PCiRoads uses custom equipment for Minneapolis stormwater project
Minneapolis features a busy and lively downtown area that’s home to nearly 57,000 residents along with 216,000 employees each week, per mplsdowntown.com. The city has consistently topped more than $1 billion in new construction permits over the past 11 years … More from our cover sponsor →
What municipal managers should know about 5G
By DOUG WOOD | Guest columnist Associate Director, Grassroots Environmental Education As telecom companies get ready to roll out the next generation of wireless technology, local municipalities are facing thousands of applications for new antenna installations, many of which will be … Continue reading →
Law enforcement protects the community’s booty from plunder
Porch pirates scour neighborhoods more so during the holiday season, seeing what they can snatch from the doorsteps of unsuspecting people who may have just ordered a gift for their loved one online or are receiving a timeless gift, like … Continue reading →
Glastonbury receives NRPA and ICMA awards for innovative Riverfront Park
For 30 years the town of Glastonbury, Conn., had discussed the need for access to the riverfront both for first responders in case of emergency and public recreation. The town’s work to make this a reality earned it the National … Continue reading →
Iowa City witnesses multiuse property come to fruition in its downtown
We’ve got the perfect quote for Iowa City, Iowa, when its stick-to-itiveness pursuit — years in the making — for a multipurpose building and park are finally completed in August 2019: “Only if you have been to the deepest valley, … Continue reading →
Minimum wages on the rise
While the federal minimum wage has remained at $7.25 since early 2009, a number of employers have pledged to increase their lowest pay rates to $15 an hour. This trend is largely due to public pressure to maintain quality of … Continue reading →
Making a difference: Broken Arrow’s City Manager Michael Spurgeon
No matter if he is updating the residents of Broken Arrow, Okla., about the latest infrastructure improvements, economic developments or upcoming plans and projects, City Manager Michael Spurgeon ends his PSA videos the same way: “I hope to see you … Continue reading →
Disbanding police departments: A rising trend?
For many small towns, a local police department helps instill pride in the community. Residents see a police car with their city’s name on it, and they know that the officer driving is one of them. But in recent years, it … Continue reading →
Belgrade, Mont.
It took 101 years, but the 8,556 residents of Belgrade, Mont., got a city seal. The seal was adopted by a resolution of the city council Feb. 5, 2007, after Heidi Jensen, a newly hired associate planner, discovered the oversight … Continue reading →
An alternative fuel turns heads
Thıs fuel has been on the market ın some quantıty since at least 2010; however, you might not have heard of it yet: renewable diesel. No, it’s not biodiesel, even though it also utilizes organic materials. Offering numerous benefits, renewable … Continue reading →
Lighthouses, Block Island, R.I.
Thousands of ships have averted disaster on the treacherous shores of Block Island, R.I., thanks to the two lighthouses that bookend the Atlantic tourist haven a dozen miles south of the mainland. The historic nautical siblings, simply dubbed the North … Continue reading →
Cities examine recycling practices as China tightens ban on plastic waste
The world is getting smaller every day, which means one singular decision made abroad has the power to affect municipalities domestically and disrupt their day-to-day waste management operations. Look no further than China’s January 2018 decision to implement an import … Continue reading →
Cautious optimism high among cities
Being a midterm year, the news channels have been dominated by numerous mudslinging political ads — at least, that’s been the case on my local stations in northern Indiana. No matter who was elected Nov. 6 — I write this … Continue reading →
Mayors around the country review 2018, look forward to next year
We reached out to mayors and city managers across the U.S. to see how they fared in 2018 and asked them to peek into their crystal balls to see what challenges they expect to tackle in 2019 as well as … Continue reading →
Commitment to mutual benefits turns infrastructure projects from eyesores into assets
By JAY KEELING | POWER Engineers Incorporated Imagine what is becoming a common situation: a municipal utility needs to build an electrical substation in the middle of an urban neighborhood. Substations have a reputation for being unsightly, certainly nothing anyone … Continue reading →
Breaking the pothole cycle
2018 was the year of the pothole. It seems like every news station locally and nationally had extensive coverage on what they dubbed the “pothole pandemic.” A crumbling infrastructure in combination with dwindling municipal budgets and an extensive freeze thaw cycle has created the perfect storm for potholes and lots of them. Public works departments, county road commissions and state departments of transportation are fighting an uphill battle when it comes to pothole patching. Adverse weather conditions, lack of resources, asphalt plant closures and outdated methods are all factors directly contributing to the ever-challenging fight against potholes.
Continue reading →Saluting the Doughboys, gone but not forgotten
Since 1954, the United States of America has celebrated Veterans Day on Nov. 11 to commemorate the men and women who served their country in a military capacity. On this day, veterans are to be treated with the utmost respect. … Continue reading →
Quality of life is Kirkland’s economic development strategy
Kirkland, Wash., is a Pacific Northwest gem that really has it all. A suburb of east Seattle in King County, Kirkland is a community of 88,630 that is consistently ranked as one of the most livable communities in the country. … Continue reading →
Phoenix addresses skills gap with apprenticeship program
Hands-on learning, one-on-one interaction, classroom studies and camaraderie are a few of the keys to an impactful career experience, as demonstrated by the inaugural year of the Phoenix Public Works Department’s Solid Waste Equipment Operators Apprenticeship Program. In recent years, … Continue reading →
