Sat.Jul 27, 2024 - Fri.Aug 02, 2024

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Local Governments Modernize Their Networks to Support Free Public Wi-Fi

State Tech Magazine

When the annual Spokane County Interstate Fair comes around this September, most of those who attend the 10-day event will first have to purchase a ticket at the gate. What won’t they need to buy once they’re cleared to go inside? Access to the fair’s public Wi-Fi network, which is free to anyone who wants to use it. Free public Wi-Fi has been a fixture onsite at the Spokane County Fair and Expo Center since the early 2000s.

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Social Housing Isn’t Just a Vienna Thing. It’s Core to New York’s Past – and Could Be Its Future.

Next City

The policy wonk who helped pen the state housing authority bill says it's time to revive New York’s history of social housing.

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Compensating Community Participation

Social Pinpoint

In recent years, there has been a noticeable rise in individuals receiving compensation for their participation in community engagement initiatives. What used to be seen as just a voluntary or civic duty has now become a more nuanced approach that truly recognizes and values the contributions of community members in meaningful ways. Deliberative panels across Victoria, Citizens Juries in South Australia, and the Queensland Plan deliberation all included equitable payments or compensation for tra

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Opportunity@Work: Addressing the opportunity gap and improving workforce equity outcomes

McKinsey Public & Social Sector Insights

The cofounder and CEO of Opportunity@Work talks about the nonprofit’s mission to broaden equitable access to career opportunities for workers skilled through alternative routes.

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How Gilbert, AZ Prepares for the Future While Protecting What Makes It Great

A top-rated place to live, Gilbert, AZ struggled with outdated short-term rental management—low compliance, lost revenue, and growing administrative strain. By adopting the GovOS Tax & Compliance suite, the Town: Increased compliance from 40% to 90% Generated over $85K in new revenue Has a single digital system to manage tasks more efficiently With a centralized hub for short-term rental registration and enforcement, Gilbert balances tourism and community needs.

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Book Bans Are Not Just Bad Policy; They Can Raise Civil Rights Issues

Homeroom

By: Matt Nosanchuk, Deputy Assistant Secretary for Strategic Operations and Outreach, Office for Civil Rights, U.S. Department of Education All students deserve access to learning environments that are inclusive and free from discrimination and that nurture their intellect, wellbeing, and creativity, preparing them for success in school and beyond. Books have been the gateway to Continue Reading The post Book Bans Are Not Just Bad Policy; They Can Raise Civil Rights Issues appeared first on ED.g

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Havana Syndrome—Americans Affected by Mysterious Symptoms May Struggle to Get Care

GAO (US Government Accountability Office)

Severe headaches, dizziness, blurred vision, tinnitus, vertigo. About a decade ago, American officials and their families living and working at the U.S. Embassy in Havana, Cuba, started experiencing mysterious symptoms like these. Symptoms usually.

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Policy & Politics Highlights collection on new Special Issue on Policy Learning and Policy Innovation: Interactions and Intersections by Claire Dunlop, Claudio Radaelli, Ellen Wayenberg and Bishoy Zaki

Policy & Politics Journal blog

by Sarah Brown, Journals Manager The idea of innovation has become one of the most persistent and sought-after today.

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How AI Will Power Customer Experience Gains

State Tech Magazine

As state and local officials are busy mapping out safe and ethical use of artificial intelligence (AI) to overhaul government operations, they should not overlook how this cutting-edge technology is already transforming the customer experience. For years, state and local agencies have faced pressure to catch up to experience expectations set by private sector companies.

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CrowdStrike Chaos Highlights Key Cyber Vulnerabilities with Software Updates

GAO (US Government Accountability Office)

Earlier this month, a software update from the cybersecurity firm CrowdStrike caused Microsoft Windows operating systems to crash—resulting in potentially the largest IT outage in history. Disruptions were widespread. Around the world, businesses and.

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Unlocking the power of generative AI: The advantages of a flexible architecture for foundation model fine-tuning

AWS Public Sector Blog

A large language model (LLM) is a general-purpose language model that can understand and respond to human input in a conversational manner. It’s trained on a massive dataset of text from the internet and can generate humanlike responses to a wide range of topics and questions. There are two primary approaches to adapting a model to a specific task or domain: the in-context approach and fine-tuning the foundation model (FM).

