May 16, 2007
Wideband Takes Its Place In The Internet Race
Step aside digital subscriber lines, Wi-Fi and Wi-Max. It's time to make
room for cable's newest weapon in the war for high-speed Internet
customers: channel-bonding, aka wideband
http://www.njtelecomupdate.
com/2007/05/wideband_takes_its_place_in_th.html
Lassoing GASB 45
Texas is leading a charge to get rid of the accounting rule that forces
states and localities to tally the future costs of health benefits for retirees
http://www.governing.com/articles/5fin.htm
ICMA Launches FREE Performance Measurement E-Newsletter
ICMA announces the first issue of Performance Matters, a FREE monthly
e-newsletter on performance measurement strategies for local
government
http://www.icma.org/main/ns.asp?nsid=3137&mgtinsite=1
Tax-Exempt Institutions Pay for City Services
This voluntary program in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, asks tax-exempt
institutions to pay for their share of city services. The goal is to reduce the
number of tax exemptions, and consequently, reduce the tax bills of
residents
http://tinyurl.com/3appdg
DOJ Releases New Americans with Disabilities Act Technical
Assistance Materials
The Department of Justice today released new technical assistance
materials to help state and local governments comply with the Americans
with Disabilities Act
http://www.govtech.com/gt/articles/118970
Municipal WiFi is coming. Government employees, not citizens, may be
the biggest users
http://www.governing.com/articles/5wifi.htm
In the movement to blanket cities with Wi-Fi, economic realities are
setting in
Service providers look to tweak their business models to turn a profit
http://tinyurl.com/3x57pk
New ICMA Member Forum Generates Powerful Insights on
Sustainability
Join the Dialogue
http://www.icma.org/main/ns.asp?nsid=3128&mgtinsite=1
Budgeting for outcomes
Budget process that aligns resources with results produced. Instead of
starting with the previous year’s budget and justifying increases from that
base, BFO starts with a set of results and encourages creative ways of
achieving them
http://tinyurl.com/2gz93c
"Strategic Planning for New Funding for PEG"
Web-based seminar set for May 21st; Those dealing with PEG channel
funding will get tips on how to diversify their funding base
https://www.natoa.org/forms/form.html?id=78
The Listening Post
One of the toughest things for states or localities to do is get bona fide
input from citizens on how they’re doing
http://www.governing.com/articles/5manage.htm
Diversity Training Helps Local Inclusiveness
Many municipalities are taking a proactive approach to promoting
inclusion and preventing discrimination by using diversity trainings for city
staff
http://tinyurl.com/2ajalu
May 1, 2007
Earthlink Scales Back Muni Wi-Fi Plans
Financially troubled EarthLink, which has won contracts for municipal
wireless networks in several cities and has been chosen along with
Google for a high-profile proposal in San Francisco, is pulling in the reins
on its municipal wi-fi business
http://tinyurl.com/3c6dk6
New DVD Highlights Local Governments and Sustainable Infrastructure
http://www.epa.gov/waterinfrastructure/lgac_video/index.html
Ask LGEAN is a free resource for local officials, designed to help
resolve difficult environmental questions
http://www.lgean.org/html/asklgean.cfm
Global warming now on county
San Bernardino has been cited, in the first lawsuit of its kind in California,
for not addressing global warming in its newly adopted growth plan
http://www.sbsun.com/search/ci_5708330
Budgeting in a Post-Modern World
Of all the tools available to the manager to reshape an organization’s
policies and procedures, the budget offers the most accessible and
efficient venue for innovation
http://tinyurl.com/2fm957
Input Requested
The Governmental Accounting and Standards Board has commenced a
project to consider whether generally accepted accounting principles
(GAAP) should be established for financial statements that cover only a
portion of a government (i.e., individual funds or departments). Your input
is requested.
http://tinyurl.com/3xhd3o
Libraries that Matter
Reaching beyond the buzz of high design, libraries are redefining
themselves as community centers for the 21st Century
http://www.pps.org/info/newsletter/april2007/libraries_that_matter
New Toolkit for Meeting Needs of Aging Population
"Viable Futures Toolkit" helps communities provide better service for
aging residents and, by extension, all ages
http://www.viablefuturestoolkit.org/index.html
Clean Water Act Change May Impact Local Governments
Lawmakers in the House and Senate are poised to introduce legislation
that would respond to two recent Supreme Court decisions by expanding
the scope of federal regulation of "waters of the United States"
http://tinyurl.com/2txad6
Private trash haulers to use municipal facilities
The Supreme Court ruled that local governments can compel private
trash haulers to use municipal facilities, even if disposal in the municipal
landfill is more expensive than disposing of the garbage elsewhere
http://tinyurl.com/2mcar3
April 23, 2007
London, U.K., Goes Wireless
Twelve months of development and testing has enabled The Cloud and
the City of London Corporation to deploy Europe's densest, most
comprehensive city-wide WiFi mobility network
http://www.govtech.net/news/news.php?id=105116
Wireless Will Deliver Next Big Productivity Boost, Says Global Survey
http://www.govtech.net/news/news.php?id=105058
Cost to Make New York City Eco-Friendly: $32 Billion
The city intends to plant a million trees during the next 10 years, filling
every sidewalk vacancy with one and adding thousands to parks and
public spaces
http://tinyurl.com/yqhz86
Mayors hail Energy Efficiency Promotion Act
The Washington-based U.S. Conference of Mayors is hailing the
introduction of the Energy Efficiency Promotion Act in the U.S. Senate
http://americancityandcounty.com/webonly/energy-efficiency-promotion-
act/
Leveraging Anchor Institutions for Urban Success
What would happen if every anchor institution in your city -- your
universities, libraries, parks, major sports facilities, and museums --
were in perfect alignment around a few big goals, contributing their
maximum to your city's success and their own?
http://www.smartcityradio.com/smartcityradio/coming_up.cfm?
showsmartcityID=335
Walk a Hound, Lose a Pound program
Columbia, Missouri, is joining a number of other cities in instituting the
Walk a Hound, Lose a Pound program, which brings together two
populations in need of regular exercise--local citizens and shelter dogs
http://www.innovations.harvard.edu/news/21661.html
Reduce homeless population
To help reduce its homeless population, Gainesville, Florida is offering a
new service: one-way bus tickets out of town to those who qualify; Giving
the homeless a chance to reunite with relatives and start anew
http://www.innovations.harvard.edu/news/23991.html
Carrier Alert Program
New York City’s Carrier Alert Program recognizes the role postal workers
can play in offering aid to those in distress, including seniors and people
with disabilities
http://www.innovations.harvard.edu/news/21011.html
April 11, 2007
Communications Networking
E-Seminar: In an era when cable companies are increasingly unwilling to
negotiate Inets under franchise agreements, how will local governments
meet their communications networking needs in cost-efficient ways?
https://www.natoa.org/forms/form.html?id=78
GIS Payback Figures
Instead of building separate geospatial information systems for different
departments, many local governments develop single systems to serve
all departments
http://americancityandcounty.com/mag/government_payback_figures/
Managing the Urban Coyote
http://tinyurl.com/32b9o3
National League of Cities 2007 Awards
Deadline May 3rd
http://tinyurl.com/2suos4
U.S. Communities Government Purchasing Alliance
Provides a national purchasing forum for local and state government
agencies, school districts (K-12), higher education and non-profits
nationwide by pooling the purchasing power of over 87,000 public
agencies
http://www.uscommunities.org/
April 4, 2007
Wireless contract on Houston, Texas city agenda
The City Council is expected to consider a $2.5M contract that would allow
the company to build the city's wireless network and agree to be its
"anchor tenant" for the first five years of the project
http://tinyurl.com/2eeqq2
Florida town deploys wireless networks
Kissimmee, Florida officials unveiled new public wireless networks
designed to promote tourism and improve communication for public
safety and utility workers
http://americancityandcounty.com/webonly/florida-wireless-network/
On why public manager's have so much difficulty: Measuring Individual
Contributions
http://www.ksg.harvard.edu/TheBehnReport/April2007.pdf
March 29, 2007
Performance Measurement
The Governmental Accounting Standards Board (GASB) has been
working on a proposal that will require government auditors to perform
“performance measurement” reviews of local governmental functions
http://www.iml.org/npps/story.cfm?ID=786
Broadband's Buzzwords
To understand the debates over telecom policy taking place at the state
and federal levels, it helps to know the video franchising lingo
http://www.governing.com/articles/3tech.htm
Can You Dig it?
New less expensive and easy-to-use mobile GIS equipment with sub-foot
accuracy is helping utilities keep track of their assets
http://americancityandcounty.com/technology/government_dig/
311 and Customer Service Technology
ICMA researchers are conducting the first ever national study on 311 and
related customer service technology used by local governments in the
United States. The study explores the benefits of and barriers to local
governments adopting integrated systems for customer service
http://tinyurl.com/237cko
Promote an Ethical Culture
Don't Wait Until There is a Crisis in Your Organization
http://tinyurl.com/28wybe
March 14, 2007
Reversing the Rising Health Care Cost Trends--The Manager's Role
One-hour teleconference on the important role managers play in driving
down rising health care costs on April 9, 2007, at 12:30 p.m. EDT
http://www.icma.org/main/ns.asp?nsid=2959&mgtinsite=1
Hybrid Vehicles
Looking to make a difference in the environment and on its bottom line,
the Village of Northbrook recently saved substantially on the purchase of
three hybrid vehicles by taking advantage of a federal tax credit--applied to
the seller
http://www.icma.org/main/ns.asp?nsid=2964&mgtinsite=1
ICMA Annual Awards Nominations Deadline Extended
Share the news about your personal or professional achievement or that
of your local government, staff, or colleague.Deadline extended to April 20
http://icma.org/main/bc.asp?bcid=82&ssid1=43&ssid2=71&ssid3=269
Grand-Thinking Virginia Mayor Seeks Town's Energy Independence
The keystone of what the mayor calls his "low-carbon diet" is to build a
$30M plant at the county dump, which would chew up garbage,
construction waste, agricultural residue, manure and other materials
referred to as "biomass" and spin it into electricity and ethanol
http://tinyurl.com/274g6l
Going Global: Changes Afoot in a Growing Muni Bond Market
The municipal bond market is no longer the backwater it was a decade
ago. And that may account for some of the big changes coming to the
market
http://www.governing.com/news/3bond.htm
Numbers, Crunched
If budgets are financial plans, then CAFRs tell you what happened to the
plan. So why don’t more people pay attention to them?
http://www.governing.com/articles/3manage.htm
Metro Wi-Fi Networks
What are They and How Can They Benefit Your Community?
http://tinyurl.com/2hz847
Hurdles cloud vision of wireless county
A countywide wireless Internet network in Dade County, Florida is one of
the Mayor's top priorities, but it faces major questions about startup costs
and operations
http://www.miamiherald.com/460/story/39819.html
Completion of free wireless Internet nowhere in sight
In Macomb County, Michigan, a free wi-fi network originally scheduled to
be launched at the end of 2006 is delayed again after the vendor misses
a second deadline to have the network operational by the end of February
http://www.freep.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?
AID=/20070313/NEWS05/703130353/1007
Conference of Mayors Scores Victory
Congress Approves Increases in 2007 Spending Bill for Law
Enforcement, Housing and Other Key City Priorities
http://tinyurl.com/2aa24s
California town may snub out smoking at home
The Proposed Ban -- Perhaps the World's Strictest Smoking Restriction --
Raises Hackles For Some
http://tinyurl.com/29939o
March 7, 2007
Local Wireless Networks - A Prerequisite for the Future
More than 140 cities and counties in the United States (compared with 12
municipalities in 2004) are pursuing wireless networks while another
200 are studying the issues or are in the feasibility phase
http://tinyurl.com/2oyq9q
FCC Competitive Franchises for Cable Services Report
The much awaited FCC's Report and Order in the Video Franchising
matter is now available to download
http://tinyurl.com/245xmn
Locals protest FCC ruling
The official release of the Federal Communication Commission’s order
limiting local cable franchising has drawn new condemnation from local
government associations
http://americancityandcounty.com/webonly/fcc-ruling-cable-franchising/
Local Governments Denounce FCC Action
http://tinyurl.com/24yslw
Local Governments Offer the "Truth" on Telecom Reform
Facing fierce lobbying efforts, national local government associations
launched a new Web site to present the "real truth" on the potential effects
of telecommunications reform on communities and consumers
http://www.govtech.net/magazine/channel_story.php/104154
Setting performance targets is difficult?
