Cooperative buying offers substantial benefits to public works
Dee Warren, Director, Marketing and Sales Operations for Land Pride and Great Plains Cooperative buying’s growth Purchasing fleet equipment through a cooperative may seem like a novel idea, but it’s not. According to the National Association of State Procurement Officials … More from our cover sponsor →
Bradenton’s City Park embraces baseball past while bringing more amenities
If you only know Bradenton, Fla., because of LECOM Park — home of the minor league home ballpark for the Pittsburgh Pirates — take another look! A new project — City Park — began in May, and its vision is … Continue reading →
Inclusiveness and innovation at the forefront of today’s parks
Today’s city parks have come a long way from the playgrounds of my youth, which mainly consisted of a set of swings, basketball hoops, a metal slide that burned your legs on a hot sunny day and metal monkey bars … Continue reading →
Recovery efforts move toward future mitigation and restoration
Hurricane Helene brought devastating flooding and damage to the eastern coast in 2024, and many cities are still recovering. While working through the damage and losses has been tough on many cities, Asheville, N.C., is also making the best of … Continue reading →
A ‘Swift’ trip: Watch Hill neighborhood has an historic ‘reputation’
Located in the coastal community of Westerly, R.I., Watch Hill is a village with a neighborhood feel – filled with boutiques, restaurants, quaint architecture, and the oldest operating carousel in the United States. Although there are only about 212 permanent … Continue reading →
Cooperative buying offers substantial benefits to public works
Dee Warren, Director, Marketing and Sales Operations for Land Pride and Great Plains Cooperative buying’s growth Purchasing fleet equipment through a cooperative may seem like a novel idea, but it’s not. According to the National Association of State Procurement Officials … Continue reading →
‘World’s largest lily pond’ upgraded in West Virginia park
A city is often judged by its aesthetics, and parks play a major role in improving a city’s look as well as contributing to the overall health and mental well-being of its residents. Parks also provide access to safe pedestrian … Continue reading →
Weird and wonderful: The historic, artsy, Old West town of Bisbee, Arizona
“Quirky arts town” might be the best descriptive for the town of Bisbee, Ariz. It didn’t begin that way. In 1877, a detail of Army scouts and cavalrymen were searching for Apache Indians; however, their civilian tracker discovered the presence … Continue reading →
In the footsteps of a fighter: Philadelphia’s essential “Rocky” tour
In 1976, a fictional boxer ran through the streets of Philadelphia, Pa., and into the hearts of moviegoers everywhere. “Rocky” was not merely the story of an underdog fighter whose whole life was a million-to-one shot, but the story that … Continue reading →
Modernizing for the next crisis: Virginia Beach strengthens emergency management
Emergency management is often measured by what happens during a disaster, but the real work begins long before a storm hits or an emergency unfolds. Planning, collaboration and continuous improvement allow communities to respond quickly when the unexpected occurs. In … Continue reading →
MUNICIPAL TOP TEN
Interstate migration: Who are the winners? People move across state lines for many reasons: cheaper housing, lower taxes, work opportunities and climate among them. Interstate migration was high immediately following the pandemic, but in 2024 it fell sharply to 2.1% … Continue reading →
Lincoln, Nebraska, revitalizes downtown with large infrastructure and beautification project
The downtown area is getting a major facelift in Lincoln, Neb., along O Street. O Street is not only the main thoroughfare through downtown, it is also a federal and state highway and connects the city to the University of … Continue reading →
How Santa Rosa, Calif. turned catastrophe into a national model for wildfire survival
When wildfire swept into Santa Rosa, California in October 2017, it destroyed roughly 3,000 structures inside city limits. This number represented half of the 6,000 lost across the region. The Tubbs and Nuns fires were, at the time, the most … Continue reading →
Grand Rapids strengthens emergency readiness by bridging language barriers
Grand Rapids, Mich., recently took an important step toward community-wide preparedness by hosting its first Spanish-language emergency response training. On April 9, 2026, 24 Spanish-speaking residents gathered at Iglesia Cambiando Vidas Sedientas, a local church, for a first-of-its-kind emergency preparedness … Continue reading →
Are we still repairing manholes like it’s 1925?
A public works case for protecting pavement continuity, moving from crisis response to regular maintenance, and giving good crews better leverage. Look at the front cover photograph of a road crew repairing a manhole in 1925. The hats have improved. … Continue reading →
Cave City’s relationship building bolstered recovery efforts from tornado
On March 14, 2025, an EF-3 tornado hit Cave City, Ark., around 10:30 p.m., leaving a devastating trail of destruction behind. Mayor Jonas Anderson spoke to The Municipalabout what his city experienced and how it recovered. Anderson said the tornado … Continue reading →
Illegal dumping is a messy problem for municipalities
Illegal dumping is a problem that every municipality has to contend with, whether you live in a tourist area like Dare County, North Carolina, an urban area with some blight like Flint, Michigan or a small town like Milford, Indiana. … Continue reading →
Turning ideas into action: Community solutions for a zero-waste future
When the city leaders of San Jose, California launched the Zero Waste Innovations Grant (ZWIG) program in fall 2025, they were looking for more than new recycling initiatives. They were looking for fresh ideas from the people who experience waste … Continue reading →
Sustainable opportunity: Salem, Massachusetts works toward a greener future
Begun in 2008, as Salem Recycles, to reduce trash tonnage in the city of Salem, Zero Waste Salem — as it was rebranded last year — is dedicated to helping residents reduce, reuse, compost and recycle. According to Alisa Cherkasova, … Continue reading →