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Municipal Maintenance Guide: Inspections

Get this municipal maintenance guide that provides municipalities with a detailed and structured approach to maintaining city infrastructure. This guide outlines systematic inspection procedures and best practices, ensuring the safety, longevity, and operational efficiency of municipal assets. From roadways and bridges to public buildings and utilities, the guide covers all aspects of municipal maintenance.

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Metagoverning collaborative networks: a cumulative power perspective

Policy & Politics Journal blog

By Alexander L. Q. Chen & Oda Hustad Collaboration in cross-sectoral networks is proliferating in response to different public policy issues such as climate change, public health crises, economic inequality and urban renewal.

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How Prompt Engineering Can Support Successful AI Projects

State Tech Magazine

Artificial intelligence is quickly making its way into state and local governments. Understanding how to effectively query the models is fast becoming an essential skill. Welcome to the realm of prompt engineering. It’s a growing discipline governing how to best draw usable output and avoid the fabrications, biases and misrepresentations to which AI platforms are prone.

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If You’re the Victim of a Payment Scam, Does Your Bank Have to Help?

GAO (US Government Accountability Office)

Most of us have come across that online deal that seems simply too good to pass up. Or we’ve received an urgent text or email from someone claiming to represent the government requesting a past-due payment. Payment scams like these are on the rise.

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Reimagining person-centered health and care with cloud-enabled technologies

AWS Public Sector Blog

Amazon Web Services (AWS) advanced technologies can help reimagine the way healthcare entities deliver person-centered care. Technologies such as generative artificial intelligence (AI) and the ability to manage petabytes (PB) of data help companies achieve actionable insights that improve care. They can drive the ability to build new care models, improve the human experience in their health and care process, and enable clinical professionals to practice at the top of their licenses.

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Empower Digital Government: Strategic Workbook for Modern Transformation

Digital transformation is reshaping government interactions, bringing agencies closer to the communities they serve. However, while many have adopted new digital tools, few have implemented comprehensive strategies to maximize their benefits. Our Strategic Workbook for Modern Government offers a step-by-step guide to developing a sustainable digital strategy.

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Healthy organizations keep winning, but the rules are changing fast

McKinsey Public & Social Sector Insights

Driving higher organizational health and performance means focusing on new practices: empowering employees to make decisions, using technology to create value, and updating leadership styles.

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8 Ways to Achieve Interoperability Between Agencies’ Zero-Trust Tools

State Tech Magazine

State and local agencies rely on multiple tools and vendors for cybersecurity. In a new CDW proprietary research report, 68 percent of respondents say they operate between 10 and 49 security tools or platforms. The fragmentation limits visibility and increases security threats. This highlights the need for interoperability, especially with initiatives to adopting zero-trust architectures.

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Community Development Tools for the Digital Age

OpenGov

Community Development In The Digital Age [2024 Guide] In an OpenGov survey of local government community development professionals, 78% put economic development at the top of their priority list. This […] The post Community Development Tools for the Digital Age appeared first on OpenGov.

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Documenting the use of Amazon EC2 Auto Scaling groups in DoD

AWS Public Sector Blog

Many Amazon Web Service (AWS) customers in regulated environments such as the U.S. Department of Defense (DoD) struggle to gain security approval to take advantage of the scaling of Amazon Elastic Cloud Compute (Amazon EC2) using its Auto Scaling capabilities. This is often attributed to configuration management, total asset inventory, compliance with agency third-party security tools, and agency authorization documentation.

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7 Signs Your Local Government ERP Is Holding You Back: A Guide for Small Municipalities

Local governments and municipalities serving populations under 200,000 face distinctive challenges in delivering efficient and effective services to their communities. To overcome these challenges, many rely on Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) systems tailored to their specific needs. Not all ERP systems are created equal, and some may hinder progress rather than support it.

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The Iberian green industrial opportunity: Electrification and renewables

McKinsey Public & Social Sector Insights

Cooperation from all stakeholders can drive Iberian decarbonization through electrification and renewables deployment. Here we discuss the ambition, challenges, and potential unlocks for Spain.

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Is Your Commute Harming Your Health?

The City Fix

Daily commutes via car have evolved into more than mere trips – they greatly influence both our mental and physical well-being. Research shows that relentless car journeys don’t just occupy our time, they significantly shape our mood and overall outlook.

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Summer & Learning Programs: A Mayor and Superintendent Collaboration in Madison, WI

NLC (National League of Cities)

By Madison Mayor Satya Rhodes-Conway and Madison Metropolitan School District (MMSD) Superintendent Dr. Joe Gothard “Which one of you is the Mayor and who is the Superintendent?” asked Aubrey, a curious 9-year-old, as the guests walked into her classroom at the Bayview Foundation. It was quickly sorted out who was who.

