Local Government

The seller of local government software has partnered with the International Code Council to ease access to the latest building codes. The move reflects increasing activity in the permitting and licensing space.

Election-related disinformation continues to spark real threats. Paying close attention to these online conversations can tip off local governments to serious risks, says Maricopa County, Ariz., CISO Lester Godsey.

Officials in the county are asking residents to check their level of Internet service against the Tennessee Broadband Accessibility Map. Discrepancies and errors in the coverage map can be reported until June 13.

The county has released a request for information about what is needed to support a municipal electric utility and microgrids in the county. This follows the creation of a publicly owned utility department in September 2021.

Onondaga County, N.Y., will issue a request for proposals asking Internet service providers how they plan to connect 1,500 rural residents with broadband service. The effort has a budget of $15 million.

The Chicago-based firm helps cities, universities and other organizations spot ways to reuse materials, which in turn can reduce costs, waste and carbon emissions. The company operates in the “circular economy” space.

Harris, who had been serving as the interim IT director, brings 20 years of public- and private-sector experience to the role. She was formally appointed to the position by the City Council May 9.

Everyone from the press office to city treasurer has a role to play in cyber incident response, and getting elected officials engaged early is essential, say Coalition of City CISOs co-chairs.

Hurricane-prone Tamarac, Fla., is a small city that makes the most of limited resources to support public safety. They work with Broward County via an interlocal agreement in which they share 911 services and Sheriff's Office IT.

Voters in the county have been asked to weigh in on the new voting machines that will be used in upcoming elections. Currently, only two machine vendors are certified to do business in the state.

The Detroit City Council has delayed action on a proposed expansion of the ShotSpotter gunshot detection system. The proposed expansion would cost $7.5 million with an additional $1.5 million to renew the existing contract.

Federal cybersecurity grants are expected “in the coming months,” with CISA still mulling feedback and finalizing. Local governments should use the time to ensure they’re part of any state planning processes.

A small island town in Maine must decide this month if it will continue to create its own broadband system or scrap the project and lose the hundreds of thousands of dollars it has already invested.

Weeks into his new leadership role in one of the largest U.S. counties, Leek opens up about what he wants to accomplish — and how to accomplish those goals. Digital equity, hybrid work and collaboration are top missions.

Since 2002, the district and a well-known software development company have worked together to create an online document repository. Now, their focus has shifted toward digitizing forms and giving field crews modern tools.

Plus, the FCC has launched a new help center with tutorials for broadband data collection; a new USDR report details experience of applying for child-care benefits; Minnesota to invest $200 million in rural broadband; and more.

As natural disasters grow more severe across the country, local governments are increasingly using predictive analytics to understand where and when an emergency will impact their communities.

State and local governments are often seen as easy targets for hackers. To avoid devastating ransomware attacks that have plagued cities worldwide, a first key step is to limit privileged access to systems.