Commentary Social media can play an important role in a community’s emergency response 1st October 2021 History has proven time and again that communication is often hampered when a natural disaster strikes. Wildfires create widespread chaos that expands beyond political and government-managed borders; flooding events can evolve quickly, making it difficult for first responders to know what’s going on in the corners of their jurisdictions; hurricanes bring ashore intense wind, splintering telephone poles and overwhelming […]
Article 5 ways online purchasing channels can boost government procurement efficiency 1st October 2021 In the first B2B ECommerce in Evolution Report from Amazon Business, 40 percent of government buyers said increasing efficiency within the procurement department is a top priority this year. This initiative could have major implications for the way government organizations have historically purchased goods and products. Boosting government procurement efficiency will require the digital transformation […]
Commentary How local governments can use the budgeting process to increase transparency and trust 1st October 2021 COVID-19 has deepened many citizens’ relationship with their local governments. In the United States, citizens are focused on both the federal government’s response and that of their local governments, which have been highly influential on the overall pandemic response in any given part of the country. In the short term, this focus led to a […]
Article Why equitable community engagement matters—and how to practice it 30th September 2021 Overseeing a new construction or redevelopment project in your city is never a simple task. Every phase—from due diligence about the developer, to planning, permits and zoning—takes time and a specialized skill set. One phase that requires just as much expertise, but that is sometimes overlooked, is community engagement. When a municipality does it right, […]
Commentary Navigating through the “new normal” of travel and infrastructure as cities reopen 29th September 2021 The onset of the COVID-19 pandemic disrupted local, regional and global travel patterns in unprecedented ways. By April, vehicle miles traveled plummeted across the globe. In the United States, drivers covered 70 percent fewer miles than before the pandemic. Public transit systems too saw massive declines, as workers either stopped commuting entirely or turned to […]
Article Looking for money in local budgets: IT asset management in a post-pandemic world 28th September 2021 State and local governments have been hit hard over the last 18 months. Since those jurisdictions often require balanced budgets, emergency spending during the pandemic must be offset by either budget cuts or tax increases. In fact, a Washington Post analysis shows that in 2020, the majority of states saw their tax revenues shrink with […]
Article Accelerating the transition to digital citizen services 24th September 2021 When the pandemic first took hold in the United States, the traditional means of providing local government services to citizens was disrupted and, in some cases, grounded to a halt. This accelerated the call for governments to deliver digital services to citizens, with constituents seeking a similar seamless online experience when accessing government services as […]
Article How public electric utilities can leverage federal broadband grants 20th September 2021 In a recent article for American City and County, “How local governments can prepare for the new federal broadband grants,” I mentioned that in my experience, publicly owned utilities have made excellent partners in broadband deployments. This article expounds on that thesis and makes the argument that more public electric utilities should examine how they […]
Article The art of the public art installation: Building a vision with communities 15th September 2021 Some of us view public art installations simply as points of interest when we tour unfamiliar neighborhoods. But there’s nothing simple about these installations. For municipalities, they can foster a sense of community and belonging, or they can backfire and become a source of controversy. It’s critical, therefore, that municipalities choose public art with care […]
Article Digital supply chain challenge to cities and counties—another cyber minefield to navigate 15th September 2021 As cities and counties have steadfastly turned to managed service providers for enhanced improvements and security for their networks, a new type of cyberthreat has emerged to greatly undermine trust. The irony here is that many turned to managed service providers who promised greater cyber security and hardened system protections. Perhaps managed services sounded too […]
Young Leaders Episode 4 – Cyril Jefferson – City Councilman, High Point, North Carolina 13th October 2020