Obviously, a public manager needs to decide: "How demanding should I
make my targets?"
http://www.ksg.harvard.edu/TheBehnReport/March2007.pdf
Two-Year Education Effort Launched On Transition To Digital Television
An estimated 20 million U.S. households that rely solely on over-the-air
telecasts will lose their signals unless they purchase digital sets or new
equipment for analog televisions by the Feb. 17, 2009 deadline
http://njtelecomupdate.com/lenya/telco/live/tb-LVOT1173211214853.html
Preserving and Using Institutional Memory through Knowledge
Management Practices
Examines practices for the effective organization, management, and
transmission of materials, knowledge, and resources that are in the
unique possession of individual offices and employees
http://www.trb.org/news/blurb_detail.asp?id=7401
American City & County seeks nominations for 2007 awards
Any county employee or elected official who has demonstrated
outstanding leadership in the last year is eligible for County Leader of the
Year; Deadline April 6th
http://americancityandcounty.com/news/awards-entry-forms/
Municipal Cost Index
The Municipal Cost Index is designed to show the effects of inflation on
the cost of providing municipal services
http://americancityandcounty.com/mciarchive/index.html
Setting Priorities: Change Your Approach to Budgeting
Process by which we figure out what is really important, figure out how
much it will cost, and then how to “buy” it
http://tinyurl.com/29hdfw
NACo adopts global warming policy at conference
The National Association of Counties Board of Directors adopted policy
calling on Congress and the Administration to take practical actions to
reduce the risks of global warming
http://tinyurl.com/275eq2
Internships
Internships help build the next generation of managers and bring new
talent and enthusiasm to organizations that use them successfully
http://www.icma.org/main/ns.asp?nsid=2947&mgtinsite=1
Students paying firms to find internships
As more students realize their value, competition is getting fierce
http://tinyurl.com/22gvzj
February 28, 2007
Local governments offer the “truth” on Telecom Reform
The new site, www.thetruthontelecomreform.org, provides factual
information to lawmakers, policymakers, and the public about legislative
and regulatory efforts affecting local taxing authority, cable franchising,
public safety communications, and other issues
http://www.thetruthontelecomreform.org/
House Dems Eye Telecom Review
House Democrats are planning a thorough re-examination of
telecommunications and media policies that will feature multiple
oversight hearings and fresh legislation; The competitiveness of the
video, telephone and radio marketplaces will be explored
http://njtelecomupdate.com/lenya/telco/live/tb-MJSN1172609975538.html
Anyone can manipulate Google’s maps for their specific needs
State and local IT officials are tapping into a cool Google tool to create
maps with new, improved uses
http://www.governing.com/articles/2talk.htm
Serving Constituents, Saving Dollars
The service delivery and process efficiencies that can be gained from a
Constituent Relationship Management system can increase a
government's savings beyond the hard-dollar savings from call center
consolidation
http://www.gfoa.org/services/gfr/documents/main_000.pdf
City uses energy auction to save money
The city of Worcester, Massachusetts, expects to save more than
$870,000 on electricity it acquired through an online energy auction
http://www.fcw.com/article97723-02-21-07-Web&newsletter=yes
Bad cables cause iProvo woes, likely to be costly in Provo, Utah
The iProvo network is a citywide, city-owned fiber-optic system that
provides phone, television and Internet services
http://www.sltrib.com/news/ci_5313117
February 20, 2007
Nine Reasons to Conduct an Orientation for New Council Members
http://www.icma.org/main/ns.asp?nsid=2906&mgtinsite=1
Tap into ICMA's Experts for Local Government Management Technical
Assistance
ICMA Results Networks Helps Fill Gaps and Get Fast Results
http://www.icma.org/main/ns.asp?nsid=2891&mgtinsite=1
City Ethics
Making the establishment of effective ethics programs in Cities and
Counties a priority!
http://www.cityethics.org/
February 13, 2007
President’s Budget Cuts Programs Important to Cities
The $2.9 trillion budget for fiscal year 2008 submitted by the President
would eliminate or severely reduce billions of dollars in spending for
programs critical to the nation’s cities
http://tinyurl.com/2xe37e
‘Thumbs down’
National Association of Counties verdict on Bush FY08 budget proposal
http://tinyurl.com/yqttwj
Was I Elected To Do What the People Want or to Govern Well?
Three pathways to extraordinary performance as governing bodies:
perspective, process, and performance results
http://www.mrsc.org/focus/ccadvisor/cca0207.aspx
Locals prepare for the silver tsunami
The number of Americans over age 65 in 2000 will have doubled by the
year 2030 to 71.5 million people, comprising 20 percent of the population
http://americancityandcounty.
com/administration/government_locals_prepare_silver/
February 6, 2007
Paying for Promises
After the shock of the big numbers, states and localities are finding ways
to deal with the costs of their retirees’ health care
http://www.governing.com/articles/2retire.htm
Preserving Resources, Preventing Waste
The U.S. EPA’s “Wastewise Communities Program” will support local
governments' efforts in residential municipal solid waste reduction and
the related climate change impacts
http://www.epa.gov/wastewise/
Innovative Governance: Combining Positions of City Manager and
Police Chief
http://tinyurl.com/2qtx5a
Workers at Smoky Jobs Double Cancer Risk, Study Says
A review of 22 studies on secondhand smoking concludes that
nonsmokers exposed to high levels of tobacco smoke on the job double
their risk of getting lung cancer
http://tinyurl.com/38mod2
National 811 telephone number for getting buried utilities flagged
before shovels turn dirt
811 is the new number you should call before you begin any digging
project
http://call811.com/
On why public executives have: The Responsibility to Craft Purpose
http://www.ksg.harvard.edu/TheBehnReport/February2007.pdf
January 22, 2007
Forced Franchising
Why Telephone Industry Calls for "Shall Issue" Video Franchising
Shouldn't Be Answered
http://www.icma.org/main/ns.asp?nsid=2845&mgtinsite=1
The Next Generation
MPA Scholarships Available for Future Local Government Managers
http://www.icma.org/main/ns.asp?nsid=2798&p=1&mgtinsite=1
On why it is necessary to remember that: Mandates Can't Force Good
Behavior
Government can be quite effective at preventing people from doing bad
things. But it isn't quite as good at getting them to do good things. Did
you ever wonder: Why?
http://www.ksg.harvard.edu/TheBehnReport/January2007.pdf
National League of Cities Sets 2007 Lobbying Agenda
Telecommunications reform, immigration and securing continued federal
funding to support local initiatives will be NLC’s top lobbying priorities for
the new 110th Congress
http://www.nlc.
org/Newsroom/Nation_s_Cities_Weekly/Weekly_NCW/2007/01/22/13242.
cfm
A Results Battle Royal
The Governmental Accounting Standards Board considers urging states
to report performance results — and kicks off a slugfest
http://www.governing.com/articles/1gasb.htm
A Primer on Performance Audits
http://www.mrsc.org/focus/finadvisor/fina0107.aspx
Cool Mayors for Climate Protection
Mayors in the United States who have committed their cities to reducing
greenhouse gas emissions comprise the ranks of the Mayors for Climate
Protection
http://www.coolmayors.org/
Illegal Immigration Ordinance
Apartment owners would still be banned from renting to most illegal
immigrants under a new ordinance adopted by Farmers Branch, Texas
http://tinyurl.com/3xwmcb
Rain Gardens Will Be Coming To A City Near You
http://www.nlc.
org/Newsroom/Nation_s_Cities_Weekly/Weekly_NCW/2007/01/22/13247.
cfm
January 16, 2007
Justices Decline to Take Up New Eminent Domain Case
The Supreme Court bypassed an opportunity to revisit or limit its much-
disputed 2005 ruling that upheld governmental power to use eminent
domain to foster economic development
http://www.nytimes.com/2007/01/17/washington/17scotus.html?
_r=1&oref=slogin
Localizing the Internet
Five Ways Public Ownership Solves the U.S. Broadband Problem
http://www.newrules.org/info/5ways.pdf
Tackling Global Warming at the Local Level
http://www.newrules.org/de/pioneers.pdf
Climate Neutral Bonding
A Global Warming Solution
http://www.newrules.org/de/climateneutralbonding.pdf
January 9, 2007
Emerging Leaders Development Program
The Emerging Leaders Development Program offered by the ICMA
University is now streamlined into a one certificate program! Open to
anyone who is not credentialed, but who has taken the Applied
Knowledge Assessment
http://tinyurl.com/yzwk2b
Unfilled City Manager Posts Hint at Future Gap
The shrinking pool of recruits is a forerunner of what some experts call a
broader government talent shortage to come. With the bulging postwar
generation nearing its retirement years, statisticians forecast a growing
gap of unfilled executive and managerial jobs
http://www.nytimes.com/2007/01/11/us/11managers.html
County Codes and Ordinances
The National Association of Counties’ "County Codes and Ordinances"
Web page offers a access to a large collection of county codes and
ordinances pertaining to selected subject areas
http://tinyurl.com/y28tgs
Unloading Assets
Cities and states are selling off bits and pieces of infrastructure. Is it a
sweet deal or a mistake?
http://www.governing.com/articles/1roads.htm
January 2, 2007
Do You Know What You Own?
A surprising number of states and localities don’t have the kind of
inventory of their assets that a decent shoe store has
http://www.governing.com/articles/1manage.htm
Blackout
Big-city newspapers aren’t telling citizens the things they need to know
http://www.governing.com/articles/12papers.htm
Pulling in the money
Local governments have more than $40 billion in outstanding
receivables, according to the Washington-based National Association of
Counties
http://americancityandcounty.
com/administration/government_pulling_money/
Living in a Learning City
Imagine a Learning City where everything - literally everything - is turned
into an opportunity to teach something new and all day, everyday is
considered a teachable moment
http://www.smartcityradio.com/smartcityradio/past_shows.cfm?
showsmartcityID=316
"Stat" Fever
The practice of collecting data to monitor and improve government
performance continues to gain momentum and evolve
http://www.innovations.harvard.edu/news/16612.html
Seven Big Lessons for Local Governments
http://www.governing.com/notebook.htm
The top 10 green stories of the year
Top stories include the defeat of regulatory taking measures in the West
and the reinstatement of the Roadless Rule for national forest land
http://www.grist.org/news/maindish/2006/12/22/top10/index.html
Conserve resources through city's affordable program
For as little as $5 a month Naperville residents can purchase renewable
energy to offset traditional energy sources such as coal, which output
carbon dioxide
http://tinyurl.com/ycfz8u
County Takes On Global Warming
Arlington County, Virginia will buy more wind-generated electricity, give tax
breaks for hybrid cars, require new public buildings to be green-certified
and hand out energy-efficient light bulbs to residents as part of a major
push toward reducing greenhouse gas emissions
http://tinyurl.com/y8res6
Provo, Utah defends its network project
City officials are firing back at a California libertarian think tank for a report
released earlier this month slamming the iProvo fiber-optic network
http://www.sltrib.com/news/ci_4917776
Provo, Utah's Municipal Broadband Going Broke
http://www.reason.org/news/municipal_broadband_iProvo_120506.shtml
December 26, 2006
Supreme Court to hear garbage ‘flow control’ case
In a pivotal case for counties, the U.S. Supreme Court will take on the
issue of solid waste flow control that could decide once and for all the
legalities of flow control
http://tinyurl.com/vhw9b
FCC Adopts Order That Preempts Local Video Franchising Authority
Despite opposition from the National League of Cities and other local
government groups, the Federal Communications Commission (FCC)
adopted an order last week that would federally mandate how video
franchising would occur in the United States
http://tinyurl.com/y6k7zg
When governments build electronic communities with residents, they
must be structured interactions — not a free-form, “anything goes”
type of social network
Some local agencies are using Web-based software to help collect and
manage electronic comments and generate reports that organize and
summarize them
http://americancityandcounty.com/technology/government_own_words/
"The E-Government Collaboration Challenge: Lessons from Five Case
Studies"
10 recommendations to ease the way for cross-organizational initiatives
that require using a common information technology system as the
backbone of the collaborative effort
http://www.businessofgovernment.org/pdfs/FedorowiczReport.pdf
Group sues town for refusing to rent to illegals
Two civil rights groups filed a lawsuit challenging a new law in a Dallas
suburb that outlaws renting apartments to illegal immigrants, alleging the
ordinance violates federal law and forces landlords to act as immigration
officers
http://tinyurl.com/yhhqqd
Northern Illinois City Leadership Forum: Future-Thinking Tools for
Future-Thinking Leaders
January 25, 8:30 AM - 1:30 PM in Highland Park
http://govpile.com/LeadershipForum.pdf
The Next Generation
MPA Scholarships Available for Future Local Government Managers
http://www.icma.org/main/ns.asp?nsid=2798&mgtinsite=1
December 21, 2006
Telecommunications tax applies to cable modem services
The City of Seattle, Washington recently prevailed in litigation with
Comcast over whether the city's telecommunications tax applied to the
cable modem services offered by Comcast
http://www.courts.wa.gov/opinions/index.cfm?fa=opinions.
showOpinion&filename=574914MAJ
States struggle to cover retirees
State and local governments are starting to take aggressive steps to
reduce the enormous cost of providing health care benefits to retired
teachers, police officers, firefighters and other public workers
http://www.usatoday.com/news/nation/2006-12-17-state-retirees_x.htm
Paying Health Care From Pensions Proves Costly
Many local governments began turning to their pension funds to help pay
for health care for retired public workers in the 1990s. Some are now
regretting it
http://tinyurl.com/uxek4
County tackling emissions
Sacramento County, California officials plan to reduce greenhouse gas
emissions in county operations by joining a Chicago exchange whose
members buy and sell emissions-reduction credits
http://www.sacbee.com/101/story/95403.html
FCC Adopts Cable Franchise Order
http://www.iml.org/npps/story.cfm?ID=774
FCC backs phone giants
Decision makes it easier for AT&T, Verizon to challenge cable TV for video
business
http://tinyurl.com/y2t9tu
Riverside, California's Grease to Gas to Power program
Saves the city more than $2M each year in energy costs
http://www.nationalcitynetwork.org/view_city_practices.html?id=426231
On the perverse yet inevitable obsession with: Avoiding All Mistakes
So how do we spend our time? Trying to produce successes? Or trying
to avoid mistakes?
http://www.ksg.harvard.edu/TheBehnReport/December2006.pdf
Corporate performance management
Governments are seeking technology to streamline the budgeting
process Is corporate performance management (CPM) the solution?
http://www.gfoa.org/services/gfr/documents/BgtTechGFR_dec06.pdf
SEC Probes Bond Deals
The subpoenas bring Jefferson County, Alabama into a nationwide
investigation that probes the inner workings of municipal bond deals, in
which local governments borrow money or refinance debt by issuing
bonds through major investment banking firms
http://tinyurl.com/y22zlo
Bond for Pensions
The Palm Springs, California City Council voted to begin the process to
shift nearly half of its pension burden of $41M to a massive bond package
http://www.thedesertsun.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?
