Local Government Management
Texas county rescinds its data center moratorium after $100 million lawsuit from developer
Hill County, which appears to be the first Texas county to pass a moratorium, replaced it Thursday with a checklist of requirements for developers.
How Dayton’s citizens’ assembly showed a new path for community engagement
The Ohio city already has a long history of civic participation, but the prospect of a new hospital on its west side made officials want to get residents involved in a new way.
Water, electricity remain major data center concerns, survey says
Zencity found that the more familiar someone is with AI, the more inclined they are to support data centers. But residents’ trust that local governments will be open about the centers’ impacts is slipping.
More states look to preempt local AI laws, report finds
The Local Solutions Support Center found that a dozen bills in nine states look to limit local regulations and promote a so-called “right to compute,” backed by a powerful conservative group.
How Broadcom’s VMware buy meant a ‘fundamental shift’ for county tech
Leaders said the 2023 acquisition has led to negative changes in licenses, pricing and support, with many now considering moving away from the longtime vendor.
When AI explains local government, authority gets blurred
COMMENTARY | Summaries can be a useful tool to show residents what is happening inside agencies. But leaders must be cautious when using them to ensure that vital information doesn’t get lost or misinterpreted.
New York counties to roll out AI assessment tool
The new dashboard will help county tech and procurement leaders analyze and evaluate various products available on the market as they try to adopt them responsibly.
AI-enabled knowledge management: A new imperative for government
COMMENTARY | Finding information isn’t the only question. Now, it’s about whether organizations can trust what’s out there and ready to show up as an answer.
Counties wrestle with data centers’ power consumption
A recent survey from the National Association of Counties found that more than half of leaders spend time discussing data centers and other energy-intensive facilities.
While Washington talks AI, 16,000 small towns are on their own
COMMENTARY | Federal initiatives and state programs to help local governments navigate artificial intelligence are flourishing. But they're barely reaching the communities that need them most.
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Texas county looks to task force to help close digital divide
Harris County, the most populous in the state, established its broadband task force in November to advise on projects, initiatives and other efforts to boost connectivity.
Leaders have ‘urgent responsibility’ on AI regulation and use, report says
The New Deal Forum lauded several state and local governments for embracing the technology to help improve government services. But areas like privacy, security and regulation need more attention, the group said.
Government workers young and old need ‘shared purpose,’ say local leaders
Agencies must wrestle with retirements, a multi-generational workforce and attracting employees despite the lure of the private sector. Experts said it’s doable, especially when you appeal to someone’s sense of civic duty.
Amid distrust and volatility, leaders urge governments to ‘walk the talk’
It’s been a tricky year for states and localities, but speakers at the recent GOVIT Leadership Summit and Symposium said communication and keeping promises can help those governments navigate choppy waters.
Threats against public servants increased over 35 times what they were a decade ago, according to new research
Threats and violence against public servants hurt the ability of the government to deliver, say the groups behind a new map showing threats against public sector employees.
Piloting AI: Mastering ‘AI-manship’
COMMENTARY | Just like pilots know when something is wrong when they fly a plane, local tech leaders should trust their instincts on AI, especially if the systems produce unfair or suspicious results.
How ‘continuous innovation’ means more than just product launches
Speakers at Route Fifty’s recent Innovation Spotlight said governments should also modernize processes and lean on data to improve transparency and public trust.
Threat intel firms on alert for government systems impacted by Microsoft SharePoint vulnerability
Governments, schools, healthcare providers and large enterprise firms are at risk, one cyber threat intelligence chief said.
Rethinking government KPIs in the DOGE era
COMMENTARY | Agencies must be better at measuring programs’ efficacy, and not just see efficiency in terms of better, faster and cheaper.
Budget worries prevent more IT modernization, survey says
State and local leaders want to modernize their legacy systems, but uncertainty over federal funding is stymieing their progress, an EY survey shared exclusively with Route Fifty found.
