Johns Creek, CH2M Hill OMI: Perfect pair

February 06, 2008
JOHNS CREEK -- Sometimes, two is better than one. And, for city of Johns Creek, it seems having two entities working together to run the city is working well.

The city of Johns Creek and its partnership with CH2M Hill OMI received a special recognition at the U.S. Conference of Mayors in Washington D.C. in January, acquiring the Outstanding Achievement Award for Public/Private Partnerships.

Mayor Mike Bodker was in the nation's capital to receive the award, which recognized the partnership where the company is responsible for managing all major city functions except public safety.

"Quite simply, Johns Creek would not have been able to achieve all that we have in our first year if not for our partnership with CH2M Hill OMI," said Bodker. "The team of professionals, the customer service orientation they bring their access to a wide range of resources means our citizens are getting a tremendous return on their tax dollars."

Just before Johns Creek's incorporation, officials determined that the best way to manage city business was to hire a company to help handle Johns Creek functions. CH2, a $5 billion global firm, started up the new city in less than 90 days, investing its own resources to run the city initially without a formal contract.

"I think the success comes from truly having a partnership attitude," said Bodker. "I believe that one of the formulas that works for Johns Creek is that on the city of Johns Creek side as well as the CH2 side there is a genuine desire to make this relationship work. Not for the short term but for the long term."

He added that citizens will gain benefits as the partnership continues long term, including a good use of tax dollars because there are 1.41 employees per 1,000 citizens. Most cities are double or triple that number, he said.


According to Bodker, some city leadership positions are exclusively city of Johns Creek employees, while others positions are filled by true CH2 employees and some are subcontractors to CH2, which the company manages.

The mayor said it would be difficult for someone to walk through City Hall and distinguish a CH2 employee from a city employee.

"I think that more than anything is a testimony that we are a team…that's the way it's supposed to work," said Bodker.

The award was one of 10 Public/Private Partnership Awards presented to cities and companies by Las Vegas Mayor Oscar Goodman. It was Johns Creek's first partnership award from the conference and CH2's second.

CH2 was also recently named number 52 in Fortune Magazine's "Top 100 Best Firms to Work For" list.