AID=/20061221/NEWS01/612210340
December 11, 2006
25 Tips to Overcome Barriers to Service-Sharing Agreements
http://www.icma.org/main/ns.asp?nsid=2768&mgtinsite=1
Letter to the Federal Communications Commission
Opposing a draft order currently under review that would federally
mandate how video franchising would occur in the United States
http://www.iml.org/npps/story.cfm?ID=772
Christmas trees going back up
Port of Seattle staff began putting up the trees they earlier had removed
from Seattle-Tacoma International Airport. The trees had come down
Friday night after a local rabbi requested that a Hanukkah menorah also
be displayed, and Port officials had said the threat of a lawsuit left them
without enough time to consider all the issues
http://seattletimes.nwsource.
com/html/localnews/2003473318_seatactrees12m.html
Counties Erase Deficits by Budgeting for Outcomes
Also known as budgeting for outcomes, the process bases decisions to
fund services or programs on their value to the community, not solely on
their cost
http://tinyurl.com/u6jhg
What is the formula for an outstanding web site – particularly in the
municipal arena?
http://www.muninetguide.com/articles/Striving-for-Online-Excellence---
105.php
Two Steps Back: City and Suburban Poverty Trends 1999-2005
http://www.brookings.edu/metro/pubs/20061205_citysuburban.htm
December 5, 2006
ICMA GovSearch
Search the text of hundreds of local government web sites
http://www.icma.org/resources/govsearch/
Landlords who rent to illegal immigrants to be targeted
Despite the threat of legal challenges, Cherokee County, Georgia
commissioners approved ordinances declaring English the county's
official language, and going after landlords who rent to illegal immigrants
http://tinyurl.com/vb2ft
Immigration study ties strains on communities to reform gridlock
The continuing failure of the federal government to adopt immigration
reforms has left communities struggling with stopgap solutions to
problems associated with rising immigrant populations
http://tinyurl.com/y92ztt
November 29, 2006
Soaring healthcare costs detailed
Boston, Massachusetts’ healthcare costs have nearly doubled in six
years and now require the property tax bills of five families to pay the
premium of one city employee's family healthcare plan, according to a
report by the Boston Municipal Research Bureau
http://tinyurl.com/ybjw36
Widespread County Fuel Thefts Suspected
The county auditor will report that the Fairfax County, Virginia fleet is on
track to use close to 75,000 gallons less this year than last, and officials
suspect that most of that amount was stolen
http://tinyurl.com/ykl4h9
The History of Steel
Smart City Radio: Cities have always been hotbeds of innovation;
Perspectives on innovation both from the past and the future
http://www.smartcityradio.com/smartcityradio/coming_up.cfm?
showsmartcityID=315
November 21, 2006
On why public managers need to practice: Management Noir
http://www.ksg.harvard.edu/TheBehnReport/November2006.pdf
Carbon Tax
Boulder, Colorado Approves ‘Carbon Tax’ in Effort to Reduce Gas
Emissions
http://tinyurl.com/yh4cv7
Downtown El Paso is going wireless. So is South El Paso
Within six months, anyone living and working in downtown El Paso, Texas
will have free Internet access via a $125,000 wireless Internet system
being coordinated by El Paso County and paid for by the county, the city,
the El Paso school district and the Housing authority
http://www.elpasotimes.com/news/ci_4676050
November 14, 2006
SEC slams city on pension debt
The city of San Diego's black eye turned a darker shade yesterday as the
Securities and Exchange Commission ruled that the city defrauded
investors in 2002 and 2003 by not disclosing a massive pension deficit
http://www.signonsandiego.com/news/metro/pension/20061115-9999-
1n15sec.html
Costs of bond deal for LAPD headquarters raise concern
In approving a $500M bond issuance to fund the construction of a new
police headquarters, the Los Angeles City Council shunned an open
competition for underwriting firms and instead embraced a plan to benefit
local firms
http://tinyurl.com/yb4udd
November 7, 2006
Adoption of Transportation Operations Systems: A National Survey
http://tinyurl.com/ye86mt
ICMA Hosts Energy Savings FREE Webcast
"Saving Money and Energy: Local Government Strategies and ENERGY
STAR Programs," Thursday November 30, 2006, 2:00 p.m. - 3:30 p.m.
EST
http://www.icma.org/main/ns.asp?nsid=2697&mgtinsite=1
Attracting Development To Brownfields Sites: A Local Challenge
http://tinyurl.com/y5m8cw
November 1, 2006
Ethics Training: Something to Blog About
http://villagemanager.blogspot.com/2006/10/ethics-in-local-government.
html
Management Preparation Program
The Management Preparation Program of Plano in Plano, Texas offers an
intensive mentoring and training experience to supervisor-level city
employees
http://tinyurl.com/yjoa3n
Ordinances targeting illegal immigrants blocked
A federal judge blocked the city of Hazleton, Pennsylvania from enforcing
a pair of ordinances targeting illegal immigrants just hours before the
measures were to go into effect, ruling that landlords, tenants and
businesses that cater to Hispanics faced "irreparable harm" from the
lawshttp://www.philly.com/mld/inquirer/news/local/15897277.htm
Eco-friendly computer products
The number of certified eco-friendly computer products available to
government agencies has grown rapidly since a new green seal of
approval was released by the U.S. EPA in July
http://www.fcw.com/article96450-10-12-06-Web&newsletter=yes
October 24, 2006
Circling the Statehouse
At a time when federal spending is slowing, state and local governments
-- flush with cash from rising property-tax revenue and a generally healthy
national economy -- are an increasingly juicy target for government
contractors
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-
dyn/content/article/2006/10/22/AR2006102200567.html
October 17, 2006
Pledge to Make a Difference, One Light at a Time
ICMA is asking its members to take the online ENERGY STAR Change a
Light Pledge by November 30, 2006. With just 300 members signing the
pledge, the nation could see an 84,600 kWh and a reduction of 133,500
pounds of greenhouse gases
http://www.icma.org/main/ns.asp?nsid=2643&mgtinsite=1
Lessons Learned: How Communities are Addressing Racial Inequities
http://www.nlc.org/content/Files/RMPcaseyfinalrpt06.pdf
Local Initiatives Promote Racial, Ethnic Equity
The National League of Cities is exploring how government policies at all
levels have contributed to increasing inequalities in America’s cities and
towns which threaten the well-being of regions and the nation
http://www.nlc.org/Issues/Equity___Opportunity/index.cfm
Federal Managers Admit to Much Low-Hanging Fruit
http://policy.heritageblogs.
org/2006/10/federal_managers_admit_to_much.html
An Exit Strategy for Local Governments
What services or subsidies should cities get out of? Ask yourself this
question: 'If we were not in this already, would we now go into it?' And if
the answer is 'no,' the next question should be: 'How do we get out and
how fast?'
http://www.civic-strategies.com/resources/news/007.htm
Should Municipalities Provide Wireless Internet Service?
“Municipal Provision of Wireless Internet” offers guidance to local
policymakers considering if, and to what extent, a municipality should
involve itself in the provision of broadband Internet service
http://www.ftc.gov/os/2006/10/V060021municipalprovwirelessinternet.pdf
In Detroit, Officials Mull Selling Waterworks
Privatization and control by a regional water authority are both options.
These discussions follow years of turmoil between Detroit, who sets the
water rates, and its nearby suburbs
http://www.freep.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?
AID=/20061013/NEWS05/610130457/1007
October 12, 2006
Why public managers need to work at closing their: Managerial
Perception Gap
http://www.ksg.harvard.edu/TheBehnReport/October2006.pdf
“The Ethics Edge”
Emphasizes the importance of ethical leadership and provides case
examples of real-world ethical dilemmas facing local government
decision makers
http://bookstore.icma.org/obs/showdetl.cfm?
&DID=7&Product_ID=1353&CATID=4&mgtinsite=1
How to do More with Less
Strategic Human Resource Management Meets Local Government
http://www.icma.org/main/ns.asp?nsid=2616&mgtinsite=1
October 3, 2006
Study: Libraries Under e-Government Pressure
Public libraries are increasingly being called on to provide public-access
Internet services at a time when nearly half report flat or decreasing
funding, and there is a need to continually upgrade technology and
provide sufficient bandwidth to meet increasingly demand for services,
http://www.ii.fsu.edu/projectFiles/plinternet/2006/2006_plinternet.pdf
Leasing airport seen as lucrative
A long-term lease of Mitchell International Airport to a private operator
could reap hundreds of millions of dollars for Milwaukee County's cash-
strapped government, according to a Wisconsin Policy Research Institute
study
http://www.jsonline.com/story/index.aspx?id=507157
National League of Cities’ National City Network to Focus on Broadband
By some counts, more than 600 cities across the country have
implemented or are considering municipal broadband systems
http://www.nlc.
org/Newsroom/Nation_s_Cities_Weekly/Weekly_NCW/2006/10/02/12066.
cfm
The Mayor-Manager Merger
Council-manager cities and strong-mayor cities aren’t polar opposites
anymore. Most cities have aspects of both systems
http://www.governing.com/articles/10assess.htm
How Local Government Managers See Leadership Differently
If you want to understand what leadership really is, why not ask local
government managers? A recent research project did just that
http://tinyurl.com/f7uhq
September 25, 2006
Plugged in?
Despite years afloat in a digital sea, government workers say that when it
comes to managing their documents, they cling to familiar shores. If it's
important, they want a paper copy
http://www.govtech.net/magazine/story.php?id=100916
More than 200 cities in 38 states have signed the U.S. Mayors Climate
Protocol Agreement
http://www.coolcities.us/
Global warming nears ‘dangerous’ level
Researchers say average temperatures are close to a million-year high
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/15003895
Fewer cities increase outsourced services
As costs for employee health benefits and wages grow, some cities are
turning to contractors to relieve pressure on their budgets. However,
many others are more reluctant than ever to contract more services,
opting for in-house control
http://americancityandcounty.
com/mag/government_fewer_cities_increase/
September 13, 2006
The Ethical Challenges of Fundraising: Guidance on Member
Involvement
http://www.icma.org/main/ns.asp?nsid=2566&mgtinsite=1&t=0
Community of Character
http://icma.org/main/ld.asp?ldid=19367&ideas=1&mgtinsite=1
The Use of "Lean" in Local Government
How can local governments make continuous cost reduction a reality
without undermining the value they deliver? "Lean," a philosophy that
seeks the involvement of workers in the elimination of waste and the
adding of value, is one answer
http://tinyurl.com/jar4b
September 6, 2006
Why public managers need to focus on their: Performance Deficit
http://www.ksg.harvard.edu/TheBehnReport/September2006.pdf
County Officials Bullish on Economy, Split on Immigration
Balancing county budgets was easier in 2006 than in the past few years,
and county elected officials were more upbeat about the economy,
according to the 2006 National County Elected Officials Poll
http://www.naco.org/CountyNewsTemplate.cfm?
template=/ContentManagement/ContentDisplay.cfm&ContentID=21117
Energy Efficiency Best Practices for Local Governments
An energy efficiency "best practices" workbook from the California Local
Energy Efficiency Program (CALeep) describes a basic five-step process
communities can follow to increase their level of energy efficiency
http://www.caleep.com/workbook/workbook.htm
The Persistence of Paper
Despite all the advances in online services, e-governments are still stuck
in the paper chase
http://www.governing.com/articles/9tech.htm
Making Wi-Fi Fly
For many government agencies, finding money to pay for a large
technology initiative, such as a Wi-Fi network, presents a major obstacle
http://americancityandcounty.com/mag/government_making_wifi_fly/
August 22, 2006
Two new monuments engraved with the Ten Commandments are
being erected in southeastern Oklahoma
Two counties in southeast Oklahoma are planning to erect displays of the
10 Commandments at or near their courthouses, and a U.S. District
Judge has declared a similar display in a third county does not violate the
constitution
http://www.tulsaworld.com/newsStory.asp?
