ICMA holds childhood obesity workshops for school and government officials

In May, city and county managers and school district officials from across Florida met in Miami for the first of three workshops on building healthy communities sponsored by the Washington-based International City/County Management Association (ICMA). The workshop, along with two more scheduled to be held in Mississippi and Virginia and a special session at ICMA’s annual conference in Pittsburgh, aim to increase cooperation between local governments and school systems on fighting childhood obesity and other issues.

The 25 attendees of the Miami workshop discussed three key approaches local governments and schools could take toward improving their communities’ health. They included building new schools in areas where children can safely ride bicycles or walk to school; increasing joint use of school- and government-owned facilities, such as parks and athletic fields; and disseminating information on strengthening ties between land use and public health.

During the ICMA conference in Pittsburgh, there will be a panel discussion titled “Schools, Local Governments and Partnerships: Working Together for the Community’s Future,” followed by a Marketplace of Ideas session. For more information, go to www.icma.org .