Montage Enterprises: Surpassing the expectation in mower parts
If there is a constant during the spring and summer, it’s the wave of never-ending mowing. Highways, ditches, right-of-ways, parks and other municipal and DOT properties all require routine trimming to improve motorists’ visibility and the quality of public property. … More from our cover sponsor →
Jail To Jobs boosts young offenders and their communities
An early prison sentence can often become the first step to a lifetime of trips in and out of the United States justice system. In fact, most people convicted of a crime will become a repeat offender, creating a vicious … Continue reading →
Coastal areas react to king tides with help from citizen scientists
When it comes to dealing with the rising sea level, organizations have discovered that they can be much more productive with help from the public. Coastal organizations in both Oregon and Rhode Island have turned to citizen scientists to help … Continue reading →
Rio Rancho is a city with a vision
Rio Rancho Estates was a large housing development with distant mountain views established in the 1960s to serve families looking to escape Albuquerque, N.M., in favor of a suburban lifestyle. About 20 years later, in 1981, Rio Rancho, N.M., was … Continue reading →
Fire departments partner to share resources in light of COVID-19
A spirit of putting collaboration over competition has been key to helping six small-town Massachusetts fire departments respond to the COVID-19 pandemic. The towns of Newburyport, Salisbury, Amesbury, West Newbury, Merrimac and Newbury joined forces this spring to ensure they … Continue reading →
MMWD enhancement projects improve Lagunitas Creek habitat conditions
As the 2011 Lagunitas Creek stewardship plan comes to an end, Marin Municipal Water District begins to make watershed enhancement plans for the 2021 stewardship plan. One of the responsibilities of the Marin Municipal Water District is diverting water from … Continue reading →
M Top 10: Best states for working from home
COVID-19 has reshaped the workplace for countless Americans, with many now finding their new office spaces located within their own homes. This has presented challenges in some locations. To find the states that provide the best conditions for working from … Continue reading →
Knoxville partners to support homeless during COVID-19
As people throughout the world scrambled to protect themselves from the COVID-19 pandemic by staying inside in mid-March, one particularly vulnerable group was left without the means to do so. On any given night in the United States, 553,742 people … Continue reading →
Unique Claims to Fame: Hearst Castle San Simeon, California
William Randolph Hearst’s request that architect Julia Morgan build him “a little something” may be classified as one of the greatest understatements of the 20th century. The end result of the media titan billionaire’s modest proposal is one of the … Continue reading →
Partnering through a pandemic
Partners on the move Several cities have partnered with ride-hailing companies like Uber and Lyft during the pandemic to fill in gaps of low ridership routes or to get essential workers back and forth to work. According to a May … Continue reading →
Cities combine parks and literacy
Grandview Heights, Ohio; Port Richey, Fla.; and numerous other cities are promoting literacy by partnering their parks and recreations departments together with libraries in an effort to make reading fun and educational. Eileen McNeil, patron services director and librarian … Continue reading →
1-800-SWEEPER clears a path to power sweeping resources
Budgets are being constricted across the U.S., particularly as the COVID-19 pandemic reduces tax revenue. When seeking ways to lower costs and stretch those budgets, street sweeping could be a prime candidate for change and cost savings, by outsourcing some … Continue reading →
Technology improves parking in East Lansing, Michigan
Downtown parking can be a struggle for many cities, especially those that see a large number of visitors and sports fans throughout the year. With this in mind, East Lansing, Mich., home of Michigan State University, continually looks to improve … Continue reading →
How cities handled public meetings amidst a pandemic
The COVID-19 pandemic produced a plethora of obstacles for cities around the country to navigate. Not only were municipal leaders working on ways to keep their citizens healthy, but they also had to continue local government operations. One of the … Continue reading →
Do changing markets mean a change to your recycling program?
Making it work Walsh advises to make a shift like this work, “Do your research.” He wishes the town would’ve researched equipment more before jumping in to make it easier. He also advised getting employees on board with the program … Continue reading →
Kosciusko County firefighting is all about sharing
At 5:15 a.m. Feb. 28 a fire swept through J&B Pallett Co. in Warsaw, Ind., seat of Kosciusko County. Units from Warsaw-Wayne Fire Territory stations were on the scene in minutes, but an hour later calls were still going out … Continue reading →
Public works departments assist other cities during disasters
In March, the city of Chattanooga, Tenn., decided to send a public works crew to assist Mt. Juliet with cleanup efforts after it experienced a tornado. But, representatives of Chattanooga had no idea that a little over a month later, … Continue reading →
Year-round bulky item collections reduce curbside eyesores
In 1997, Erie, Pa., started a single large item program, which allowed residents to discard large furniture items — broken tables, old couches, etc. — with their normal household trash. Years later, in May 2018, the city began a three-month large item pickup pilot … Continue reading →
Cities seek curbside balance
Traffic has been increasing phenomenally in cities, and planners have had to make adjustments with their curb space in order to accommodate pedestrians as well as vehicle parking, ride-hailing services, micromobility services, trash collection, loading zones and front stoops. Waiting … Continue reading →