ID=060819_Ne_A7_Twone27679
Zoned out: Many who serve affluent communities can't afford to live in
them
In about half of central Ohio's suburbs, those who teach the children,
patrol the neighborhoods and put out the fires can't afford to live among
the people they serve
http://tinyurl.com/zvxke
August 15, 2006
Annexation and the Fiscal Fate of Cities
New research from the Brookings Institution finds that a city's ability to
annex land from its surrounding county is a primary determinant of its
fiscal health.
http://www.brookings.edu/metro/pubs/20060810_fateofcities.htm
Performance Matters
Although performance measurement is an increasingly popular
management tool that helps local governments meet community goals,
employees sometimes need extra support to embrace this process
http://icma.org/pm/8807/public/performance.cfm?
author=&title=Performance%20Matters
Programs Offer Support to Homeless
As a growing number of cities outline 10-year plans to reduce
homelessness, many are developing housing programs that include
support services to help keep people off the streets.
http://americancityandcounty.
com/mag/government_programs_offer_support/
August 9, 2006
The Next Generation of Managers
Local government management is in the midst of a quiet crisis. Today's
managers are nearing retirement, and fewer emerging professionals are
in line and prepared to fill their shoes
http://icma.org/nextgen/Default.asp?mgtinsite=1&t=0
San Francisco health insurance plan signed into law
Legislation to make San Francisco the first city in the country to offer
health care to its uninsured residents
http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?
f=/c/a/2006/08/08/BAGEEKBPKB1.DTL
Counties and Immigration: Caught in the Middle
Counties are paying on the local level for a federal problem
http://www.governing.com/news/8naco.htm
August 1, 2006
7th Annual City and County Performance Summit
The Summit will provide you with the tools and techniques for starting
your performance management program, as well as strategies for taking
your program to the next level
http://www.cityandcounty.org/
The Imperative of Adaptation
http://www.ksg.harvard.edu/TheBehnReport/August2006.pdf
The Center for Union Facts compiled the Department of Labor's reports
into a searchable database
http://www.unionfacts.com/
Computer-based management program
Boston, Massachusetts residents who call the mayor's 24-hour hotline
will be able to learn what has become of their complaints, which will be
assigned numbers and logged in a central database; Computer-based
management program that will track performance in each city department
http://tinyurl.com/jh94s
A growing number of localities are experimenting with alternatives to
annual financial reports to inform citizens about government
performance
http://www.governing.com/manage/pm/perf0806.htm
Internal Revenue Service's new "Federal, State, and Local Government
Toolkit"
Includes, among other things, the Public Employer's Tax Guide, Federal-
State Reference Guide, Employer's Tax Guide, and the Taxable Fringe
Benefits Guide
http://www.irs.gov/govt/fslg/article/0,,id=158481,00.html
Linking Performance Measurements to Customer Expectations
http://www.riskinstitute.org/PERI/PERISCOPE/PS606LPMC.htm
Local government organizations need strategies to inform, inspire and
encourage individuals to act ethically - and also to hold them
accountable when they do
http://www.cacities.org/index.jsp?
displaytype=11&zone=wcm§ion=&sub_sec=&tert=&story=25445
EPA has produced a new tool to help small drinking water utilities
The handbook is called "Total Coliform Rule: A Handbook for Small
Noncommunity Water Systems serving less than 3,300 persons: Part of
the Simple Tools for Effective Performance"
http://www.epa.gov/safewater/smallsys/ssinfo.htm
Bill Clinton, global mayors form alliance on climate change
http://tinyurl.com/kt6e8
July 26, 2006
The Desire to Contribute to the Community Is a Core Need of Local
Government Professionals
Public service is often said to attract a person motivated by a desire to
contribute to the public welfare, and ICMA’s recently conducted Core
Needs Survey results reflect that desire
http://www.icma.org/main/ns.asp?nsid=2478&mgtinsite=1
July 19, 2006
San Francisco Moves Closer on Health Plan
San Francisco, California moved closer to becoming the nation's first city
to provide health care coverage for all its residents
http://tinyurl.com/ot466
Help promote internships among your colleagues by telling the story
Submit a 500- to 1,000-word profile of your super-intern and we will
consider publishing it in PM, or on the ICMA web site
http://www.icma.org/main/ns.asp?nsid=2472&mgtinsite=1
First Stop Shop for Water Resources
A clearinghouse for information and resources related to the co-
management of land and water resources
http://www.smartgrowth.org/library/articles.asp?art=2232&res=1024
Why should we expect more cooperation and teamwork in our
organizations when most of the rewards and recognition go to
individuals?
http://www.governingbynetwork.com/Management/Behn_June28.html
2006 telecommunications rewrite
The Senate Commerce Committee has approved its version of the 2006
telecommunications rewrite, which would have significant implications for
counties and other local governments
http://www.naco.org/CountyNewsTemplate.cfm?
template=/ContentManagement/ContentDisplay.cfm&ContentID=20696
Management - Don’t Ask
The more thoroughly you measure the depths of any problem, the bigger
that problem will appear to be
http://www.governing.com/articles/7manage.htm
July 6, 2006
Improve Compliance, Reduce Costs, and Increase Efficiency with an
Environmental Management System; Training Available
ICMA, in cooperation with the American Public Works Association and
with support from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, is leading an
effort to help educate and encourage local government managers to
adopt EMSs
http://www.icma.org/main/ns.asp?nsid=2459&mgtinsite=1
Classic PM Reflects on Council-Manager Relations
The online version of the July “PM” magazine features 12 articles selected
from the past 81 years of the magazine's publication, and they reflect two
themes: the manager's responsibilities and the proper relationship
between elected officials and the manager
http://icma.org/pm/8806/index.cfm?mgtinsite=1
June 27, 2006
Ideas in Action: Legal Aid
When the mayor of Hammond, Indiana (83,000), was in law school, he
learned firsthand of the importance of free legal assistance for single
parents and the elderly who could not otherwise afford legal advice. When
the mayor took office, he kept a campaign promise to set up a city-run
legal aid program. Hammond believes that its clinic is the first such
program to be run directly by a U.S. city
http://icma.org/main/ld.asp?ldid=19585&ideas=1&mgtinsite=1
June 20, 2006
A victory for open-records laws
In a reporter's request for information, state open-records laws triumph
over federal laws that keep personal health information private, a Texas
appeals court ruled, upholding an opinion issued by the Texas Attorney
General, who ordered the Texas Department of Mental Health and Mental
Retardation to disclose information about reported abuses in state
facilities.
http://www.statesman.com/news/content/news/stories/local/06/17opinion.
html
Toll road system's sale, lease at issue
The Harris County, Texas toll road system could be sold for as much as
$20 billion, but only if the county were willing to cede control over toll
increases to a private company
http://www.chron.com/disp/story.mpl/metropolitan/3977693.html
Report on Organizational Performance Accountability
A new report from the IBM Center for the Business of Government,
"Performance Accountability: The Five Building Blocks and Six Essential
Practices" sets forth tools and techniques for constructing effective
performance measurement systems for organizations
http://www.businessofgovernment.
org/main/publications/grant_reports/details/index.asp?GID=277
Supreme Court Narrows Speech Protection Rights for Public
Employees
The Supreme Court ruled that the First Amendment provides no
protection for speech made by public employees in the course of their
official job duties in a 5 - 4 decision on May 30
http://www.naco.org/CountyNewsTemplate.cfm?
template=/ContentManagement/ContentDisplay.cfm&ContentID=20439
June 14, 2006
FBI creates public corruption website
In its battle to root out public corruption, the FBI has launched a website
to attract more tips
http://www.fbi.gov/hq/cid/pubcorrupt/pubcorrupt.htm
City Practices Database
The National City Network's searchable "City Practices Database"
contains information on over 2,200 programs from around the country that
cities have implemented on a variety of issues from after school
programs to transportation initiatives
http://www.nationalcitynetwork.org/city_practices.html
Things to Consider Before Deploying Free Wireless Access
The ultimate success of wireless deployments depends not on
bandwidth, coverage or content, but on the clarity and execution of the
overall vision
http://www.cacities.org/index.jsp?
displaytype=11&zone=wcm§ion=&sub_sec=&tert=&story=25121
Harnessing the Wisdom of the Crowds
Governments wanting to improve innovation and decision-making in the
public sector should build mechanisms to aggregate information and
knowledge from diverse groups of citizens
http://www.governingbynetwork.com/Management/Eggers_May3.html
June 8, 2006
Keys to Collaboration: Building Private Partnerships
With technology acting as a facilitator, governments and private sector
leaders are strengthening their cooperation and collaboration to reap the
benefits of emerging technologies and innovations, according to an issue
brief from the National Association of State Chief Information Officers
http://www.nascio.org/nascioCommittees/clc/Keys_to_Collaboration.pdf
Applications Invited for Next Leadership ICMA Class
Leadership ICMA is an intensive, two-year ICMA University program
designed to cultivate key competencies needed for successful leadership
at all levels of local government management
http://icma.org/main/bc.asp?
bcid=548&hsid=1&ssid1=308&ssid2=2340&ssid3=2396&mgtinsite=1&t=
0
Today, no one believes in scientific management
Managers want to be known as empowering because this is how
managers today are supposed to behave. Some of these empowerment
managers are not, however, quite as empowering as they would like
others to believe.
http://www.ksg.harvard.edu/TheBehnReport/June2006.pdf
Performance Measurement - Rivals with a Cause
Comparing local government practices and performance among
neighboring communities is rare but rewarding
http://www.governing.com/manage/pm/perf0606.htm
Public-Private Partnerships
To augment limited public funding resources, local governments are
collaborating with private businesses to provide a range of projects,
including transportation and parks facilities and economic development
activities
http://www.mrsc.org/focus/focusarchive.aspx?y=06&m=06#1572
Putting Communities at the Center of Branding
Branding efforts of various groups, although individually well executed,
often work against each other with counter messages if they are not
coordinated
http://tinyurl.com/l5trc
Communicating the Vibrant City
How to make a city vibrant and then communicate that vibrancy in a
compelling way
http://www.smartcityradio.com/smartcityradio/past_shows.cfm?
showsmartcityID=276
Fleet Management - Hybrid Investment
Hybrid vehicle sales are soaring despite risks that they may not show
expected returns
http://americancityandcounty.com/mag/government_hybrid_investment/
June 5, 2006
Supreme Court declines to limit feds' access to courts
The Supreme Court Monday vacated a lower-court ruling that limited
federal employees' ability to take their claims against agencies to court. In
its decision, the high court rejected the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals'
ruling that federal courts lack jurisdiction over claims brought by
employees who are covered by federal laws and regulations governing
workplace grievances.
http://www.govexec.com/story_page.cfm?
articleid=34246&dcn=todaysnews
Ten Steps to Surviving a Budget Crisis
Strategies during Challenging Economic Times
http://www.ehlers-inc.com/downloads/docs/BudgetCrisis_Generic.pdf
Be Curious First!: Strategies for Unlocking Creative Thinking in Your
Local Government
This 75-minute webcast will take place on Wednesday, June 28, 2006,
from 2–3:15 p.m. EDT
https://www.lgean.org/html/training/index.cfm?id=49
Medical Privacy Law Nets No Fines
In the three years since Americans gained federal protection for their
private medical information, the Bush administration has received
thousands of complaints alleging violations but has not imposed a single
civil fine and has prosecuted just two criminal cases
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-
dyn/content/article/2006/06/04/AR2006060400672.html
June 1, 2006
Eliminating Silos in Government
Despite many state and local officials lamenting the problem of silos in
their governments, many still exist
http://www.governingbynetwork.com/Management/Pattison_Apr5.html
Government Technology - Critical Decisions
Local governments are exploring how Internet protocol (IP) telephone
service can better serve residents, improve efficiency and save money
http://americancityandcounty.com/mag/government_critical_decisions/
May 30, 2006
CruxPhotos
This service will turn any digital photo you send them, even of a municipal
building, into an image of the cross. These images may then be placed
on mugs, magnets, etc.
http://cruxphotos.blogspot.com/
Court curbs government whistleblowers
The Supreme Court made it harder for government employees to claim
they were retaliated against for going public with allegations of official
misconduct. By a 5-4 vote, justices said the nation’s 20 million public
employees do not have carte blanche free speech rights to disclose
government’s inner-workings. New Justice Samuel Alito cast the tie-
breaking vote
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/13047151/
A guide for planning and strategizing a referendum campaign
http://www.localgovnews.org/innovation/referendum.pdf
Pressure turned up in the war on water; Towns push to make service
public again
For many towns across the country, it once seemed like a good idea to
have municipal water utilities in the hands of private companies. Now a
number of towns across Illinois and the U.S. are waging fierce battles to
regain control of their drinking water
http://tinyurl.com/py37z
Energy and Transportation: Challenges, Solutions for Your City
As energy and gas prices continue to rise and air quality continues to
deteriorate, mayors are looking at alternatives in both fuels and models
for their city fleets and are exploring the role of mass transit and energy
policy to encourage efficiency
Wideband Takes Its Place In The Internet Race
Step aside digital subscriber lines, Wi-Fi and Wi-Max. It's time to make
room for cable's newest weapon in the war for high-speed Internet
customers: channel-bonding, aka wideband
http://www.njtelecomupdate.
