Upcoming
Webinar: Detroit is the Place to Be with Mark Binelli – April 23
Clackamas County Manager’s Panel – April 24
Next Generation Managers: IAMMA Breakout Session – April 25
Happy Hour Making a Dry Topic Wet – Financial Documents as Communications Tools – May 7
#Trending on ELGL
Communication Breakdown: Quotas and Clicks – The Impact on Local Government
Triple Aim: Washington has one of the best Obamacare exchanges
Webinar: Detroit is the Place to Be with Mark Binelli
Local Government Confidential: Scratchin’ a Public Service Itch
Growing Up in City Hall: Life as a City Manager’s Child with Jeanna Troha
What is IAMMA? An Interview with David Fitzgerald
LaMarcus Alridge & Damian Lillard are 1st teammates w/ 45 Pts & 30 Pts in a playoffs game since Jordan & Pippen in ’92. (via @EliasSports)
— SportsCenter (@SportsCenter) April 21, 2014
Transaction Wire
Glenpool’s new city manager aims for steady growth, sensible spending
Lewisville City Council expected to name Barron as city manager
Drumm outlines conditions to resign as city manager
Holly Hill looks to name interim manager
Five people to be interviewed for Portage acting city manager
City of Albion to spend $10,000 to find new city manager after firing former manager last month
Batavia city manager’s hiring process for an assistant is questioned
Oklahoma City names new planning, parks directors
High 5
1. Upgrades could let residents ‘attend’ meetings from home – Residents looking to keep an eye on the business of the city of Delaware may not have to leave their homes in the near future. City officials are considering a number of technological upgrades to City Hall, including the addition of webcams in City Council chambers.
2. Mayor Greg Stanton to host online Phoenix budget hearing – Phoenix will host its last hearing on City Manager Ed Zuercher’s trial budget at 6 p.m. tonight, and residents wanting to participate can do so from the comfort of their home.
3. City Council to discuss air quality plan for Wichita – The City Council will shift its focus to air quality on Tuesday, when it considers a plan to keep Wichita’s warm, humid summertime air as clean as possible.
4. The Key to Saving the U.S. Transportation Program – The U.S. transportation system, vital to our economic success, has some big problems. The most immediate is that by this summer it will run out of money to reimburse the states for projects they have taken on with the promise of federal funds.
5. Refueling infrastructure: promoting greener fleets – Fleet vehicles that need to refuel while on the road can find propane autogas refueling stations in every state, with many more public sites opening every day.
50 Nifty
Henderson budget study that omits employee pay raises questions – A special budget committee formed last year was told not to look to Henderson employee pay and benefits for cuts as ways to bridge budget shortfalls.
Dover officials push for change in oversight of police department – Two Dover officials want to change the city’s charter to bring the police department under the control of the town manager, potentially ending an over 50-year history of mayoral control over the city’s most expensive department.
Sioux City OK’s amendment to pit bull ban – When then-City Councilman Aaron Rochester advocated for tougher vicious animal laws and spearheaded a city-wide pit bull ban in 2008, it was the right thing to do, he said.
No tax increase in Hendersonville mayor’s $40M budget – Hendersonville Mayor Scott Foster’s proposed $40 million budget for the next fiscal year won’t raise taxes and calls for the addition of two new city positions.
City Council to decide whether to increase city funding for the facility – The Clovis City Council will review Bottom’s Up, a coffee shop featuring bikini-clad baristas, at the May 19 meeting after a Clovis resident presented a petition at Monday’s meeting with about 150 signatures calling for action.
Sioux City approves franchise fee settlement – The City of Sioux City will absorb the cost of nearly $6.5 million in refunds to be paid to residents who were overcharged for franchise fees on their utility bills.
San Lorenzo River: Bill could fund expanded studies of rivermouth – Assemblyman Mark Stone authors legislation to ease restrictions.
Investigation opened into Ft. Lauderdale building department – Broward Inspector General’s Office opens an investigation into the Fort Lauderdale building department’s handling of flooding elevation levels at new housing developments in the city.
Council passes form-based zoning in the downtown – The City Council voted 8-0 Monday night to implement character districts, or form-based zoning, in the downtown.
Portlandia
Roundabouts safer than traffic signals – Forest Grove City Manager Michael Sykes encouraged members of the Forest Grove/Cornelius Chamber of Commerce to attend a town meeting this Wednesday, where state and local officials will discuss what’s next for the intersection of Oregon 47 and Verboort Road.
