Commentaries

Commentaries are contributed, non-commercial and educational articles that subject matter experts write for American City & County. If you would like to submit an exclusive commentary, click here to view our guidelines.

Highlights

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The future of carbon emissions and cities lies in green buildings

When you envision the future, what do you see? For me, it’s a place where people of all...

With an historic investment in public spaces, Philadelphia’s Rebuild program is committed to equity in the process

Jobs in the construction industry are family-sustaining careers that have proven to lift...

Article

Reporting requirements for the American Rescue Plan Act money—what cities and counties should consider

Funding provided through the American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) provides communities with an unprecedented opportunity to impact the lives of their citizens through prudent spending in the following four categories: To respond to the COVID-19 public health emergency and/or its negative economic impact. To respond to essential workers during the COVID-19 public health emergency by […]

Article

Creating the modern community through sustainability

Municipal leaders are always looking for new opportunities to deliver highly innovative, connected and resilient infrastructure to residents and visitors. But they are also tasked with balancing this future-forward vision with an ongoing need to retain capital, especially after almost two years of crisis. By investing in sustainability and decarbonization, local governments can save valuable […]

Article

How 21st century data science is helping local governments plan for tourism and services

People currently seem excited to travel. How can cities better plan for tourism in their peak travel seasons or know if they need to increase traffic control, trash collection and policing, and/or give local businesses a heads up to increase staffing? Alternatively, should they be increasing marketing and incentives to lure more people to their […]

Commentary

Hurricane Ida’s record-setting rainfall reveals challenges in retrofitting New York’s aging subway system

On Wednesday, flash flood advisories were hoisted throughout the East Coast. Meteorologists warned of extreme rainfall and the potential for flooding as the aftermath of Hurricane Ida, which made landfall in New Orleans on Sunday, swept across the already water-saturated region. Even so, Thursday’s catastrophic flooding of the New York City metropolitan area seemed to take many by surprise. It shouldn’t have. For decades now, climate scientists have warned of increasingly severe floods (particularly on the East Coast) as the planet warms. In a 2007 analysis of the New York subway system’s resiliency by the Metropolitan Transportation Authority, for example, it’s noted that […]

Commentary

How to ensure interoperability in public safety

Interoperability—the capacity of distinct and unique systems to communicate with one another effectively—has always been a challenge in public safety. Fire, police, 911, EMS, schools and private organizations often face challenges to share data and communicate effectively across organizational boundaries. In many cases, important information fails to reach all stakeholders involved in emergency response, increasing […]

Commentary

A low-cost approach to managing building inspections and risk mitigation challenges facing local and county governments

Following the collapse of the Champlain Towers in Surfside, Fla., local governments across the country began to ask themselves, “Could this happen here?” Stepping up inspections, reevaluating regulations and determining which buildings to inspect became a priority for local leaders. However, the scale of the problem (the large number of buildings in various jurisdictions) often […]

Commentary

Codes of conduct and ethics in the public sector

In a two-part set of articles, we look at an issue confronting agencies at their highest levels—the elected body engaged in increasingly bad behavior and what can be done to guide them back to decorum and civility. The first articleidentified some of the issues confronting agencies and provided suggestions for addressing the issues. This second […]

Commentary

Energy efficiency is for renters, too

The summer of 2021 has brought a new reckoning with climate change, amid deadly heat waves, wildfires, floods—and now, an urgent warning from the United Nations. The message is clear: we need to dramatically reduce greenhouse gas emissions—and fast. Of all the strategies to reduce emissions, energy efficiency may be the least painful and most […]

Commentary

How the pandemic is improving public sector procurement

There’s nothing like an emergency to focus a government agency leader’s thinking. It didn’t seem all that unusual at the time. But before the pandemic hit, state and municipal procurement offices tended to follow what, with the benefit of hindsight, could be best described as a predictable, outdated and typically lengthy, procurement process—detailing purchase specifications, […]

Commentary

Local government’s role in citizen engagement: It’s now digital

Digital technologies have transformed nearly every aspect of our lives, and community members now expect dynamically integrated technology from their local government. But digital transformation is about more than just solving immediate processing needs. It is about transforming how citizens interact, relate to one another, and lift each other up to create a more equitable […]

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Commentaries

Commentaries are contributed, non-commercial and educational articles that subject matter experts write for American City & County. If you would like to submit an exclusive commentary, click here to view our guidelines.

Highlights

test

The future of carbon emissions and cities lies in green buildings

With an historic investment in public spaces, Philadelphia’s Rebuild program is committed to equity in the process

Article

Reporting requirements for the American Rescue Plan Act money—what cities and counties should consider

Article

Creating the modern community through sustainability

Article

How 21st century data science is helping local governments plan for tourism and services

Commentary

Hurricane Ida’s record-setting rainfall reveals challenges in retrofitting New York’s aging subway system

Commentary

How to ensure interoperability in public safety

Commentary

A low-cost approach to managing building inspections and risk mitigation challenges facing local and county governments

Commentary

Codes of conduct and ethics in the public sector

Commentary

Energy efficiency is for renters, too

Commentary

How the pandemic is improving public sector procurement

Commentary

Local government’s role in citizen engagement: It’s now digital

WHITE PAPERS

Supercharge your ERP: How ERPs and Purpose-Built Solutions Work Together to Future-Proof Your Digital Strategy

Five Best Practices for Modern Digital Permitting and Licensing

Mechanizing the Mop: How modernized floor cleaning technologies are delivering powerful competitive advantages

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Digital Property Tax Collection: Tales from the Trenches of Modernization

Mind the Development Gaps: Keep Growth on Track by Aligning Planning, Zoning, Permitting, Licensing, and Enterprise Asset Management

Reporting and Compliance for Grant Funding

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Young Leaders Episode 4 – Cyril Jefferson – City Councilman, High Point, North Carolina

Young Leaders Episode 3 – Shannon Hardin – City Council President, Columbus, Ohio

Young Leaders Episode 2 – Christian Williams – Development Services Planner, Goodyear, Ariz.

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