com/2007/05/wideband_takes_its_place_in_th.html
Lassoing GASB 45
Texas is leading a charge to get rid of the accounting rule that forces
states and localities to tally the future costs of health benefits for retirees
http://www.governing.com/articles/5fin.htm
ICMA Launches FREE Performance Measurement E-Newsletter
ICMA announces the first issue of Performance Matters, a FREE monthly
e-newsletter on performance measurement strategies for local
government
http://www.icma.org/main/ns.asp?nsid=3137&mgtinsite=1
Tax-Exempt Institutions Pay for City Services
This voluntary program in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, asks tax-exempt
institutions to pay for their share of city services. The goal is to reduce the
number of tax exemptions, and consequently, reduce the tax bills of
residents
http://tinyurl.com/3appdg
DOJ Releases New Americans with Disabilities Act Technical
Assistance Materials
The Department of Justice today released new technical assistance
materials to help state and local governments comply with the Americans
with Disabilities Act
http://www.govtech.com/gt/articles/118970
Municipal WiFi is coming. Government employees, not citizens, may be
the biggest users
http://www.governing.com/articles/5wifi.htm
In the movement to blanket cities with Wi-Fi, economic realities are
setting in
Service providers look to tweak their business models to turn a profit
http://tinyurl.com/3x57pk
New ICMA Member Forum Generates Powerful Insights on
Sustainability
Join the Dialogue
http://www.icma.org/main/ns.asp?nsid=3128&mgtinsite=1
Budgeting for outcomes
Budget process that aligns resources with results produced. Instead of
starting with the previous year’s budget and justifying increases from that
base, BFO starts with a set of results and encourages creative ways of
achieving them
http://tinyurl.com/2gz93c
"Strategic Planning for New Funding for PEG"
Web-based seminar set for May 21st; Those dealing with PEG channel
funding will get tips on how to diversify their funding base
https://www.natoa.org/forms/form.html?id=78
The Listening Post
One of the toughest things for states or localities to do is get bona fide
input from citizens on how they’re doing
http://www.governing.com/articles/5manage.htm
Diversity Training Helps Local Inclusiveness
Many municipalities are taking a proactive approach to promoting
inclusion and preventing discrimination by using diversity trainings for city
staff
http://tinyurl.com/2ajalu
May 1, 2007
Earthlink Scales Back Muni Wi-Fi Plans
Financially troubled EarthLink, which has won contracts for municipal
wireless networks in several cities and has been chosen along with
Google for a high-profile proposal in San Francisco, is pulling in the reins
on its municipal wi-fi business
http://tinyurl.com/3c6dk6
New DVD Highlights Local Governments and Sustainable Infrastructure
http://www.epa.gov/waterinfrastructure/lgac_video/index.html
Ask LGEAN is a free resource for local officials, designed to help
resolve difficult environmental questions
http://www.lgean.org/html/asklgean.cfm
Global warming now on county
San Bernardino has been cited, in the first lawsuit of its kind in California,
for not addressing global warming in its newly adopted growth plan
http://www.sbsun.com/search/ci_5708330
Budgeting in a Post-Modern World
Of all the tools available to the manager to reshape an organization’s
policies and procedures, the budget offers the most accessible and
efficient venue for innovation
http://tinyurl.com/2fm957
Input Requested
The Governmental Accounting and Standards Board has commenced a
project to consider whether generally accepted accounting principles
(GAAP) should be established for financial statements that cover only a
portion of a government (i.e., individual funds or departments). Your input
is requested.
http://tinyurl.com/3xhd3o
Libraries that Matter
Reaching beyond the buzz of high design, libraries are redefining
themselves as community centers for the 21st Century
http://www.pps.org/info/newsletter/april2007/libraries_that_matter
New Toolkit for Meeting Needs of Aging Population
"Viable Futures Toolkit" helps communities provide better service for
aging residents and, by extension, all ages
http://www.viablefuturestoolkit.org/index.html
Clean Water Act Change May Impact Local Governments
Lawmakers in the House and Senate are poised to introduce legislation
that would respond to two recent Supreme Court decisions by expanding
the scope of federal regulation of "waters of the United States"
http://tinyurl.com/2txad6
Private trash haulers to use municipal facilities
The Supreme Court ruled that local governments can compel private
trash haulers to use municipal facilities, even if disposal in the municipal
landfill is more expensive than disposing of the garbage elsewhere
http://tinyurl.com/2mcar3
April 23, 2007
London, U.K., Goes Wireless
Twelve months of development and testing has enabled The Cloud and
the City of London Corporation to deploy Europe's densest, most
comprehensive city-wide WiFi mobility network
http://www.govtech.net/news/news.php?id=105116
Wireless Will Deliver Next Big Productivity Boost, Says Global Survey
http://www.govtech.net/news/news.php?id=105058
Cost to Make New York City Eco-Friendly: $32 Billion
The city intends to plant a million trees during the next 10 years, filling
every sidewalk vacancy with one and adding thousands to parks and
public spaces
http://tinyurl.com/yqhz86
Mayors hail Energy Efficiency Promotion Act
The Washington-based U.S. Conference of Mayors is hailing the
introduction of the Energy Efficiency Promotion Act in the U.S. Senate
http://americancityandcounty.com/webonly/energy-efficiency-promotion-
act/
Leveraging Anchor Institutions for Urban Success
What would happen if every anchor institution in your city -- your
universities, libraries, parks, major sports facilities, and museums --
were in perfect alignment around a few big goals, contributing their
maximum to your city's success and their own?
http://www.smartcityradio.com/smartcityradio/coming_up.cfm?
showsmartcityID=335
Walk a Hound, Lose a Pound program
Columbia, Missouri, is joining a number of other cities in instituting the
Walk a Hound, Lose a Pound program, which brings together two
populations in need of regular exercise--local citizens and shelter dogs
http://www.innovations.harvard.edu/news/21661.html
Reduce homeless population
To help reduce its homeless population, Gainesville, Florida is offering a
new service: one-way bus tickets out of town to those who qualify; Giving
the homeless a chance to reunite with relatives and start anew
http://www.innovations.harvard.edu/news/23991.html
Carrier Alert Program
New York City’s Carrier Alert Program recognizes the role postal workers
can play in offering aid to those in distress, including seniors and people
with disabilities
http://www.innovations.harvard.edu/news/21011.html
April 11, 2007
Communications Networking
E-Seminar: In an era when cable companies are increasingly unwilling to
negotiate Inets under franchise agreements, how will local governments
meet their communications networking needs in cost-efficient ways?
https://www.natoa.org/forms/form.html?id=78
GIS Payback Figures
Instead of building separate geospatial information systems for different
departments, many local governments develop single systems to serve
all departments
http://americancityandcounty.com/mag/government_payback_figures/
Managing the Urban Coyote
http://tinyurl.com/32b9o3
National League of Cities 2007 Awards
Deadline May 3rd
http://tinyurl.com/2suos4
U.S. Communities Government Purchasing Alliance
Provides a national purchasing forum for local and state government
agencies, school districts (K-12), higher education and non-profits
nationwide by pooling the purchasing power of over 87,000 public
agencies
http://www.uscommunities.org/
April 4, 2007
Wireless contract on Houston, Texas city agenda
The City Council is expected to consider a $2.5M contract that would allow
the company to build the city's wireless network and agree to be its
"anchor tenant" for the first five years of the project
http://tinyurl.com/2eeqq2
Florida town deploys wireless networks
Kissimmee, Florida officials unveiled new public wireless networks
designed to promote tourism and improve communication for public
safety and utility workers
http://americancityandcounty.com/webonly/florida-wireless-network/
On why public manager's have so much difficulty: Measuring Individual
Contributions
http://www.ksg.harvard.edu/TheBehnReport/April2007.pdf
March 29, 2007
Performance Measurement
The Governmental Accounting Standards Board (GASB) has been
working on a proposal that will require government auditors to perform
“performance measurement” reviews of local governmental functions
http://www.iml.org/npps/story.cfm?ID=786
Broadband's Buzzwords
To understand the debates over telecom policy taking place at the state
and federal levels, it helps to know the video franchising lingo
http://www.governing.com/articles/3tech.htm
Can You Dig it?
New less expensive and easy-to-use mobile GIS equipment with sub-foot
accuracy is helping utilities keep track of their assets
http://americancityandcounty.com/technology/government_dig/
311 and Customer Service Technology
ICMA researchers are conducting the first ever national study on 311 and
related customer service technology used by local governments in the
United States. The study explores the benefits of and barriers to local
governments adopting integrated systems for customer service
http://tinyurl.com/237cko
Promote an Ethical Culture
Don't Wait Until There is a Crisis in Your Organization
http://tinyurl.com/28wybe
March 14, 2007
Reversing the Rising Health Care Cost Trends--The Manager's Role
One-hour teleconference on the important role managers play in driving
down rising health care costs on April 9, 2007, at 12:30 p.m. EDT
http://www.icma.org/main/ns.asp?nsid=2959&mgtinsite=1
Hybrid Vehicles
Looking to make a difference in the environment and on its bottom line,
the Village of Northbrook recently saved substantially on the purchase of
three hybrid vehicles by taking advantage of a federal tax credit--applied to
the seller
http://www.icma.org/main/ns.asp?nsid=2964&mgtinsite=1
ICMA Annual Awards Nominations Deadline Extended
Share the news about your personal or professional achievement or that
of your local government, staff, or colleague.Deadline extended to April 20
http://icma.org/main/bc.asp?bcid=82&ssid1=43&ssid2=71&ssid3=269
Grand-Thinking Virginia Mayor Seeks Town's Energy Independence
The keystone of what the mayor calls his "low-carbon diet" is to build a
$30M plant at the county dump, which would chew up garbage,
construction waste, agricultural residue, manure and other materials
referred to as "biomass" and spin it into electricity and ethanol
http://tinyurl.com/274g6l
Going Global: Changes Afoot in a Growing Muni Bond Market
The municipal bond market is no longer the backwater it was a decade
ago. And that may account for some of the big changes coming to the
market
http://www.governing.com/news/3bond.htm
Numbers, Crunched
If budgets are financial plans, then CAFRs tell you what happened to the
plan. So why don’t more people pay attention to them?
http://www.governing.com/articles/3manage.htm
Metro Wi-Fi Networks
What are They and How Can They Benefit Your Community?
http://tinyurl.com/2hz847
Hurdles cloud vision of wireless county
A countywide wireless Internet network in Dade County, Florida is one of
the Mayor's top priorities, but it faces major questions about startup costs
and operations
http://www.miamiherald.com/460/story/39819.html
Completion of free wireless Internet nowhere in sight
In Macomb County, Michigan, a free wi-fi network originally scheduled to
be launched at the end of 2006 is delayed again after the vendor misses
a second deadline to have the network operational by the end of February
http://www.freep.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?
AID=/20070313/NEWS05/703130353/1007
Conference of Mayors Scores Victory
Congress Approves Increases in 2007 Spending Bill for Law
Enforcement, Housing and Other Key City Priorities
http://tinyurl.com/2aa24s
California town may snub out smoking at home
The Proposed Ban -- Perhaps the World's Strictest Smoking Restriction --
Raises Hackles For Some
http://tinyurl.com/29939o
March 7, 2007
Local Wireless Networks - A Prerequisite for the Future
More than 140 cities and counties in the United States (compared with 12
municipalities in 2004) are pursuing wireless networks while another
200 are studying the issues or are in the feasibility phase
http://tinyurl.com/2oyq9q
FCC Competitive Franchises for Cable Services Report
The much awaited FCC's Report and Order in the Video Franchising
matter is now available to download
http://tinyurl.com/245xmn
Locals protest FCC ruling
The official release of the Federal Communication Commission’s order
limiting local cable franchising has drawn new condemnation from local
government associations
http://americancityandcounty.com/webonly/fcc-ruling-cable-franchising/
Local Governments Denounce FCC Action
http://tinyurl.com/24yslw
Local Governments Offer the "Truth" on Telecom Reform
Facing fierce lobbying efforts, national local government associations
launched a new Web site to present the "real truth" on the potential effects
of telecommunications reform on communities and consumers
http://www.govtech.net/magazine/channel_story.php/104154
Setting performance targets is difficult?
