Local Government

Mayor Melvin Carter has postponed his 2026 budget address, a starting point for conversations, to September as the city continues to grapple with a recent cyber attack. St. Paul is still under a state of emergency.

Researchers from Morgan State University helped to develop the devices, which are controlled by a cellphone app. The pilot is designed to give passengers at Baltimore International Airport better mobility and independence.

They join 15 municipalities from around the world, chosen to join the organization’s 10-month City Data Alliance program to strengthen digital infrastructure, help steer AI implementation and boost collaboration.

The state has set reporting deadlines for local governments, along with rules about ransomware attacks. The move reflects a larger trend as public officials seek to boost their cyber defenses.

A recent breach is related to a phishing email sent to a business email account with the North St. Paul Police Department, according to the city. The attack was contained to that account and has had no other impact.

A report from CivicPlus reveals residents’ opinions on local governments. Expectations for municipalities’ digital experiences are high, but satisfaction rates remain low — which accessibility could improve.

After weeks of controversy, a proposal to rezone more than 900 acres of land near Bolingbroke has died after the Monroe County Board of Commissioners voted unanimously to deny the proposal.

About a year after Independence police officers started wearing body cameras, the department says that the program has changed the way its staff interacts with residents and collects evidence.

The city Department of Planning and Permitting has deployed new software intended to speed up site development, zoning and planning applications. It replaces a platform that was taken offline in late July.

As its larger neighbor continues to grapple with the fallout of a recent cyber attack, North St. Paul has hired cybersecurity experts to investigate a recent cyber attack on its own police department.

A data center could be built in rural Mooresville if the town’s Board of Commissioners approves annexation and rezoning requests later this year for construction on land owned by Dale Earnhardt’s widow.

The City Council granted the mayor more time to lead a coordinated response to the breach, which has necessitated assistance from the FBI and Minnesota National Guard cybersecurity experts.

After a spate of cyber attacks against its municipalities, that state is requiring all of its local governments to have cyber policies and to approve ransom payments to hackers in full view of the public.

The county’s 2026 preliminary budget, which got a first look Tuesday, represents a $37 million increase over 2025. Priorities included cybersecurity and IT — which rose from $19 million to $39 million.

Mohammed Al Rawi, CIO for the county’s Office of the Public Defender, guided it through a significant tech refresh in a tenure of more than six years. His next private-sector role reflects his work in local government.

Jake Trippel is dean of the College of Business and Technology at Concordia University, where he also chairs the master’s in business administration, which includes a specialty in cybersecurity.

As the Minnesota capital continues to recover from last week’s cyber attack — and as officials seek accountability — lessons are starting to emerge from various parts of the gov tech world. Here’s what they have to say.

Luzerne County employees will start learning how to use an artificial intelligence program to improve county services, with around 35 to 40 county employees slated to learn how to use Microsoft 365 GCC.