Sometimes, what separates us is not some metaphysical belief or complex idea but a physical barrier.
For Upland, it’s the bridge that divides Main Street into two.
“If it wasn’t for the bridge … you would essentially be able to see from one end of town to the other,” Jonathan Perez, town manager of Upland, said. “I think subliminally that bridge poses a divide. Which is kind of ironic that there would be that in a town that is less than a mile in length.”
Over the past seven years in his role as town manager, Perez has been working to oversee, nurture and unite Upland — within itself, with Taylor and with the surrounding communities.
In Upland’s governance structure, town manager is a role appointed by the town council.
Perez reports to the council and works alongside this elected body, describing his position as being a unique conglomeration of responsibilities relating to both development and administration.
His work touches just about every area of the town.
“You’re a catch-all,” Perez said. “You have to know just enough of a little bit of everything to be dangerous at all of it; to have an understanding to understand how all the moving pieces work together.”
For the past seven years, Perez has worked toward a goal of increased collaboration between Upland and its neighboring towns.
When he first began his career, he said, each city, content to remain in their own lane, was neglecting to tap into the resource that is cross-county partnership. He’s seen these connections strengthen overtime.
“We’ve absolutely made progress,” Perez said. “That just comes from a generational, cultural mindset shift of embracing regionalism.”
Unity achieved outside of town is also dependent on unity achieved from within town borders, however.
Perez places great priority on the opinions and desires of those whom he chiefly serves: Upland’s residents.
Something that distinguishes Upland from other communities of its size is the impact that Taylor University has on the town and its decision-making processes. The college has no small presence, either — Taylor’s population makes up half of the total Upland population.
In the very early stages of planning for the Main Street Mile Initiative, Perez joined with Taylor to perpetuate an ongoing conversation about the town’s needs, catalyzing the improvements that are now underway as the two have begun the five-year development process.
Out of these dialogues emerged one central recognition: the patterns of isolation that existed outside of Upland also existed within it.
“I think what was good in that master planning (process) is that the majority of the community as a whole and Taylor identified very common threads,” Perez said. “Historically, prior administrations of both Taylor and the town had the same mentality. They both kind of respectively just lived in their own bubbles and worlds. Obviously, we’ve since realized the success of both of our entities and as a whole is better together than it is trying to do it independently.”
For the student wondering what involvement with their college town looks like in practice, Perez encourages students to consider Upland to be their home just as Taylor’s campus is.
In addition to improving the infrastructure of the town through things like roadways, sidewalks, signage and trails, Perez and his team are continually looking for ways to implement feedback that will make Upland a desirable place to live and to stay.
They remain receptive to these conversations on all levels.
“Maybe there’s a couple people who will actually read (this) and send me an email about an idea that they had or something that we can work on,” he said. “That’d be the coolest thing about doing all of this.”