Obviously, a public manager needs to decide: "How demanding should I
make my targets?"
http://www.ksg.harvard.edu/TheBehnReport/March2007.pdf
Two-Year Education Effort Launched On Transition To Digital Television
An estimated 20 million U.S. households that rely solely on over-the-air
telecasts will lose their signals unless they purchase digital sets or new
equipment for analog televisions by the Feb. 17, 2009 deadline
http://njtelecomupdate.com/lenya/telco/live/tb-LVOT1173211214853.html
Preserving and Using Institutional Memory through Knowledge
Management Practices
Examines practices for the effective organization, management, and
transmission of materials, knowledge, and resources that are in the
unique possession of individual offices and employees
http://www.trb.org/news/blurb_detail.asp?id=7401
American City & County seeks nominations for 2007 awards
Any county employee or elected official who has demonstrated
outstanding leadership in the last year is eligible for County Leader of the
Year; Deadline April 6th
http://americancityandcounty.com/news/awards-entry-forms/
Municipal Cost Index
The Municipal Cost Index is designed to show the effects of inflation on
the cost of providing municipal services
http://americancityandcounty.com/mciarchive/index.html
Setting Priorities: Change Your Approach to Budgeting
Process by which we figure out what is really important, figure out how
much it will cost, and then how to “buy” it
http://tinyurl.com/29hdfw
NACo adopts global warming policy at conference
The National Association of Counties Board of Directors adopted policy
calling on Congress and the Administration to take practical actions to
reduce the risks of global warming
http://tinyurl.com/275eq2
Internships
Internships help build the next generation of managers and bring new
talent and enthusiasm to organizations that use them successfully
http://www.icma.org/main/ns.asp?nsid=2947&mgtinsite=1
Students paying firms to find internships
As more students realize their value, competition is getting fierce
http://tinyurl.com/22gvzj
February 28, 2007
Local governments offer the “truth” on Telecom Reform
The new site, www.thetruthontelecomreform.org, provides factual
information to lawmakers, policymakers, and the public about legislative
and regulatory efforts affecting local taxing authority, cable franchising,
public safety communications, and other issues
http://www.thetruthontelecomreform.org/
House Dems Eye Telecom Review
House Democrats are planning a thorough re-examination of
telecommunications and media policies that will feature multiple
oversight hearings and fresh legislation; The competitiveness of the
video, telephone and radio marketplaces will be explored
http://njtelecomupdate.com/lenya/telco/live/tb-MJSN1172609975538.html
Anyone can manipulate Google’s maps for their specific needs
State and local IT officials are tapping into a cool Google tool to create
maps with new, improved uses
http://www.governing.com/articles/2talk.htm
Serving Constituents, Saving Dollars
The service delivery and process efficiencies that can be gained from a
Constituent Relationship Management system can increase a
government's savings beyond the hard-dollar savings from call center
consolidation
http://www.gfoa.org/services/gfr/documents/main_000.pdf
City uses energy auction to save money
The city of Worcester, Massachusetts, expects to save more than
$870,000 on electricity it acquired through an online energy auction
http://www.fcw.com/article97723-02-21-07-Web&newsletter=yes
Bad cables cause iProvo woes, likely to be costly in Provo, Utah
The iProvo network is a citywide, city-owned fiber-optic system that
provides phone, television and Internet services
http://www.sltrib.com/news/ci_5313117
February 20, 2007
Nine Reasons to Conduct an Orientation for New Council Members
http://www.icma.org/main/ns.asp?nsid=2906&mgtinsite=1
Tap into ICMA's Experts for Local Government Management Technical
Assistance
ICMA Results Networks Helps Fill Gaps and Get Fast Results
http://www.icma.org/main/ns.asp?nsid=2891&mgtinsite=1
City Ethics
Making the establishment of effective ethics programs in Cities and
Counties a priority!
http://www.cityethics.org/
February 13, 2007
President’s Budget Cuts Programs Important to Cities
The $2.9 trillion budget for fiscal year 2008 submitted by the President
would eliminate or severely reduce billions of dollars in spending for
programs critical to the nation’s cities
http://tinyurl.com/2xe37e
‘Thumbs down’
National Association of Counties verdict on Bush FY08 budget proposal
http://tinyurl.com/yqttwj
Was I Elected To Do What the People Want or to Govern Well?
Three pathways to extraordinary performance as governing bodies:
perspective, process, and performance results
http://www.mrsc.org/focus/ccadvisor/cca0207.aspx
Locals prepare for the silver tsunami
The number of Americans over age 65 in 2000 will have doubled by the
year 2030 to 71.5 million people, comprising 20 percent of the population
http://americancityandcounty.
com/administration/government_locals_prepare_silver/
February 6, 2007
Paying for Promises
After the shock of the big numbers, states and localities are finding ways
to deal with the costs of their retirees’ health care
http://www.governing.com/articles/2retire.htm
Preserving Resources, Preventing Waste
The U.S. EPA’s “Wastewise Communities Program” will support local
governments' efforts in residential municipal solid waste reduction and
the related climate change impacts
http://www.epa.gov/wastewise/
Innovative Governance: Combining Positions of City Manager and
Police Chief
http://tinyurl.com/2qtx5a
Workers at Smoky Jobs Double Cancer Risk, Study Says
A review of 22 studies on secondhand smoking concludes that
nonsmokers exposed to high levels of tobacco smoke on the job double
their risk of getting lung cancer
http://tinyurl.com/38mod2
National 811 telephone number for getting buried utilities flagged
before shovels turn dirt
811 is the new number you should call before you begin any digging
project
http://call811.com/
On why public executives have: The Responsibility to Craft Purpose
http://www.ksg.harvard.edu/TheBehnReport/February2007.pdf
January 22, 2007
Forced Franchising
Why Telephone Industry Calls for "Shall Issue" Video Franchising
Shouldn't Be Answered
http://www.icma.org/main/ns.asp?nsid=2845&mgtinsite=1
The Next Generation
MPA Scholarships Available for Future Local Government Managers
http://www.icma.org/main/ns.asp?nsid=2798&p=1&mgtinsite=1
On why it is necessary to remember that: Mandates Can't Force Good
Behavior
Government can be quite effective at preventing people from doing bad
things. But it isn't quite as good at getting them to do good things. Did
you ever wonder: Why?
http://www.ksg.harvard.edu/TheBehnReport/January2007.pdf
National League of Cities Sets 2007 Lobbying Agenda
Telecommunications reform, immigration and securing continued federal
funding to support local initiatives will be NLC’s top lobbying priorities for
the new 110th Congress
http://www.nlc.
org/Newsroom/Nation_s_Cities_Weekly/Weekly_NCW/2007/01/22/13242.
cfm
A Results Battle Royal
The Governmental Accounting Standards Board considers urging states
to report performance results — and kicks off a slugfest
http://www.governing.com/articles/1gasb.htm
A Primer on Performance Audits
http://www.mrsc.org/focus/finadvisor/fina0107.aspx
Cool Mayors for Climate Protection
Mayors in the United States who have committed their cities to reducing
greenhouse gas emissions comprise the ranks of the Mayors for Climate
Protection
http://www.coolmayors.org/
Illegal Immigration Ordinance
Apartment owners would still be banned from renting to most illegal
immigrants under a new ordinance adopted by Farmers Branch, Texas
http://tinyurl.com/3xwmcb
Rain Gardens Will Be Coming To A City Near You
http://www.nlc.
org/Newsroom/Nation_s_Cities_Weekly/Weekly_NCW/2007/01/22/13247.
cfm
January 16, 2007
Justices Decline to Take Up New Eminent Domain Case
The Supreme Court bypassed an opportunity to revisit or limit its much-
disputed 2005 ruling that upheld governmental power to use eminent
domain to foster economic development
http://www.nytimes.com/2007/01/17/washington/17scotus.html?
_r=1&oref=slogin
Localizing the Internet
Five Ways Public Ownership Solves the U.S. Broadband Problem
http://www.newrules.org/info/5ways.pdf
Tackling Global Warming at the Local Level
http://www.newrules.org/de/pioneers.pdf
Climate Neutral Bonding
A Global Warming Solution
http://www.newrules.org/de/climateneutralbonding.pdf
January 9, 2007
Emerging Leaders Development Program
The Emerging Leaders Development Program offered by the ICMA
University is now streamlined into a one certificate program! Open to
anyone who is not credentialed, but who has taken the Applied
Knowledge Assessment
http://tinyurl.com/yzwk2b
Unfilled City Manager Posts Hint at Future Gap
The shrinking pool of recruits is a forerunner of what some experts call a
broader government talent shortage to come. With the bulging postwar
generation nearing its retirement years, statisticians forecast a growing
gap of unfilled executive and managerial jobs
http://www.nytimes.com/2007/01/11/us/11managers.html
County Codes and Ordinances
The National Association of Counties’ "County Codes and Ordinances"
Web page offers a access to a large collection of county codes and
ordinances pertaining to selected subject areas
http://tinyurl.com/y28tgs
Unloading Assets
Cities and states are selling off bits and pieces of infrastructure. Is it a
sweet deal or a mistake?
http://www.governing.com/articles/1roads.htm
January 2, 2007
Do You Know What You Own?
A surprising number of states and localities don’t have the kind of
inventory of their assets that a decent shoe store has
http://www.governing.com/articles/1manage.htm
Blackout
Big-city newspapers aren’t telling citizens the things they need to know
http://www.governing.com/articles/12papers.htm
Pulling in the money
Local governments have more than $40 billion in outstanding
receivables, according to the Washington-based National Association of
Counties
http://americancityandcounty.
com/administration/government_pulling_money/
Living in a Learning City
Imagine a Learning City where everything - literally everything - is turned
into an opportunity to teach something new and all day, everyday is
considered a teachable moment
http://www.smartcityradio.com/smartcityradio/past_shows.cfm?
showsmartcityID=316
"Stat" Fever
The practice of collecting data to monitor and improve government
performance continues to gain momentum and evolve
http://www.innovations.harvard.edu/news/16612.html
Seven Big Lessons for Local Governments
http://www.governing.com/notebook.htm
The top 10 green stories of the year
Top stories include the defeat of regulatory taking measures in the West
and the reinstatement of the Roadless Rule for national forest land
http://www.grist.org/news/maindish/2006/12/22/top10/index.html
Conserve resources through city's affordable program
For as little as $5 a month Naperville residents can purchase renewable
energy to offset traditional energy sources such as coal, which output
carbon dioxide
http://tinyurl.com/ycfz8u
County Takes On Global Warming
Arlington County, Virginia will buy more wind-generated electricity, give tax
breaks for hybrid cars, require new public buildings to be green-certified
and hand out energy-efficient light bulbs to residents as part of a major
push toward reducing greenhouse gas emissions
http://tinyurl.com/y8res6
Provo, Utah defends its network project
City officials are firing back at a California libertarian think tank for a report
released earlier this month slamming the iProvo fiber-optic network
http://www.sltrib.com/news/ci_4917776
Provo, Utah's Municipal Broadband Going Broke
http://www.reason.org/news/municipal_broadband_iProvo_120506.shtml
December 26, 2006
Supreme Court to hear garbage ‘flow control’ case
In a pivotal case for counties, the U.S. Supreme Court will take on the
issue of solid waste flow control that could decide once and for all the
legalities of flow control
http://tinyurl.com/vhw9b
FCC Adopts Order That Preempts Local Video Franchising Authority
Despite opposition from the National League of Cities and other local
government groups, the Federal Communications Commission (FCC)
adopted an order last week that would federally mandate how video
franchising would occur in the United States
http://tinyurl.com/y6k7zg
When governments build electronic communities with residents, they
must be structured interactions — not a free-form, “anything goes”
type of social network
Some local agencies are using Web-based software to help collect and
manage electronic comments and generate reports that organize and
summarize them
http://americancityandcounty.com/technology/government_own_words/
"The E-Government Collaboration Challenge: Lessons from Five Case
Studies"
10 recommendations to ease the way for cross-organizational initiatives
that require using a common information technology system as the
backbone of the collaborative effort
http://www.businessofgovernment.org/pdfs/FedorowiczReport.pdf
Group sues town for refusing to rent to illegals
Two civil rights groups filed a lawsuit challenging a new law in a Dallas
suburb that outlaws renting apartments to illegal immigrants, alleging the
ordinance violates federal law and forces landlords to act as immigration
officers
http://tinyurl.com/yhhqqd
Northern Illinois City Leadership Forum: Future-Thinking Tools for
Future-Thinking Leaders
January 25, 8:30 AM - 1:30 PM in Highland Park
http://govpile.com/LeadershipForum.pdf
The Next Generation
MPA Scholarships Available for Future Local Government Managers
http://www.icma.org/main/ns.asp?nsid=2798&mgtinsite=1
December 21, 2006
Telecommunications tax applies to cable modem services
The City of Seattle, Washington recently prevailed in litigation with
Comcast over whether the city's telecommunications tax applied to the
cable modem services offered by Comcast
http://www.courts.wa.gov/opinions/index.cfm?fa=opinions.
showOpinion&filename=574914MAJ
States struggle to cover retirees
State and local governments are starting to take aggressive steps to
reduce the enormous cost of providing health care benefits to retired
teachers, police officers, firefighters and other public workers
http://www.usatoday.com/news/nation/2006-12-17-state-retirees_x.htm
Paying Health Care From Pensions Proves Costly
Many local governments began turning to their pension funds to help pay
for health care for retired public workers in the 1990s. Some are now
regretting it
http://tinyurl.com/uxek4
County tackling emissions
Sacramento County, California officials plan to reduce greenhouse gas
emissions in county operations by joining a Chicago exchange whose
members buy and sell emissions-reduction credits
http://www.sacbee.com/101/story/95403.html
FCC Adopts Cable Franchise Order
http://www.iml.org/npps/story.cfm?ID=774
FCC backs phone giants
Decision makes it easier for AT&T, Verizon to challenge cable TV for video
business
http://tinyurl.com/y2t9tu
Riverside, California's Grease to Gas to Power program
Saves the city more than $2M each year in energy costs
http://www.nationalcitynetwork.org/view_city_practices.html?id=426231
On the perverse yet inevitable obsession with: Avoiding All Mistakes
So how do we spend our time? Trying to produce successes? Or trying
to avoid mistakes?
http://www.ksg.harvard.edu/TheBehnReport/December2006.pdf
Corporate performance management
Governments are seeking technology to streamline the budgeting
process Is corporate performance management (CPM) the solution?
http://www.gfoa.org/services/gfr/documents/BgtTechGFR_dec06.pdf
SEC Probes Bond Deals
The subpoenas bring Jefferson County, Alabama into a nationwide
investigation that probes the inner workings of municipal bond deals, in
which local governments borrow money or refinance debt by issuing
bonds through major investment banking firms
http://tinyurl.com/y22zlo
Bond for Pensions
The Palm Springs, California City Council voted to begin the process to
shift nearly half of its pension burden of $41M to a massive bond package
http://www.thedesertsun.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?
