By Barb Sieminski | The Municipal Lighthouses have long been a popular subject for artists, clothing designers, poets and others. Few people give thought, however, to what it takes to run them and what their unique challenges are — especially … Continue reading →
Legislators took a nice, long vacation over the summer. Haven’t you always wished you could do that? Imagine leaving behind all of the consequential decision-making and headache-provoking conversations for a three-month change of pace. Pretend, for a minute, that you … Continue reading →
Placemaking continues to grow nationwide, in municipalities like Oviedo, Fla.; Raleigh, N.C.; and Savannah, Ga. — and even on an international scale, from South Korea to Canada and the United Arab Emirates. While not a new concept, placemaking encourages municipal … Continue reading →
Seven years ago the state of Michigan embraced placemaking — not as a buzzword, but to develop a dialogue. “Our board (Michigan Municipal League) challenged us to be more proactive with what was going on economically,” said Arnold Weinfield, director … Continue reading →
The Trust for Public Land, a national, nonprofit organization, operates ParkScore, a measurement of how well the largest park systems in the U.S. are meeting public need. ParkScore compares and explores 50 cities’ park systems, ranking them in terms of … Continue reading →
Next to walking and hiking, cycling is the most popular outdoor activity in the United States. As more Americans take to their bikes and ride, municipalities are developing innovative bike paths and off-road trails and implementing bike share programs in … Continue reading →
Whenever and wherever tragedy occurs, Americans respond. Superstorm Sandy, the Newtown shooting, the Boston Marathon bombing and tornados ripping through the heart of Oklahoma have all prompted folks to dig deep in order to help those affected by disaster. However, … Continue reading →
Really, who would the editor of any magazine be to impart words of wisdom or new budgeting advice on local government managers? Day in and day out, you’re the ones making difficult financial decisions, juggling crucial services and desired programs … Continue reading →
National Day of Civic Hacking June 1–2 National Day of Civic Hacking will take place the weekend of June 1–2 in cities across the nation in states such as Wisconsin, Michigan, Ohio, Minnesota, Illinois and Kentucky. The event will bring … Continue reading →
National Public Works Week, May 19–25, will be both a celebration of success and a somber review of how much farther U.S. infrastructure improvement and maintenance has to go. On March 19, the American Society of Civil Engineers gave the … Continue reading →
Picture this: the park, downtown, at 4:30 p.m. on a Saturday. The temperature outside is a perfect 72 degrees with a clear blue sky and a light breeze that blows bold green grass and budding tree branches. There are kids … Continue reading →
