Special Districts Annual Virtual Summit, May 26 10AM-12PM PT- Register Now Join us on May 26th to see how special districts are building their digital infrastructure for the future. This year’s annual summit will focus on addressing critical security concerns, implementing tactics for innovation and funding, and responding to accelerating digital expectations. We’re assembling expert panels of district leaders and industry specialists who’ll dig into these topics and offer actionable ideas your district can use to prepare for the journey ahead.
This is your chance to hear how a diverse group of leaders is addressing these important issues. Johnathan Cruz, manager of financial planning at the Moulton Niguel Water District in California, will talk about how his organization is funding digital infrastructure projects despite fiscal constraints. And Brendan Daley, director of strategy and sustainability for the Chicago Park District, will describe how his district is evolving to meet new digital expectations. Visit the agenda online for complete details and the complete line up of panelists.
Submit Your 2021 Award Nomination TodayWhen the COVID-19 pandemic upended normal life in communities across the nation, special districts responded with innovative ideas. The Schaumburg Township District Library in Illinois made crucial digital resources available to grade school and high school students – even to those living outside the library’s service area – when local school districts shifted to remote learning. And the Capital Metropolitan Transportation Authority in Austin, Texas, began distributing real-time passenger capacity alerts through its mobile app and digital message boards to help maintain social distancing on transit buses. These are two of the 45 districts recognized by the Special Districts Program last year for excellence in citizen services, internal operations and overall leadership.
Does your district have a success story to tell? It’s time to submit your nomination for a 2021 Special Districts Award. We’re looking for examples of effective leadership and innovative projects to provide digital citizen services, reengineer business processes, strengthen information security and more. Send us your nomination by August 6 and make sure your district’s achievements get the attention they deserve.
District Spotlight: Wellness on Wheels
Florida’s Jacksonville Transportation Authority (JTA) is repurposing buses as mobile vaccination sites and sending them into local neighborhoods in a program known as Wellness on Wheels.
The project is a partnership among JTA, the Jacksonville Housing Authority and Agape Family Health, a nonprofit health center.
“Through our partnership with Agape Family Health, the JTA’s Wellness on Wheels initiative is reaching our community’s most at-risk populations, including seniors and those who do not have the ability to travel to a local vaccination site,” said transit authority CEO Nathaniel P. Ford Sr.
Two retrofitted buses are traveling to churches, community centers and other locations, while nurses from Agape administer the vaccines. JTA is supporting the operation by providing logistics, bus operators and transit operations staff.
Read the full story here.
More Articles Worth a Read
Here are more stories from special districts around the country. Share your own news with us for inclusion in the next newsletter.
Chicago’s Regional Transportation Authority says ridership is bouncing back for local rail and bus transit systems. But officials say travel patterns could be permanently altered with new telecommuting options.
Smart technologies alter the risk landscape for water utilities. A New Mexico water authority shares insights from its cybersecurity journey.
