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 →
Truckin’ along to 2015
It’s time to look at purchasing trucks again. Are you ready for the 2015 truck and other utility vehicle fashion show, with lots of new styles, colors and under-the-hood bling? Check out some of the all-new exteriors, upgraded cockpits, state-of-the-art … Continue reading →
When the cloud goes down
The cloud has sprung forth as a viable option for small-to-medium-sized municipalities looking for less costly methods of storing important data or even specific operations. With the cloud, they no longer have to worry about purchasing servers, finding storage space … Continue reading →
Government transparency: Gainesville takes the leap
Politicians often devote a part of their campaigns to pledging increased transparency in their administrations; citizens desire it as an important part of keeping their representatives accountable. When government is truly transparent, it helps answer questions of how taxpayer money … Continue reading →
GIS applications
Geographic information systems have been incorporated into the administration of most cities and towns. Those systems are being used to map jurisdictions’ real estate parcels, complete with zoning and property tax information. But once an entity has the map and … Continue reading →
Public-private partnerships for IT services
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 →
Fire service DRONES
Drones have gained attention recently due to their maneuverability, versatility and low operational cost in military applications. These qualities make drones desirable to public service agencies as well. Fire departments, in particular, can benefit from this technology when it comes … Continue reading →
A more efficient government
By DANA RASMUSSEN | New World Systems Imagine a community with a more efficient government: a government that uses less taxpayer money, time and resources. New World Systems, a public sector software company based in Troy, Mich., helps make the … Continue reading →
Technology and turkeys
Technology and turkeys Really, the two — technology and turkeys — don’t go together well in the public sector. For the most part, advances in technology are supertools, not turkeys. For example, developments in aerial surveillance, i.e. drones; GIS, as … Continue reading →
Increasing situational awareness: lifeguards and aquatic facilities
By TOM GRIFFITHS, Ed.D. and RACHEL GRIFFITHS, M.A. | Guest Columnists Often when a catastrophe strikes and lives are lost, especially during plane, train, car and military conflicts, situational awareness is indicated as a root cause of the disaster. Situational … Continue reading →
News & Notes
San Francisco, Calif. — The National League of Cities announced in August the formation of a network composed of business, policy leaders and city officials to identify the regulatory challenges posed by the disruptive technologies that power the sharing economy. … Continue reading →
Top Ten city park playgrounds
A report made public by The Trust for Public Land’s Center for City Park Excellence earlier this year rated park playgrounds in cities across the country on access, staffing, types of facilities, amount of funding and more. The results included … Continue reading →
Hats off to Bloomington
With shivering memories of last year’s arctic cold, heavy snow and other miserable weather, public works is bracing itself in case this winter is a copycat of the last one. So far, indications are that it will be. Bloomington, Minn., … Continue reading →
Sharing the road with emergency vehicles
Sharing the road with emergency vehicles Here are a few tips about sharing the road with emergency vehicles. You may want to pass this advice along to your drivers. If you are in an intersection, drive on through the intersection … Continue reading →
Active shooter and the campus/municipal response
Media speculation to the contrary, school shooting incidents are not strictly a recent phenomenon. The frequency with which domestic issues spill over into schools, however, and the number of instances in which latent psychoses have triggered such violent reactions, indicate … Continue reading →
Ease large-event restroom congestion
Now available in the U.S. for the first time, there’s a unique and progressive urinal that allows four men to use it simultaneously. This portable, 100 percent-recyclable four-man urinal is part of a broader revolutionary green sanitary concept introduced to … Continue reading →
Ohio city recognized for extraordinary park facilities
Located just to the south of Dayton, Kettering, Ohio, is considered to be the largest suburb of its more well-known neighbor. Upon closer inspection, however, Kettering has developed the credentials to make it a first-class city in its own right. … Continue reading →
Emergency management lessons learned from New Zealand
A strong volunteer network, government support and a commitment to asset management are bringing the Canterbury region of New Zealand back from the extensive destruction it suffered three years ago. That’s what Amanda Millirons discovered when the Florida public works … Continue reading →
