Local Government Management
Beyond the note-taker: What city managers should demand from meeting intelligence
COMMENTARY | General AI tools and note-takers fall short of what is required to act on decisions made. Several key questions help separate a note-taker from meeting intelligence.
AI could offer a helping hand for treasury management, study finds
More effective treasury management, including via the use of tech, can help local governments build financial resilience amid budget and staffing shortages, one expert says.
The new trust challenge facing state and local government
COMMENTARY | Residents receive information through systems that sit between the publisher and public, like AI and search engines. Accountability, then, becomes harder to follow.
Lee County residents demand pause on North Carolina data center, claiming deception
Lee County residents demand pause on proposed data center, citing noise pollution, environmental impacts and a lack of transparency.
The difference between ‘another dashboard’ and a useful one
COMMENTARY | A great dashboard requires clear ownership, and taking a closer look at your data culture.
Insights & Reports
Missoula County adopts temporary moratorium on data centers
The interim freeze would prohibit new or expanded data centers in the Montana county, excluding the city of Missoula.
Clark County commissioners hear push for data center moratorium but take no action
Nevada residents have protested the number of data centers going up in their communities, but elected leaders did not lay out any specific plans or regulations.
The missing link in digital government: Connectivity
COMMENTARY | Many residents receive information on mobile devices, and any government that does not have a mobile-first strategy risks leaving them behind.
When AI becomes the first interpreter, government needs a new information layer
COMMENTARY | Government information is always available. The question is whether it can be consistently understood in the systems that increasingly deliver it.
America’s data center backlash is bipartisan — can it stay that way?
As opposition mounts, some experts wonder how long AI infrastructure can steer clear of the partisanship that defines U.S. politics.
Featured eBooks
Some Kentucky counties and cities are hitting pause on data centers
With a lack of state action, local governments consider data center regulation.
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.
