Some of the most difficult issues faced by small- and mid-sized cities and towns seem to revolve around pension reform, tax caps and decreased federal funding for infrastructure. Even given these situations, however, municipalities accomplished a great deal in 2014. … Continue reading →
If you want to talk to the mayor of Carroll, Iowa, on a random weekday, don’t call city hall. He won’t be there. If he’s not out in the community or traveling on official business, Adam Schweers, 35, can usually … Continue reading →
For nearly a decade, public policy advocacy groups have highlighted the value of public-private partnerships for government entities. Although this approach was first used for large capital improvement projects, forward-thinking municipalities are realizing that the complexity and rapid pace of … Continue reading →
Many technologies are available that aid police departments in solving cases and apprehending criminals quickly, including surveillance cameras that monitor public spaces. But what happens when a city wants to require surveillance in the private sector for police use? What … Continue reading →
In “Rime of the Ancient Mariner,” by Samuel Taylor Coleridge, the immortal words appear: “Water, water every where/nor any drop to drink.” Thanks to entities such as the California-based Wyland Foundation, cities all over the nation are doing their part … Continue reading →
City reduces vehicle lifecycle emissions 80 percent, addresses sustainability initiatives By COLIN HUWYLER, CEO | Optimus Technologies LLC Local governments are leading the way toward cleaning up the environment. One case in point is the city of Pittsburgh, Pa. While … Continue reading →
The city of Tallahassee is revitalizing the Gaines Street corridor, an essential corridor to the city since its founding. In order to appreciate the breadth of the revitalization, we must first understand how the corridor came to be and how … Continue reading →
The past winter was one for the record books. No one knows this better than Peter Noehammer, engineer and director of transportation services for the Scarborough District of the city of Toronto, Ontario, Canada. Toronto is getting its roads back … Continue reading →
Street and public utility departments are experiencing, in varying severity, the tandem perennial fiscal scourges of diminishing budget funds and increased operation costs. Fortunately, a burgeoning technology has added a cost-effective weapon to municipal arsenals. Infrared asphalt repair, though gaining … Continue reading →
Summertime in the park sings of sun-dappled trees, picnics on the green, bright rivers, playgrounds, concerts, trails and school’s-out exhilaration. Prior to National Parks and Recreation Month this July, the powers that be from the National Recreation and Park Association, … Continue reading →
This February found some of the nation’s top middle school students in Washington, D.C., competing at the annual DiscoverE Initiative, the Future City Competition. DiscoverE, a self-described “consortium of professional and technical societies and major U.S. corporations,” chose “Tomorrow’s Transit: … Continue reading →
