Built to Last: 25 Years of Fabric Building Services
“Over the past 25 years, the Fabric Building Division at Greystone Construction has earned the trust of hundreds of cities, counties, municipalities, DOTs (departments of transportation) and private firms, and has covered over 2,000,000 square feet of salt piles with … More from our cover sponsor →
Urban forest management: promote, preserve and plant
They clean and cool the air. They soak up stormwater and prevent erosion. They add beauty and become wildlife habitats. Gazing on them or strolling among them just makes people feel better. Cities and towns increasingly are recognizing the value … Continue reading →
Madison mayor steps up with a vision
Madison, Wis., Mayor Satya Rhodes-Conway is breaking barriers. She’s the second female mayor and the first openly LGBTQ person in that office. But before taking the helm of “Madtown,” as it’s affectionately called by residents, she served on the city … Continue reading →
Going green to save green: Inside Augusta’s energy upgrades
When you have many facilities to heat, cool and light properly, you want to do it as efficiently as possible and without spending an arm and a leg. So when the city commissioners of Augusta-Richmond County, Ga., cast about to … Continue reading →
Stormwater project completion fixes channel erosion in Colorado Springs
A stormwater project involving the North Douglas Creek Channel acting as a drainage channel was recently completed in Colorado Springs, Colo. While the North Douglas Creek Channel has always existed as a natural drainage channel for stormwater beginning on the … Continue reading →
Downtown transformation revitalizes Greenwood community
A large transformation with the goal of decreasing the city’s vacancy rate is being undergone by Greenwood, Ind. In 2012, Greenwood’s vacancy rate was 75%. Today it is now 95% occupied. When Mayor Mark Myers took office, he stated, “We … Continue reading →
Police debit card program provides immediate relief
Brian Spracklen said the idea for the Blue Bridge Alliance came from the 2011 shooting death of a respected San Diego, Calif., police officer just after performing a random act of kindness. The officer had been on patrol in … Continue reading →
A feral cat solution with community buy-in
Feral cat populations are often worrisome for municipalities, and animal shelters have seen a larger-than-usual number of animals surrendered or even dumped since the pandemic began. That seems especially cruel in the coldest months of the year. Cedar City, Utah, … Continue reading →
New York water project highlights pros of communities working together
We are seeing more and more examples of sharing among communities. In the last few years, some smaller towns moved on to the idea of a shared space for police, fire and EMT; this concept is called a safety center, … Continue reading →
The Municipal Top 10: Best kid-friendly cities for family vacations
Family vacations are the stuff of which memories are made. Whether a road trip to grandma and grandpa’s, a week by the ocean or getting hands-on with a fossilized T-Rex at the history museum, children often treasure far into adulthood … Continue reading →
Santa Maria implements commercial recycling program
In an effort to help businesses and multifamily complexes comply with state recycling mandates and improve the community’s environmental footprint, the city of Santa Maria, Calif., has implemented programs to educate the public and give them the tools they need … Continue reading →
Massachusetts communities turn to municipal energy aggregation
Lancaster, Mass., has been an early-adopter with energy programs. The town of about 8,500 people moved quickly to join Massachusetts’ Green Communities program, which encourages municipalities to reduce energy consumption by 20%. Lancaster likely was the first community statewide to … Continue reading →
On the road again: Walt Disney Hometown Museum
Disneyland did not start in Anaheim, Calif. Nor was Disney World first established in Orlando, Fla. Such unrivaled world-renowned family attractions are the manifestations of myriad plans, measurements and prototypes, themselves the products of initially intangible ideas. And those ideas … Continue reading →
PFAS is lining up to be the biggest and costliest environmental hazard in history
The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) released the first-ever proposed regulations for per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS). The proposed maximum contaminant levels (MCLs) for PFOA and PFOS are 4 parts per trillion (ppt), and the EPA is proposing that PFNA, PFHxS, … Continue reading →
Improve water operations with an all-purpose, highly configurable engine controller
Huntington Beach, Calif., is an epicenter of activity and entertainment with wide, sandy beaches, ideal weather and a charming community. The city offers residents a diversified economy overflowing with good jobs, a wide variety of housing, an excellent educational system, … Continue reading →
On the road again: Plimoth Patuxet Museums
Henry Hornblower II, who lived 1917-1985, was made for just this. The Harvard-graduated investment banker, stockbroker, history buff and archaeologist fulfilled his lifelong dream by spearheading the creation of a popular living history museum complex near Plymouth Rock in Massachusetts. … Continue reading →
Knoxville drives development with Payment-In-Lieu-Of-Taxes program
Businesses are considered economic engines in cities and towns. That’s why city leaders look to programs to attract and retain industry as promising tools for growth. To that end, the city of Knoxville’s economic development office strategically uses public resources … Continue reading →
East Lansing residents ‘Round Up’ for parks and recreation scholarships
The East Lansing, Mich., Parks, Recreation and Arts Department recently started a new Round Up for scholarships program for residents who wish to participate in parks department programming but don’t have the financial means to do so. Catherine DeShambo, East … Continue reading →
Janesville holds nationwide search for city manager
When it is time to look for new leadership, communities across the United States cast a wide net to attract top talent. In 2013, the city of Janesville, Wis., conducted a nationwide search to find a city manager. Mark Freitag … Continue reading →