AID=/20061221/NEWS01/612210340
December 11, 2006
25 Tips to Overcome Barriers to Service-Sharing Agreements
http://www.icma.org/main/ns.asp?nsid=2768&mgtinsite=1
Letter to the Federal Communications Commission
Opposing a draft order currently under review that would federally
mandate how video franchising would occur in the United States
http://www.iml.org/npps/story.cfm?ID=772
Christmas trees going back up
Port of Seattle staff began putting up the trees they earlier had removed
from Seattle-Tacoma International Airport. The trees had come down
Friday night after a local rabbi requested that a Hanukkah menorah also
be displayed, and Port officials had said the threat of a lawsuit left them
without enough time to consider all the issues
http://seattletimes.nwsource.
com/html/localnews/2003473318_seatactrees12m.html
Counties Erase Deficits by Budgeting for Outcomes
Also known as budgeting for outcomes, the process bases decisions to
fund services or programs on their value to the community, not solely on
their cost
http://tinyurl.com/u6jhg
What is the formula for an outstanding web site – particularly in the
municipal arena?
http://www.muninetguide.com/articles/Striving-for-Online-Excellence---
105.php
Two Steps Back: City and Suburban Poverty Trends 1999-2005
http://www.brookings.edu/metro/pubs/20061205_citysuburban.htm
December 5, 2006
ICMA GovSearch
Search the text of hundreds of local government web sites
http://www.icma.org/resources/govsearch/
Landlords who rent to illegal immigrants to be targeted
Despite the threat of legal challenges, Cherokee County, Georgia
commissioners approved ordinances declaring English the county's
official language, and going after landlords who rent to illegal immigrants
http://tinyurl.com/vb2ft
Immigration study ties strains on communities to reform gridlock
The continuing failure of the federal government to adopt immigration
reforms has left communities struggling with stopgap solutions to
problems associated with rising immigrant populations
http://tinyurl.com/y92ztt
November 29, 2006
Soaring healthcare costs detailed
Boston, Massachusetts’ healthcare costs have nearly doubled in six
years and now require the property tax bills of five families to pay the
premium of one city employee's family healthcare plan, according to a
report by the Boston Municipal Research Bureau
http://tinyurl.com/ybjw36
Widespread County Fuel Thefts Suspected
The county auditor will report that the Fairfax County, Virginia fleet is on
track to use close to 75,000 gallons less this year than last, and officials
suspect that most of that amount was stolen
http://tinyurl.com/ykl4h9
The History of Steel
Smart City Radio: Cities have always been hotbeds of innovation;
Perspectives on innovation both from the past and the future
http://www.smartcityradio.com/smartcityradio/coming_up.cfm?
showsmartcityID=315
November 21, 2006
On why public managers need to practice: Management Noir
http://www.ksg.harvard.edu/TheBehnReport/November2006.pdf
Carbon Tax
Boulder, Colorado Approves ‘Carbon Tax’ in Effort to Reduce Gas
Emissions
http://tinyurl.com/yh4cv7
Downtown El Paso is going wireless. So is South El Paso
Within six months, anyone living and working in downtown El Paso, Texas
will have free Internet access via a $125,000 wireless Internet system
being coordinated by El Paso County and paid for by the county, the city,
the El Paso school district and the Housing authority
http://www.elpasotimes.com/news/ci_4676050
November 14, 2006
SEC slams city on pension debt
The city of San Diego's black eye turned a darker shade yesterday as the
Securities and Exchange Commission ruled that the city defrauded
investors in 2002 and 2003 by not disclosing a massive pension deficit
http://www.signonsandiego.com/news/metro/pension/20061115-9999-
1n15sec.html
Costs of bond deal for LAPD headquarters raise concern
In approving a $500M bond issuance to fund the construction of a new
police headquarters, the Los Angeles City Council shunned an open
competition for underwriting firms and instead embraced a plan to benefit
local firms
http://tinyurl.com/yb4udd
November 7, 2006
Adoption of Transportation Operations Systems: A National Survey
http://tinyurl.com/ye86mt
ICMA Hosts Energy Savings FREE Webcast
"Saving Money and Energy: Local Government Strategies and ENERGY
STAR Programs," Thursday November 30, 2006, 2:00 p.m. - 3:30 p.m.
EST
http://www.icma.org/main/ns.asp?nsid=2697&mgtinsite=1
Attracting Development To Brownfields Sites: A Local Challenge
http://tinyurl.com/y5m8cw
November 1, 2006
Ethics Training: Something to Blog About
http://villagemanager.blogspot.com/2006/10/ethics-in-local-government.
html
Management Preparation Program
The Management Preparation Program of Plano in Plano, Texas offers an
intensive mentoring and training experience to supervisor-level city
employees
http://tinyurl.com/yjoa3n
Ordinances targeting illegal immigrants blocked
A federal judge blocked the city of Hazleton, Pennsylvania from enforcing
a pair of ordinances targeting illegal immigrants just hours before the
measures were to go into effect, ruling that landlords, tenants and
businesses that cater to Hispanics faced "irreparable harm" from the
lawshttp://www.philly.com/mld/inquirer/news/local/15897277.htm
Eco-friendly computer products
The number of certified eco-friendly computer products available to
government agencies has grown rapidly since a new green seal of
approval was released by the U.S. EPA in July
http://www.fcw.com/article96450-10-12-06-Web&newsletter=yes
October 24, 2006
Circling the Statehouse
At a time when federal spending is slowing, state and local governments
-- flush with cash from rising property-tax revenue and a generally healthy
national economy -- are an increasingly juicy target for government
contractors
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-
dyn/content/article/2006/10/22/AR2006102200567.html
October 17, 2006
Pledge to Make a Difference, One Light at a Time
ICMA is asking its members to take the online ENERGY STAR Change a
Light Pledge by November 30, 2006. With just 300 members signing the
pledge, the nation could see an 84,600 kWh and a reduction of 133,500
pounds of greenhouse gases
http://www.icma.org/main/ns.asp?nsid=2643&mgtinsite=1
Lessons Learned: How Communities are Addressing Racial Inequities
http://www.nlc.org/content/Files/RMPcaseyfinalrpt06.pdf
Local Initiatives Promote Racial, Ethnic Equity
The National League of Cities is exploring how government policies at all
levels have contributed to increasing inequalities in America’s cities and
towns which threaten the well-being of regions and the nation
http://www.nlc.org/Issues/Equity___Opportunity/index.cfm
Federal Managers Admit to Much Low-Hanging Fruit
http://policy.heritageblogs.
org/2006/10/federal_managers_admit_to_much.html
An Exit Strategy for Local Governments
What services or subsidies should cities get out of? Ask yourself this
question: 'If we were not in this already, would we now go into it?' And if
the answer is 'no,' the next question should be: 'How do we get out and
how fast?'
http://www.civic-strategies.com/resources/news/007.htm
Should Municipalities Provide Wireless Internet Service?
“Municipal Provision of Wireless Internet” offers guidance to local
policymakers considering if, and to what extent, a municipality should
involve itself in the provision of broadband Internet service
http://www.ftc.gov/os/2006/10/V060021municipalprovwirelessinternet.pdf
In Detroit, Officials Mull Selling Waterworks
Privatization and control by a regional water authority are both options.
These discussions follow years of turmoil between Detroit, who sets the
water rates, and its nearby suburbs
http://www.freep.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?
AID=/20061013/NEWS05/610130457/1007
October 12, 2006
Why public managers need to work at closing their: Managerial
Perception Gap
http://www.ksg.harvard.edu/TheBehnReport/October2006.pdf
“The Ethics Edge”
Emphasizes the importance of ethical leadership and provides case
examples of real-world ethical dilemmas facing local government
decision makers
http://bookstore.icma.org/obs/showdetl.cfm?
&DID=7&Product_ID=1353&CATID=4&mgtinsite=1
How to do More with Less
Strategic Human Resource Management Meets Local Government
http://www.icma.org/main/ns.asp?nsid=2616&mgtinsite=1
October 3, 2006
Study: Libraries Under e-Government Pressure
Public libraries are increasingly being called on to provide public-access
Internet services at a time when nearly half report flat or decreasing
funding, and there is a need to continually upgrade technology and
provide sufficient bandwidth to meet increasingly demand for services,
http://www.ii.fsu.edu/projectFiles/plinternet/2006/2006_plinternet.pdf
Leasing airport seen as lucrative
A long-term lease of Mitchell International Airport to a private operator
could reap hundreds of millions of dollars for Milwaukee County's cash-
strapped government, according to a Wisconsin Policy Research Institute
study
http://www.jsonline.com/story/index.aspx?id=507157
National League of Cities’ National City Network to Focus on Broadband
By some counts, more than 600 cities across the country have
implemented or are considering municipal broadband systems
http://www.nlc.
org/Newsroom/Nation_s_Cities_Weekly/Weekly_NCW/2006/10/02/12066.
cfm
The Mayor-Manager Merger
Council-manager cities and strong-mayor cities aren’t polar opposites
anymore. Most cities have aspects of both systems
http://www.governing.com/articles/10assess.htm
How Local Government Managers See Leadership Differently
If you want to understand what leadership really is, why not ask local
government managers? A recent research project did just that
http://tinyurl.com/f7uhq
September 25, 2006
Plugged in?
Despite years afloat in a digital sea, government workers say that when it
comes to managing their documents, they cling to familiar shores. If it's
important, they want a paper copy
http://www.govtech.net/magazine/story.php?id=100916
More than 200 cities in 38 states have signed the U.S. Mayors Climate
Protocol Agreement
http://www.coolcities.us/
Global warming nears ‘dangerous’ level
Researchers say average temperatures are close to a million-year high
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/15003895
Fewer cities increase outsourced services
As costs for employee health benefits and wages grow, some cities are
turning to contractors to relieve pressure on their budgets. However,
many others are more reluctant than ever to contract more services,
opting for in-house control
http://americancityandcounty.
com/mag/government_fewer_cities_increase/
September 13, 2006
The Ethical Challenges of Fundraising: Guidance on Member
Involvement
http://www.icma.org/main/ns.asp?nsid=2566&mgtinsite=1&t=0
Community of Character
http://icma.org/main/ld.asp?ldid=19367&ideas=1&mgtinsite=1
The Use of "Lean" in Local Government
How can local governments make continuous cost reduction a reality
without undermining the value they deliver? "Lean," a philosophy that
seeks the involvement of workers in the elimination of waste and the
adding of value, is one answer
http://tinyurl.com/jar4b
September 6, 2006
Why public managers need to focus on their: Performance Deficit
http://www.ksg.harvard.edu/TheBehnReport/September2006.pdf
County Officials Bullish on Economy, Split on Immigration
Balancing county budgets was easier in 2006 than in the past few years,
and county elected officials were more upbeat about the economy,
according to the 2006 National County Elected Officials Poll
http://www.naco.org/CountyNewsTemplate.cfm?
template=/ContentManagement/ContentDisplay.cfm&ContentID=21117
Energy Efficiency Best Practices for Local Governments
An energy efficiency "best practices" workbook from the California Local
Energy Efficiency Program (CALeep) describes a basic five-step process
communities can follow to increase their level of energy efficiency
http://www.caleep.com/workbook/workbook.htm
The Persistence of Paper
Despite all the advances in online services, e-governments are still stuck
in the paper chase
http://www.governing.com/articles/9tech.htm
Making Wi-Fi Fly
For many government agencies, finding money to pay for a large
technology initiative, such as a Wi-Fi network, presents a major obstacle
http://americancityandcounty.com/mag/government_making_wifi_fly/
August 22, 2006
Two new monuments engraved with the Ten Commandments are
being erected in southeastern Oklahoma
Two counties in southeast Oklahoma are planning to erect displays of the
10 Commandments at or near their courthouses, and a U.S. District
Judge has declared a similar display in a third county does not violate the
constitution
http://www.tulsaworld.com/newsStory.asp?
