For many jurisdictions, moving citizen services online was a long-term, “nice-to-have” project, but the pandemic forced new ways to bring city hall to the people, rather than the people to city hall.

Many public leaders long believed that the people’s business could not be done from outside the walls of government buildings, but COVID-19 showed government can function from anywhere — quickly.

While the pandemic meant fewer cars on the road as many Americans worked from home, transportation agencies looked to new ways trains, buses and ride shares could get essential workers to their jobs.

From worldwide protests to policy moves from technology giants like IBM and Amazon, the past year saw police use of tools like facial recognition and body cams come under scrutiny like never before.

While the year that was 2020 immediately conjures words like “challenge,” “hardship” and “crisis,” there are lessons to be gleaned that offer important perspective as we approach the New Year.