Commentary

Periodic rental inspection programs are a must for every city

If you had to guess, what percentage of cities do you think have successfully implemented periodic residential rental housing inspection programs? You might be guessing somewhere in the range of 50 percent to 60 percent, but it is probably closer to 10 percent. And while it is typically much higher for large cities (populations more […]

Commentary

Webinar: Engaging constituents might be a priority for local administrators, but is that really what citizens want?

Government exists to meet the needs of those it was created to serve. But what happens when bureaucracy and departmental friction make it difficult for citizens to accomplish the things they need to get done? They can feel disenfranchised; and that feeling can be difficult to shake. “Most folks don’t really want to engage in local government. […]

Commentary

Integrative software programs stitch together plethora of government service applications

From paying parking tickets to pulling up property cards, there’s an app for just about every digital service these days. That’s convenient for constituents, but perhaps annoying for the administrators who must keep track of all the different passwords—especially if they’re trying to manage municipal business across a plethora of platforms via a legacy framework. “All these applications […]

Commentary

Report: Green infrastructure projects can mitigate flooding, increase resiliency in underserved communities

Addressing the impact of climate change requires a grassroots effort from all kinds of organizations, both public and private. And beyond large scale stormwater protection projects, a report issued by a collaboration of New Orleans-based nonprofits shows how smaller green infrastructure initiatives can help neighborhoods mitigate the effects of localized flooding. The analysis, “The Benefits of Community-Driven Green Infrastructure,” found that “every dollar […]

Commentary

North Port, Florida utilities department depends on SCADA and remote alarm notification

Located on the Gulf of Mexico between Tampa and Sarasota, North Port, Fla., has 80 miles of freshwater canals and is the only city in the Florida with an entire 8,000-acre state forest inside its city limits. The city’s residents, visitors and many businesses are dependent on the Water and Wastewater Utilities Department. Water and […]

ArticleCommentary

How local government can make better organizational decisions

Organizations are often disappointed with the outcomes of key institutional decisions. Local governments are no exception. Bad outcomes aren’t always the result of bad luck. High-impact decisions are often made without the benefit of even writing anything down about the decision process. The fact is that many important decisions are inadequately analyzed and overly influenced […]

Commentary

Social media can play an important role in a community’s emergency response

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 […]

Commentary

How local governments can use the budgeting process to increase transparency and trust

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 […]

Commentary

Navigating through the “new normal” of travel and infrastructure as cities reopen

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 […]

Commentary

Drawn-out Congressional debt ceiling debate could have negative implications for cities

An ongoing debate in Washington, D.C. about increasing the amount of money the nation’s Treasury Department can borrow to pay its bills is largely smoke and mirrors. At the end of the day, the federal government has an obligation to its people—defaulting on payments would have catastrophic economic consequences. But lengthy debate surrounding the subject has historically dampened the […]

Attributes: Commentary

Commentary

Periodic rental inspection programs are a must for every city

Commentary

Webinar: Engaging constituents might be a priority for local administrators, but is that really what citizens want?

Commentary

Integrative software programs stitch together plethora of government service applications

Commentary

Report: Green infrastructure projects can mitigate flooding, increase resiliency in underserved communities

Commentary

North Port, Florida utilities department depends on SCADA and remote alarm notification

ArticleCommentary

How local government can make better organizational decisions

Commentary

Social media can play an important role in a community’s emergency response

Commentary

How local governments can use the budgeting process to increase transparency and trust

Commentary

Navigating through the “new normal” of travel and infrastructure as cities reopen

Commentary

Drawn-out Congressional debt ceiling debate could have negative implications for cities

WHITE PAPERS

Industrial AMR infographic

Mechanize the Mop White Paper

3 Ways to Reduce Time-to-Hire in the Public Sector

Webinars

How to Successfully Implement LED Streetlights in Your Hometown with Federal Funds

Grant Preparedness: Unlocking Funding Opportunities for Your Success

2023 State of Public Sourcing: Taking Local Governments into a Bright Future

Podcast

Podcast: Disaster Management Symposium preview

Young Leaders Episode 4 – Cyril Jefferson – City Councilman, High Point, North Carolina

Young Leaders Episode 3 – Shannon Hardin – City Council President, Columbus, Ohio

GALLERIES

Gallery: The 10 most connected U.S. cities for internet

10 best cities to celebrate St. Patrick’s Day

10 big U.S. cities where it’s easier for Gen Z to become homeowners