Local Government

The City Council on Thursday called for a special council meeting, set for Friday afternoon, to consider banning data center building projects for one year.

The department deployed multiple drones earlier this month to monitor crowds at an outdoor music concert. It was the devices’ first appearance since a city policy governing their use was finalized.

City police could soon deploy the cameras, but City Council members aired considerable concerns about the devices. Privacy and ethical usage were among the issues they raised, along with how data would be shared.

The state Department of Environmental Protection has approved an air quality permit for a gas turbine-powered center in Tucker County. It acknowledged most public comments received were in opposition.

Municipalities across the United States are leveraging technology in their signs, from kiosks to birdwatching, to make local government communications more interactive — and, officials hope, more engaging.

Interactive tools reveal program trends and invite residents into the grant and assistance process. The new platform is the latest addition to the city’s open data portal and automates aspects of data publication.

Bergen County, N.J., is using the company’s tech for property records management. Leaders from the company — itself based in New Jersey — discuss what’s next for blockchain among state and local governments.

While our devices can get in the way of experiencing the world around us, projects like live wildlife streams or a digital birding platform in Sandy Springs, Ga., can also bring nature closer.

L.A. CIO Ted Ross and L.A. County CIO Peter Loo talked about the financial realities their organizations face, at the Los Angeles Digital Government Summit. Real-world solutions to real-world problems, they said, are key.

A lawsuit involving several local governments, boards of education and other public entities alleges that social media companies knowingly caused harm to children and necessitated costly responses.

The move comes after weeks of consternation from residents, reports alleging pollution concerns, and allegations that the data center site was largely owned by a relative of St. Charles’ mayor.

The information the cameras collect will be sent to Dallas’ code compliance office for independent review — by a human being rather than a computer, a city spokesperson has said.

The city’s Common Council approved the purchase of six cameras; fundraising will cover the cost of the one-year pilot. Five cameras will be fixed; the sixth will be used at different locations including special events.

Officials in local government are turning to technology to improve the physical accessibility of their city sidewalks. GIS tools can help staff monitor thousands of curbs more efficiently.

The local government, which sustained a ransomware attack June 18, is informing people whose information may have been impacted, via a website. A review of the impacted data is continuing.

Dallas-based Compass Datacenters filed rezoning plans with the city of Statesville, N.C., aiming to construct a five-building center that spans 340 acres in a rural area.

As data center projects to power AI are on the rise and with a local power transmission line project proposed, the Luzerne County Council in Pennsylvania may consider a moratorium on tax relief plans.

The person selected will be charged with overseeing digital infrastructure, cybersecurity and enterprise systems. The city IT director is responsible for the strategic operational direction of all municipal IT.