Local Government

As insurance costs and requirements rise, some municipalities are looking to self-insurance and service providers’ cyber incident warranties to help in cases of ransomware and other incidents.

The City Council recommended a $605,242 contract with Chicago-based CityBase Inc. to develop a website officials said would be an upgrade from what the city has now, and is unique to Aurora.

The government technology company, focused on local agencies, has launched a single interface for many of the most important daily tasks that face public officials, including permitting and licensing.

Using the Center for Digital Government's surveys of cities and counties across the U.S., we've identified the tech companies most commonly named as a top partner for public-sector IT organizations.

A new deal between the city of Rice Lake and Consolidated Telephone Co. will bring new Internet connections to city hall and 267 homes as part of a $835,000 project. Officials approved $400,000 in matching funds last week.

Computer systems within the police department’s network were recently found to have encrypted malware that prevented access to certain digital files and other services used by department employees.

A total of 38 California counties have placed their rural broadband hopes in a new partnership with Utah's UTOPIA Fiber, an organization that facilitates the construction of open access networks.

Several cities in Northeastern Ohio, from Cleveland to Canton, are using American Rescue Plan Act dollars for surveillance-related technology. Experts remain skeptical about surveillance tech's effect on crime.

Election officials in Clackamas County, Ore., didn't notice a printing issue with the barcodes on election ballots that were sent to some voters. The county has a history of election ballot errors.

The City Council voted to hire an investigator to oversee its inquiry into a smart city plan that collapsed last month when a private consortium chosen by the city exited contract talks amid bid-rigging accusations.

Plus, both the FCC and the NTIA are continuing to make substantial investments in broadband connectivity work across the country, senators introduce the Rural Broadband Protection Act, and much more.

Mayor Dave Bronson has issued a written inquiry about his city's recent municipal election. While the mayor said he's not questioning the results of the election, his inquiry calls for an audit.

The company already handles billing for 15 million households overseas and expects to gain in the U.S. via its Salesforce-based customer information system. It becomes the latest U.K. gov tech firm to expand here.

If the project gains approval from the state, Fountain Valley, Calif., stands to earn more than $30 million over 30 years in guaranteed revenue, including a one-time payment of $750,000.

Loup Power District is developing a funding resolution that can lead to the construction of a 300-mile backbone network. The effort will affect residents in four rural Nebraska counties: Boone, Colfax, Nance and Platte.

For training purposes, police in Westfield, Mass., can now experience de-escalation and use-of-force situations through virtual reality. One advantage of VR training is that officers can train day or night with the tech.

First responders — from police to firemen — in Amherst, N.Y., often have trouble communicating during emergencies when they're only 100 feet away from each other. The town wants COVID-19 dollars to change that.

A press conference lasting less than 10 minutes was held Friday to address the April 16 cyber attack, but it remains unclear if any data was breached or when all city services will come back online.