Feud Erupts Over Pearl District Mural Covered With Festival Banner – Artist Klutch destroys own work after banner for Whiskeyfest NW placed on top of it.
Some Water Rhetoric for Your Afternoon – A month after people pushing a new water and sewer board unveiled their first web ad for the measure, the opposition is hitting back.
Portland Police steal the show with Trail Blazers tweet – During major national sporting events, Twitter is the perfect place to share your ‘expert’ sports takes and try out your topical jokes.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4D2EhggmU68
Cascadia
Sidewalk shops may get a break: Business owners to accommodate five feet for pedestrian traffic – To some, the outdoor dining and eclectic items that stack display racks throughout Downtown Winslow’s wide sidewalks is just another facet of Bainbridge’s vibrant culture. To those traveling with baby strollers, however, it may look like an obstacle course.
County manager nets 7 percent pay raise ; public health director steps down – The first-year performance of county Manager Mike Thomas has evidently been top-notch. So much so that the San Juan County Council on March 10 unanimously approved giving the first-year county manager a 7 percent pay raise.
Pasco council sets goals at retreat – Pasco’s top priorities in the coming two years will be landing more industrial development and improving congestion on Road 68.
Bertha won’t dig until at least March – Contractors say they’ll lift the 2,000-ton front end of the world’s biggest tunnel-boring machine to the surface for repairs. Meanwhile, digging of the waterfront highway tunnel will be on hold six months longer than previously planned.
Pure Midwest
Cape Girardeau city council unanimously passes first reading of tax extension – The Cape Girardeau City Council on Monday unanimously passed the first reading of the extension for a sales tax that partly goes to the fire department.
City budget OK’d, but Renner plans veto – Bloomington Aldermen approved a budget for fiscal year 2015 that excludes utility tax hikes but includes new amusement and motor fuel taxes and calls for the city to use $1.2 million from its emergency reserve fund.
A matter of days; City’s new firehouse nearly ready for staff – A little more paperwork and a touch here and there, and city firefighters should be able to move into the new Station 2 firehouse.
Fight over Columbia TIF continues in Boone County court – Boone County Counselor C.J. Dykhouse is continuing to pursue a rare civil action against the city of Columbia that he filed in February to stop it from forming a tax increment financing district to blanket the central city.
Annual Marion Town Hall meeting is Thursday – If you want to complain or compliment city officials for how Marion is run, then come out to the Marion Community Building Thursday evening.
We don’t normally endorse theft, but stealing 1 from the @HoustonRockets is just fine with us @trailblazers #RipCity #PORvsHOU #NBAPlayoffs
— Portland Police (@PortlandPolice) April 21, 2014
South by Southwest
Denison City Council approves adding micro-breweries downtown – With a 4 to 2 vote, Denison City Council authorized a trending type of business that’s been brewing across the country.
City council vote makes proposed civic plaza a priority – The seven-member Las Cruces City Council on Monday unanimously voted to make the civic plaza a high priority, approving an amendment to the Tax Increment Development District plan that adds the plaza to the list of prioritized projects.
Bastrop city council and mayoral hopefuls spar at debate – Bastrop mayor and city council hopefuls gathered at the Bastrop Opera House Monday evening to share their ideas with residents in a debate that largely focused on water issues, city growth and the expansion of nearby towns.
Amarillo police investigate suspended Animal Control employees – An interim director is leading the city of Amarillo’s Animal Control Department while police investigate two suspended employees.
The Southeast
Gables leaders plan wide search for new city manager – The Coral Gables City Commission made it clear Monday night that it wants to cast a wide net in its search for a new city manager by looking in both the public and private sectors.
City manager brings youth violence report to county commissioners – Wilmington City Manager Sterling Cheatham presented his report on youth violence to the New Hanover County Commissioners Monday morning.
Capping privilege tax worries city – State legislators are working on a tax-cut proposal for business that could wind up costing Durham’s city government up to $2.3 million a year in local revenue.
Cost and details of new lift station surprise city leaders – Plans to build a lift station that would route sewage under Hudson Bayou south of the city took another twist Monday when engineers said they would likely have to build at least part of the structure above ground.
Boca Raton Children’s Museum needs the city’s helping hand – City Council to decide whether to increase city funding for the facility.