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Discover the AWS Global Cloud Infrastructure located in Canada

AWS Public Sector Blog

Lire cet article en Français The Amazon Web Services (AWS) Global Cloud Infrastructure is a secure, extensive, and reliable cloud platform, offering more than 200 fully featured services from data centers globally. When you want to distribute your applications globally, closer to your end users with single-digit millisecond latency, AWS offers the cloud infrastructure you require, whenever and wherever.

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2025 Business Owner Survey: Guide for Cities, Counties, and State Agencies

The 2025 Business Owner Survey delivers key insights for cities, counties, and state agencies working to enhance online services. Top insights: 97% of business owners say digital access to government services is essential. Licensing and tax processes remain outdated, slowing efficiency and increasing administrative burdens. Younger entrepreneurs expect fully online, self-service options, signaling a need for modernization.

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Making more medicines that matter

McKinsey Public & Social Sector Insights

Productivity in biopharmaceutical R&D has slumped for a decade or more. We propose a recipe for sustainable, value-creating innovation, even in the face of strengthening industry headwinds.

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5G technology could be the saviour of struggling public buildings and boost green goals

Open Access Government - Technology News

Cash-strapped councils and their local facilities across the UK could see a much-needed financial boost thanks to innovative 5G technology According to a poll of 2,000 UK, 92% revealed they are worried about the future of their local facilities and three-quarters (77%) have already seen libraries, leisure centres and even schools close due to a lack of council funding – with figures showing 1,000 swimming pools have closed in England since 2010 alone.

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Local Officials’ Guide to Federal Action to Address Extreme Heat

NLC (National League of Cities)

As temperatures continue to rise globally, so does federal action to address community needs in managing extreme heat.

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How AWS can enable the Government of Canada’s 2023-2026 Data Strategy

AWS Public Sector Blog

Lire cet article en Français The potential of open data to transform governance and public services is immense, but realizing this potential requires overcoming common obstacles. In this post, we will explore best practices and solutions for public sector organizations seeking to use the cloud for open data, specifically examining how Amazon Web Services (AWS) can enable open data success.

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Municipal Maintenance: Ready, Set, Inspect!

Speaker: Noratek

Maintaining municipal operations is no small task, especially when budgets are tight and public expectations are high. In this webinar, we’ll explore how local governments can streamline their maintenance operations while ensuring safety, compliance, and efficiency. What You’ll Gain: Proven strategies for effective inspection management Insight into leveraging digital tools Practical tips for addressing common maintenance challenges Examples of municipalities that have achieved success.

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Five differentiators of outperforming family-owned businesses in India

McKinsey Public & Social Sector Insights

India has many family-owned businesses, but only a few can boast of sustained success for generations. We explore five points of difference between the best and the rest.

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Review: NoviSign Online Studio

FedTech Magazine

Using digital signage to display public information in prime locations adds immense value to federal government services. Doing so effectively requires the use of scheduled or dynamically updated messaging via secure software that can handle keeping users and agency office staff aware of mission-critical data. Displays in office lobbies and other common areas can also provide scheduled, easily updated information for visitors.

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How are Local Governments Investing Opioid Funds? The Supplantation Debate Explained

NLC (National League of Cities)

In May, John Oliver’s show spotlighted the use of opioid settlement funds in state and local governments to highlight the opportunity for meaningful public health investments. In the segment, Oliver explained that some states are using opioid settlement funds for supplantatation: the practice of substituting existing dollars with opioid settlement funds.

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SoftwareOne boosts developer efficiency and streamlines code reviews using Amazon Bedrock

AWS Public Sector Blog

Efficient code review processes are vital across all customer segments, both commercial and public sector, where strict regulations, data security, and service excellence are paramount. Streamlined code reviews maintain software quality, mitigate security risks, and enhance operational efficiency. SoftwareOne , an Amazon Web Services (AWS) Premier Tier Services Partner and a global provider of end-to-end software and cloud technology solutions, addresses these challenges with its automated solut

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ASPA TIMES Magazine: Diversity, Equity and Inclusion

PA TIMES Magazine is a publication of the American Society for Public Administration (ASPA), a not-for-profit corporation. This edition focused on diversity, equity and inclusion in public administration, including guest columns, insights for the field and interviews with city government DEI officers about their work at the local level.