Weedoo clearing the way: Why more municipalities are turning to mechanical harvesting for waterway health
Public works departments are under growing pressure to meet environmental regulations, manage costs and maintain community trust. Nowhere is that balancing act more visible than in aquatic maintenance. From stormwater canals to retention ponds, municipalities face persistent challenges: invasive weeds, … More from our cover sponsor →
Saving the environment, one municipality at a time
Global Environmental Products has always envisioned an all-electric, environmentally friendly street sweeper. The company’s pursuit of this goal led first to a hybrid electric/diesel model in 2011, which was followed in 2018 by its first fuel cell model that used … Continue reading →
Joining forces: Public Safety Executive Partnership proves successful
President Ronald Reagan once said, “There is no limit to how much good you can do, if you don’t care who gets the credit.” It’s a mantra that the Public Safety Executive Partnership in Buckeye, Ariz., takes very seriously, and … Continue reading →
Gardner, Kansas, provides relief through utility bill
On the Kansas side of Kansas City’s metropolitan area is Gardner, one of the poorest cities in Johnson County, according to Mayor Steve Shute. With an estimated population of just over 21,000 people, the largest employers are United School District … Continue reading →
Martha’s Vineyard town responds to climate change, beach erosion
Martha’s Vineyard has long been a destination spot for tourism, the allure of the island drawing visitors and summer residents from hundreds of miles away. Beneath all of the serenity and beauty, however, lies a problem that remains a reality … Continue reading →
Cities nationwide deal with urban wildlife
Cities in Arizona In Arizona, the state, rather than individual cities, is responsible for urban wildlife problems. In turn, according to Darren Julian, Arizona Game and Fish Department Region VI urban wildlife specialist, the state relies heavily upon municipalities to … Continue reading →
Solving problems, one creative solution at a time
A city on an island, Anacortes, Wash., is home to approximately 17,000 residents and has a working waterfront with a strong maritime industry that employs fishermen, ferry workers and fish plant workers. Creating a sustainable maritime economy has been a … Continue reading →
Elko, Nevada, holds diverse offerings
What puts a city or town on the map in 2020? Many factors go into the equation, and it seems Elko, Nev., has cracked the code when it comes to livability. After securing the honor of “The Best Small Town … Continue reading →
The pros and cons of green streets
Shawnee, Kan. Shawnee has just begun its green streets projects with a couple of trial projects starting construction soon, aimed at spurring development on its west side. Assistant City Manager Caitlin Gard, senior development engineer Raegan Long and community development … Continue reading →
Thomas Edison National Historical Park West Orange, New Jersey
His family called him “Al.” His teachers called him “too stupid to learn anything.” But through a lifetime of stratospheric curiosity, unrelenting inventiveness and an unrivaled work ethic, Thomas Alva Edison has earned the invariable honorific uttered even now across … Continue reading →
Tucson pilots street ambassador program to promote Move Tucson initiative
Beginning last fall, a webinar highlighting the New York City street ambassador program inspired Gabriela Barillas-Longoria, livability planner for Tucson, Arizona, to think up new ways to increase community engagement. “I started thinking of how we could scale it down … Continue reading →
The Municipal Top 10: Best minor league baseball towns
While COVID-19 has waylaid many minor league baseball teams’ seasons, we still wanted to honor America’s pastime this July in addition to the towns that host teams. On September 24, 2019, SmartAsset posted the 2019 edition of its “Best Minor … Continue reading →
Kentucky disproving theory that fairness ordinances restrict economic growth
When Midway, Kentucky, began looking into adopting a fairness ordinance in 2015, many of the objectors declared that such an ordinance would harm the city’s economy. But since the passing of the ordinance, Midway has seen the exact opposite of … Continue reading →
Public works adapts in face of the pandemic
Throughout the country, municipal public works departments have found themselves doing more than just wearing masks and social distancing to keep their operations running during the COVID-19 pandemic. Whether the city has two public works employees or 200 the last … Continue reading →
Bring downtown alive with ‘Music on Main Street’
Today more cities are investing in their downtowns than ever before by completing a variety of streetscape and placemaking projects. While these updates generate a visually pleasing place to visit, cities shouldn’t discount adding background music when crafting the perfect … Continue reading →
Managers and elected officials have a responsibility to maintain adequate water/sewer rates
One of the most difficult duties of a city manager, or elected official, is the task of maintaining adequate water and sewer rates and increasing rates when necessary. Even the conversation of reviewing rates seems to create more citizen complaints … Continue reading →
Historic Dyess Colony, Dyess, Arkansas
But for one of its residents who became world famous, the Dyess Colony in Arkansas might have been relegated to the dust heap of history along with other Depression era government-planned resettlement communities. The colony, now the town of Dyess, … Continue reading →
Danville embraces solar to satisfy energy needs
While tobacco and textiles may have built Danville, Va., into a thriving metropolis in the south central part of the state, solar energy is sparking the city’s revival. Danville, located in Pittsylvania County, was founded in 1793 on the bank … Continue reading →
Lift Up Lou supports Louisville residents’ well-being during COVID-19
In early spring, COVID-19 began spreading across the United States. Suddenly, many businesses were deemed nonessential and shut down. Schools and government offices closed, and sheltering in place became the norm. People began wearing masks and maintaining a 6-foot distance … Continue reading →
