipal officials, staff and partners join us for this year’s conference, and whether you were a first-time attendee or a longtime CityVision regular, I hope you left with new tools, new ideas and new relationships to help guide your work back home.

As we look back on an incredible few days, I want to share with you my top five takeaways from CityVision 2025:

1. Collaboration is Our Strongest Asset: The power of working together was a recurring theme at CityVision. Cities and towns are building stronger futures through regional cooperation, public-private partnerships and shared vision.
2. An Eagerness to Learn: Across sessions, workshops and conversations it was clear that municipal leaders are deeply committed to learning.
3. Resilience and Adaptability Defining Local Governance: From disaster preparedness to adapting to economic and demographic shifts, municipal leaders demonstrated their commitment to building resilient communities that can weather future challenges.
4. Civility is the Foundation for Progress: CityVision reaffirmed that respectful dialogue and a shared commitment to civility remain essential. The mutual respect and collaboration among leaders was a powerful reminder that progress happens when we work together.
5. The Future of Local Government is Bright: With fresh ideas, rising leaders and renewed energy from CityVision, the future of municipal government in North Carolina is full of promise.

Let’s carry the momentum of CityVision into the rest of the year. Our calendar is full of opportunities to keep connecting and learning through our League events, affiliate association summer conferences, Advancing Municipal Leaders (AML) offerings, risk management trainings and more!

This summer also debuts our AML Municipal Finance webinar series, a fantastic way to build knowledge in a critical area of local government. These courses are tailored to help both elected officials and staff strengthen their understanding of budgets, audits, board reporting and more.

I hope you can take some time this summer and visit our western neighbors and not only enjoy the renowned landscapes but also invest in their local economies.

We’re in this together. And that’s what makes our League—our cities and towns— so strong. I look forward to seeing you throughout our state this summer!