ID=060819_Ne_A7_Twone27679
Zoned out: Many who serve affluent communities can't afford to live in
them
In about half of central Ohio's suburbs, those who teach the children,
patrol the neighborhoods and put out the fires can't afford to live among
the people they serve
http://tinyurl.com/zvxke
August 15, 2006
Annexation and the Fiscal Fate of Cities
New research from the Brookings Institution finds that a city's ability to
annex land from its surrounding county is a primary determinant of its
fiscal health.
http://www.brookings.edu/metro/pubs/20060810_fateofcities.htm
Performance Matters
Although performance measurement is an increasingly popular
management tool that helps local governments meet community goals,
employees sometimes need extra support to embrace this process
http://icma.org/pm/8807/public/performance.cfm?
author=&title=Performance%20Matters
Programs Offer Support to Homeless
As a growing number of cities outline 10-year plans to reduce
homelessness, many are developing housing programs that include
support services to help keep people off the streets.
http://americancityandcounty.
com/mag/government_programs_offer_support/
August 9, 2006
The Next Generation of Managers
Local government management is in the midst of a quiet crisis. Today's
managers are nearing retirement, and fewer emerging professionals are
in line and prepared to fill their shoes
http://icma.org/nextgen/Default.asp?mgtinsite=1&t=0
San Francisco health insurance plan signed into law
Legislation to make San Francisco the first city in the country to offer
health care to its uninsured residents
http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?
f=/c/a/2006/08/08/BAGEEKBPKB1.DTL
Counties and Immigration: Caught in the Middle
Counties are paying on the local level for a federal problem
http://www.governing.com/news/8naco.htm
August 1, 2006
7th Annual City and County Performance Summit
The Summit will provide you with the tools and techniques for starting
your performance management program, as well as strategies for taking
your program to the next level
http://www.cityandcounty.org/
The Imperative of Adaptation
http://www.ksg.harvard.edu/TheBehnReport/August2006.pdf
The Center for Union Facts compiled the Department of Labor's reports
into a searchable database
http://www.unionfacts.com/
Computer-based management program
Boston, Massachusetts residents who call the mayor's 24-hour hotline
will be able to learn what has become of their complaints, which will be
assigned numbers and logged in a central database; Computer-based
management program that will track performance in each city department
http://tinyurl.com/jh94s
A growing number of localities are experimenting with alternatives to
annual financial reports to inform citizens about government
performance
http://www.governing.com/manage/pm/perf0806.htm
Internal Revenue Service's new "Federal, State, and Local Government
Toolkit"
Includes, among other things, the Public Employer's Tax Guide, Federal-
State Reference Guide, Employer's Tax Guide, and the Taxable Fringe
Benefits Guide
http://www.irs.gov/govt/fslg/article/0,,id=158481,00.html
Linking Performance Measurements to Customer Expectations
http://www.riskinstitute.org/PERI/PERISCOPE/PS606LPMC.htm
Local government organizations need strategies to inform, inspire and
encourage individuals to act ethically - and also to hold them
accountable when they do
http://www.cacities.org/index.jsp?
displaytype=11&zone=wcm§ion=&sub_sec=&tert=&story=25445
EPA has produced a new tool to help small drinking water utilities
The handbook is called "Total Coliform Rule: A Handbook for Small
Noncommunity Water Systems serving less than 3,300 persons: Part of
the Simple Tools for Effective Performance"
http://www.epa.gov/safewater/smallsys/ssinfo.htm
Bill Clinton, global mayors form alliance on climate change
http://tinyurl.com/kt6e8
July 26, 2006
The Desire to Contribute to the Community Is a Core Need of Local
Government Professionals
Public service is often said to attract a person motivated by a desire to
contribute to the public welfare, and ICMA’s recently conducted Core
Needs Survey results reflect that desire
http://www.icma.org/main/ns.asp?nsid=2478&mgtinsite=1
July 19, 2006
San Francisco Moves Closer on Health Plan
San Francisco, California moved closer to becoming the nation's first city
to provide health care coverage for all its residents
http://tinyurl.com/ot466
Help promote internships among your colleagues by telling the story
Submit a 500- to 1,000-word profile of your super-intern and we will
consider publishing it in PM, or on the ICMA web site
http://www.icma.org/main/ns.asp?nsid=2472&mgtinsite=1
First Stop Shop for Water Resources
A clearinghouse for information and resources related to the co-
management of land and water resources
http://www.smartgrowth.org/library/articles.asp?art=2232&res=1024
Why should we expect more cooperation and teamwork in our
organizations when most of the rewards and recognition go to
individuals?
http://www.governingbynetwork.com/Management/Behn_June28.html
2006 telecommunications rewrite
The Senate Commerce Committee has approved its version of the 2006
telecommunications rewrite, which would have significant implications for
counties and other local governments
http://www.naco.org/CountyNewsTemplate.cfm?
template=/ContentManagement/ContentDisplay.cfm&ContentID=20696
Management - Don’t Ask
The more thoroughly you measure the depths of any problem, the bigger
that problem will appear to be
http://www.governing.com/articles/7manage.htm
July 6, 2006
Improve Compliance, Reduce Costs, and Increase Efficiency with an
Environmental Management System; Training Available
ICMA, in cooperation with the American Public Works Association and
with support from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, is leading an
effort to help educate and encourage local government managers to
adopt EMSs
http://www.icma.org/main/ns.asp?nsid=2459&mgtinsite=1
Classic PM Reflects on Council-Manager Relations
The online version of the July “PM” magazine features 12 articles selected
from the past 81 years of the magazine's publication, and they reflect two
themes: the manager's responsibilities and the proper relationship
between elected officials and the manager
http://icma.org/pm/8806/index.cfm?mgtinsite=1
June 27, 2006
Ideas in Action: Legal Aid
When the mayor of Hammond, Indiana (83,000), was in law school, he
learned firsthand of the importance of free legal assistance for single
parents and the elderly who could not otherwise afford legal advice. When
the mayor took office, he kept a campaign promise to set up a city-run
legal aid program. Hammond believes that its clinic is the first such
program to be run directly by a U.S. city
http://icma.org/main/ld.asp?ldid=19585&ideas=1&mgtinsite=1
June 20, 2006
A victory for open-records laws
In a reporter's request for information, state open-records laws triumph
over federal laws that keep personal health information private, a Texas
appeals court ruled, upholding an opinion issued by the Texas Attorney
General, who ordered the Texas Department of Mental Health and Mental
Retardation to disclose information about reported abuses in state
facilities.
http://www.statesman.com/news/content/news/stories/local/06/17opinion.
html
Toll road system's sale, lease at issue
The Harris County, Texas toll road system could be sold for as much as
$20 billion, but only if the county were willing to cede control over toll
increases to a private company
http://www.chron.com/disp/story.mpl/metropolitan/3977693.html
Report on Organizational Performance Accountability
A new report from the IBM Center for the Business of Government,
"Performance Accountability: The Five Building Blocks and Six Essential
Practices" sets forth tools and techniques for constructing effective
performance measurement systems for organizations
http://www.businessofgovernment.
org/main/publications/grant_reports/details/index.asp?GID=277
Supreme Court Narrows Speech Protection Rights for Public
Employees
The Supreme Court ruled that the First Amendment provides no
protection for speech made by public employees in the course of their
official job duties in a 5 - 4 decision on May 30
http://www.naco.org/CountyNewsTemplate.cfm?
template=/ContentManagement/ContentDisplay.cfm&ContentID=20439
June 14, 2006
FBI creates public corruption website
In its battle to root out public corruption, the FBI has launched a website
to attract more tips
http://www.fbi.gov/hq/cid/pubcorrupt/pubcorrupt.htm
City Practices Database
The National City Network's searchable "City Practices Database"
contains information on over 2,200 programs from around the country that
cities have implemented on a variety of issues from after school
programs to transportation initiatives
http://www.nationalcitynetwork.org/city_practices.html
Things to Consider Before Deploying Free Wireless Access
The ultimate success of wireless deployments depends not on
bandwidth, coverage or content, but on the clarity and execution of the
overall vision
http://www.cacities.org/index.jsp?
displaytype=11&zone=wcm§ion=&sub_sec=&tert=&story=25121
Harnessing the Wisdom of the Crowds
Governments wanting to improve innovation and decision-making in the
public sector should build mechanisms to aggregate information and
knowledge from diverse groups of citizens
http://www.governingbynetwork.com/Management/Eggers_May3.html
June 8, 2006
Keys to Collaboration: Building Private Partnerships
With technology acting as a facilitator, governments and private sector
leaders are strengthening their cooperation and collaboration to reap the
benefits of emerging technologies and innovations, according to an issue
brief from the National Association of State Chief Information Officers
http://www.nascio.org/nascioCommittees/clc/Keys_to_Collaboration.pdf
Applications Invited for Next Leadership ICMA Class
Leadership ICMA is an intensive, two-year ICMA University program
designed to cultivate key competencies needed for successful leadership
at all levels of local government management
http://icma.org/main/bc.asp?
bcid=548&hsid=1&ssid1=308&ssid2=2340&ssid3=2396&mgtinsite=1&t=
0
Today, no one believes in scientific management
Managers want to be known as empowering because this is how
managers today are supposed to behave. Some of these empowerment
managers are not, however, quite as empowering as they would like
others to believe.
http://www.ksg.harvard.edu/TheBehnReport/June2006.pdf
Performance Measurement - Rivals with a Cause
Comparing local government practices and performance among
neighboring communities is rare but rewarding
http://www.governing.com/manage/pm/perf0606.htm
Public-Private Partnerships
To augment limited public funding resources, local governments are
collaborating with private businesses to provide a range of projects,
including transportation and parks facilities and economic development
activities
http://www.mrsc.org/focus/focusarchive.aspx?y=06&m=06#1572
Putting Communities at the Center of Branding
Branding efforts of various groups, although individually well executed,
often work against each other with counter messages if they are not
coordinated
http://tinyurl.com/l5trc
Communicating the Vibrant City
How to make a city vibrant and then communicate that vibrancy in a
compelling way
http://www.smartcityradio.com/smartcityradio/past_shows.cfm?
showsmartcityID=276
Fleet Management - Hybrid Investment
Hybrid vehicle sales are soaring despite risks that they may not show
expected returns
http://americancityandcounty.com/mag/government_hybrid_investment/
June 5, 2006
Supreme Court declines to limit feds' access to courts
The Supreme Court Monday vacated a lower-court ruling that limited
federal employees' ability to take their claims against agencies to court. In
its decision, the high court rejected the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals'
ruling that federal courts lack jurisdiction over claims brought by
employees who are covered by federal laws and regulations governing
workplace grievances.
http://www.govexec.com/story_page.cfm?
articleid=34246&dcn=todaysnews
Ten Steps to Surviving a Budget Crisis
Strategies during Challenging Economic Times
http://www.ehlers-inc.com/downloads/docs/BudgetCrisis_Generic.pdf
Be Curious First!: Strategies for Unlocking Creative Thinking in Your
Local Government
This 75-minute webcast will take place on Wednesday, June 28, 2006,
from 2–3:15 p.m. EDT
https://www.lgean.org/html/training/index.cfm?id=49
Medical Privacy Law Nets No Fines
In the three years since Americans gained federal protection for their
private medical information, the Bush administration has received
thousands of complaints alleging violations but has not imposed a single
civil fine and has prosecuted just two criminal cases
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-
dyn/content/article/2006/06/04/AR2006060400672.html
June 1, 2006
Eliminating Silos in Government
Despite many state and local officials lamenting the problem of silos in
their governments, many still exist
http://www.governingbynetwork.com/Management/Pattison_Apr5.html
Government Technology - Critical Decisions
Local governments are exploring how Internet protocol (IP) telephone
service can better serve residents, improve efficiency and save money
http://americancityandcounty.com/mag/government_critical_decisions/
May 30, 2006
CruxPhotos
This service will turn any digital photo you send them, even of a municipal
building, into an image of the cross. These images may then be placed
on mugs, magnets, etc.
http://cruxphotos.blogspot.com/
Court curbs government whistleblowers
The Supreme Court made it harder for government employees to claim
they were retaliated against for going public with allegations of official
misconduct. By a 5-4 vote, justices said the nation’s 20 million public
employees do not have carte blanche free speech rights to disclose
government’s inner-workings. New Justice Samuel Alito cast the tie-
breaking vote
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/13047151/
A guide for planning and strategizing a referendum campaign
http://www.localgovnews.org/innovation/referendum.pdf
Pressure turned up in the war on water; Towns push to make service
public again
For many towns across the country, it once seemed like a good idea to
have municipal water utilities in the hands of private companies. Now a
number of towns across Illinois and the U.S. are waging fierce battles to
regain control of their drinking water
http://tinyurl.com/py37z
Energy and Transportation: Challenges, Solutions for Your City
As energy and gas prices continue to rise and air quality continues to
deteriorate, mayors are looking at alternatives in both fuels and models
for their city fleets and are exploring the role of mass transit and energy
policy to encourage efficiency