Civic Tech

The National League of Cities aims to give its local government members access to CRM and other tools that can help officials keep better track of what constituents want. The deal reflects larger trends in gov tech.

The Shelter Ready app, which officials began quietly rolling out in North County late last year, lets outreach workers reserve emergency beds in the same way that tourists book hotel rooms.

At least three Santa Fe-area organizations are working together to install the camera on Tesuque Peak, where it will send a live feed to a California monitoring center with artificial intelligence to identify wildland blazes.

The city’s police chief has asked that officials approve the purchase of new cameras that would record vehicle license plate numbers on major corridors in city limits. A data sharing policy is in the works.

A survey on resident experience by the National Association of State Technology Directors shows states are making strong progress in advancing public-facing platforms, but momentum on incorporating user feedback is slower.

Gov. Greg Abbott has signed a bill formally creating the Texas Cyber Command at the University of Texas at San Antonio. The bill also calls for creating a digital forensics lab and a cyber threat intelligence center.

The Federation of American Scientists has acquired MetroLab Network to expand the work in policymaking and local tech innovation the organizations do through universities and government partnerships.

Grand Traverse County reports reveal how its human resources team is quickening around key tasks with new software and best practices. Elsewhere, no longer providing IT services to Traverse City will yield a revenue loss.

The autonomous vehicle firm, a sister company to Google, will begin road trips this summer to test and explore its offerings in Houston, San Antonio and Orlando, Fla. In Houston, about 10 vehicles will be on the road.

The recent launch of the centralized Workday Strategic Sourcing tool aims to unify and smooth the city-county’s sourcing activities, for a swifter, more transparent process. It unifies requests once managed separately.

In Florida, Tampa and Orlando are exploring new water treatment methods. The cities aim to uncover more effective ways to manage pollutants, improve water quality and significantly cut treatment costs.

The project, which this month has simulated delivery of Munson Healthcare supplies, lab samples and medications, has linked its facilities by drone. The endeavor received a second $950,000 state grant, announced earlier this week.

Its Board of Commissioners is examining a system that could result in the county being able to reduce its full-time hours. One idea still under discussion is the duration of a potential contract.

The online tool makes information available on every neighborhood in the Pennsylvania city. Years in the making, it includes data dating to Jan. 1, 2024, with near real-time updates, and may add older details.

The state’s National Guard has donated five devices to local law enforcement to assist it in combatting drug trafficking. The components and software will aid in managing mobile device data and extracting information.

The city has improved customer service and billing for its water and sewer customers, in part through new customer service software and a policy alerting residents to issues with bills.

Preorders have opened prior to construction, enabling officials in the city of more than 21,000 to ensure the network will pay for itself. Willmar has partnered with Silverlight Fiber Network, an aggregate Internet service provider.

A new study from the Mineta Transportation Institute outlines the symbiotic relationship between highway tolling and transit, and how each program needs the other. Transportation panelists examined the idea recently.