Commentary Three post-COVID investments for stronger public sector network security 11th August 2021 The $350 billion in aid to state and local governments in the American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) was a desperately needed measure to bolster public finances that had been decimated by the COVID-19 pandemic and the economic crisis that followed. Coming on the heels of two previous tranches of multi-billion-dollar federal aid, government agencies are […]
Commentary Governance matters: Managing environmental and socioeconomic factors to improve health outcomes 10th August 2021 A person’s zip code has a far greater impact on their health than their genetic code. Mayors and municipal leaders who take into consideration these local, environmental and community factors, known as the social determinants of health, are uniquely positioned to make lasting health improvements for their communities. My own experience as the mayor of […]
Commentary Converting commercial real estate into residential units could benefit cities and counties 10th August 2021 Even before the COVID-19 pandemic emptied out cities and counties from Maine to California, America’s office environment was being redefined as employers increasingly offered telework opportunities. With the rise of the tech industry, in-person work requirements have become somewhat obsolete (in some sectors). These days, employees can punch into the same digital time clocks from different time zones; meetings can be held via video conferencing platforms; and cross-platform collaboration offers more immediacy than working in adjacent cubicles. It’s a […]
Commentary Smart city technology drives efficient disaster response and recovery 9th August 2021 From heatwave-induced wildfires in the West to unrelenting hurricanes in the Southeast, natural disasters are increasing in frequency and severity due to climate change. As evidenced in 2020’s historic year of extreme cases, totaling 22 separate billion-dollar weather and climate disasters, we can expect this trend to continue. Today, wildfire season is longer and more […]
Commentary Application modernization is key to improving customer experience 9th August 2021 The pandemic exposed critical gaps in the government’s ability to efficiently deliver essential services in a time of crisis. In addition, aging applications and IT infrastructure presented formidable challenges when scaling to meet the demand for both services and information. As the world moves steadily toward complete reopening, how have citizens’ needs changed, what lessons […]
Commentary Increased demand for affordable housing requires integrated solutions 5th August 2021 Automated and timely data can help housing authorities meet the need and manage backlogs The shortage of affordable housing was exacerbated by the pandemic, and even with a new eviction moratorium from the Centers for Disease Control in place through October, continued pressure on public and affordable housing organizations is expected. Cities and states have […]
Commentary New research underscores upside of modernizing local government technology 3rd August 2021 As in the private sector, the wheels of city and local governments are powered increasingly by technology. Already, according to a recent survey conducted of global IT decision makers, tech is used to respond to citizen or “customer” needs in half of government/public sector interactions. More than half (55 percent) of survey respondents in the […]
Can street lights provide a solution when it comes to rural broadband connectivity? 30th July 2021 The pandemic gave many Americans the opportunity to work remotely from home during the lockdown. Now, with more people than ever being able to work from anywhere they can get online, many have taken the opportunity to rethink whether they want to live in big cities or crowded suburbs—and they are flocking to exurban communities, […]
Commentary Key power backup solutions for the active storm season ahead 29th July 2021 While Disney’s Frozen Princess Elsa could conjure up ice and snow, the hurricane sharing her name recently brought a different type of storm to cities and counties up the East Coast. With 75 mph winds and heavy rains, Hurricane Elsa became one of the earliest forming fifth-named storms on record in the Atlantic and portended […]
Commentary Repurposing closed landfills to alleviate constrained budgets and meet sustainability goals 28th July 2021 Among the many disruptions the COVID-19 pandemic has brought about, one issue that has been exacerbated is the budget strain among municipalities of all sizes across the nation. A Pew study of 13 American cities found that all of them had budget shortfalls for 2021, most ranging between 4.5 percent to 17 percent. With many […]
Young Leaders Episode 4 – Cyril Jefferson – City Councilman, High Point, North Carolina 13th October 2020