Making a New Year’s resolution or two might not be a bad idea for the managers of municipal systems, especially since we’ve all been stretching those diminishing budget dollars to—and beyond—the breaking point. In this month’s issue, we take a … Continue reading →
The year 2012 will soon be in the books. The year showed its hand with hope for a strong recovery from the recession, but for most regions progress has been slow. What will that mean in 2013? In Minnesota, the … Continue reading →
One month after a perfect storm slammed into the eastern seaboard, I think we’re all still taking in the staggering extent of the disruption and devastation. The scope of the storm was enough to grab attention all by itself. Rain … Continue reading →
As technology evolves, so are the options municipalities are providing to constituents to pay costs from utilities to parking tickets. Payment options are no longer limited to cash and check. Payees are now able to access bills and fees online … Continue reading →
Technology has changed the details of how we do our jobs, and most of those changes have been for the better. They’ve certainly made us more efficient. But even while we’re learning to rely on some amazingly-capable new technology, … Continue reading →
By JENNIFER CISNEROS Marketing and multimedia manager, Bio-Microbics Writer and historian Wallace Stegner once said that national parks are “The best idea we ever had … They reflect us at our best rather than our worst.” Ever since the world’s … Continue reading →
After getting their start on the West Coast, food trucks now operate across the U.S., drawing in foodies and the simply curious consumer alike. Social media has aided this industry’s growth, with Tweets and Facebook posts alerting followers to food … Continue reading →
In recent years, U.S. cities have begun work to make their streets safer for bicycles. The reasoning for this varies from city to city but the commonalities include safety concerns, decreasing budget sizes, the realization that they cannot endlessly add … Continue reading →
At the turn of the century, Dubuque, Iowa’s Millwork District was the backbone of the region’s economy. Logs that had been floated down the Mississippi River were used to frame doors and windows created by master craftsmen at dozens of … Continue reading →
It’s a brutal responsibility to engineer, build and maintain America’s infrastructure. To improve their skills and renew their diligence in constructing cost-effective public services and structures, hundreds of the public works employees will gather in Anaheim, Calif., Aug. 26-29 for … Continue reading →
“Paper or plastic?” Soon the question may become obsolete due to the growing trend of banning plastic bags in cities, states and even countries. Over 70 cities in the U.S. have banned or are planning to ban plastic bags from … Continue reading →
