Local Government Management
Voters reject data centers in local ballot initiatives
Of the more than 40 votes held in localities across the U.S., data centers were successful in just one, showing residents’ broad opposition to building them in their communities.
From data to decisions: How resident insights can drive smarter budget priorities
COMMENTARY | Local governments need to plan for the services communities will need tomorrow, and better use of data can help get them there.
Rural charms drew residents to Taylor, Texas. Then came the data centers
A local family sold an 87-acre tract to a parks foundation for $10 “to be held in trust for future use as a parkland.” Later, the city’s Economic Development Corporation sold the land to a data center developer for $10 million.
Suburban Houston voters will be the first in Texas to decide the fate of Flock cameras
Tuesday’s election will determine if League City can keep its 55 cameras operating along city roads.
Pilot programs need permanence, not just an initial ‘bang,’ officials say
Tech-driven partnerships can help ease various urban issues, speakers at ICMA’s annual conference said, but successful pilots that end without a long-term plan can create resident anger.
AI moves at breakneck speed, government operating models don’t. Here’s how to close the gap.
COMMENTARY | Most say they are in the piloting or deployment phase of AI adoption, but many projects stall as they navigate unclear responsibilities and decision making.
How one city made drones a ‘resource’
Fort Collins, Colorado’s public safety agencies initially used drones to help with its first response. Now, other agencies are getting in on the act and using them for other needs.
AI has brought ‘breathing room’ for small governments, leaders say
The technology has allowed resource-strapped cities and towns to lighten their load in answering constituent questions more efficiently and focusing on the work that needs a human touch.
How tech is helping communities ease their water worries
One Texas city now models the effects of flooding during major storms to determine response and future plans, while an Illinois village uses tech to detect leaks and reduce water waste.
Leading presidential scholar urges government leaders to be curious, empathetic
Jon Meacham said in a speech that while AI “is going to be more important than the Industrial Revolution,” local governments must work to rebuild trust in these fraught times.
Sometimes the simplest technology is the most effective
COMMENTARY | Government agencies shouldn't need another platform to prepare official information for artificial intelligence.
Tech ‘isn’t the hard part’ in digital experience, local leaders say
Instead, speakers on a recent webinar explained that resident communication and ensuring a good feedback loop with elected officials are crucial when modernizing services.
We need to change the way we talk about digital accessibility
COMMENTARY | Accessibility should be more than about whether systems meet standards. It should also focus on whether those systems are also usable.
‘We're all just trying to help,’ local Service to the Citizen winner says
Crystal Sprague, the director of innovation and performance in Wyandotte County and Kansas City, Kansas, said her Service to the Citizen honor comes amid massive upheaval and change.
Local government AI training needs workflow proofing
COMMENTARY | Training should be treated as the beginning, rather than the finish line, and judge what works after the excitement of being in the classroom fades.
How tech can help localities solve weather gaps
National Weather Service radars may miss storms or other incidents, but now local governments are investing in their own equipment to supplement those federal tools.
The irony of scarcity: When risk and opportunity reside between agencies
COMMENTARY | New technologies are interacting with governance systems built around older assumptions in areas like water and electricity. AI will shift that paradigm.
Many localities have tried data center moratoriums, tracker finds
The National League of Cities found that 76 cities, counties or towns have at least attempted moratoriums or permanent bans, with most being successful. That number is likely even higher.
Counties are where government has to show its work
COMMENTARY | Counties build and run the machinery of public life under a budget that cannot hide the tradeoffs — and that is what equips them for government’s hardest choices.
Lowndes County residents demand transparency in hyperscale data center development
The facility has requested 1,500 megawatts of energy capacity from Alabama Power — enough to power roughly one million homes.
