Good morning! Today we discuss timber sales in Oregon, patronage in Chicago, and speeding down the highway in Atlanta. Did you know June 18th marks the anniversary of the beginning of War of 1812? We have some other random facts today to make you the most interesting LG professional at the water cooler. You’re welcome.
#Trending
Uber, Lyft, and Telsa vs. the Government
Life as a City Manager’s Child with Kent Wyatt
Assistant to the City Manager – Milwaukie, OR
Webinar: Bringing Google Fiber to Kansas City
Crazy, Exhilarating, Educational in Catawba County (NC)
Coming Soon…
The Crazy Mixed-Up World of Oregon Property Taxes – Today
Webinar: Performance Excellence – June 19
Field Trip to Beaverton’s New City Hall – June 24
Webinar: Economic Development in North Carolina – June 26
Transaction Wire
For Worth Has High Expectations for New City Manager.
New Middletown City Manager Named Tonight.
Suprise Council Names CFO as New City Manager.
City Manager Announces Four New Appointments, Including New City Attorney.
New Portland City Manager Named. (Not that Portland!)
Retiring Arlington Heights Superintendent Reflects on her Tenure.
Woodland Hires Interim Police Chief.
High 5
1. Localities want more say in Transportation Funding. Federal funding for transportation can be a tricky nut to crack. Local leaders head to the capitol to show national leaders they want a seat at the table and, moreso than that, a dedicated and reliable funding source to cover transportation issues.
2. Will the Smartphone Be The New Ballot Box? Other than hanging chads and computerized voting machines, our democratic process has changed very little since our nation’s birth. Will we see a movement toward mobile voting?
3. The Triumphant Return of Private US Passenger Rail. Beginning in 2016 a new service will run 36 departures per day between Ft. Lauderdale, Miami, and West Palm Beach. The new trains are not your grandfathers locomotives; they will be travelling at 125 mph. Does this model offer a valid option to the rest of the country?
4. A Lot of Seattle Renters Live Alone – But Maybe Not For Much longer. Apartments for single residents have been driving growth in Seattle for years; the City is ranked second in the country in apartments occupied by a person living alone. Some say high rents will bring this number down in the coming years.
5. Crowdfunding for Proposed Breakwater Chicago Funding Complex Exceeds Goal. It took 36 hours for a KickStarter campaign to raise its goal of $30,000 to start funding for a 300 foot off-shore entertainment center. Unfortunately, experts say the facility will not be run by pirates.
50 Nifty
Chesapeake Bay States Sign Pact to Improve Nation’s Largest Estuary.
Nahant Official Resigns Amid Probe Into Spending.
Phoenix VA Gave out $10 Million in Bonuses in Past 3 Years.
Arlington Heights Adds E-cigs to smoking Ban.
Portlandia
Oregon Subsidizing Rainier Rail Safety Project. The funding will allow up to 14 more trains to run per month.
Washington County to Refer $30 Vehicle Registration Fee to Voters in November. The fee is intended to cover a $10.5 million shortfall in road maintenance funding. Previous funding mechanisms have relied on the gas tax, which has shown slow growth recently.
Happy Valley In-Fill Project Causes Uproar. A new development inside Portland’s development boundary is stiring controversy. Opponents say the development would rive up traffic counts in the area, congesting traffic.
Mount Hood Are-Timber Sale to Generate 3-years Revenue. The County is selling 340 acres of land south of Highway 26, much to the displeasure of conservationists.
Cascadia
King County to Install Video Systems in Jails for Virtual Inmate Visits. The project, expected to cost $1 million, is expected to make life easier for those looking to see loved ones.
Spokane Fire Department Extends ARY Pilot Program. The Alternate Response Unit uses SUVs staffed by one firefighter to respond to non-emergency calls.
Clark County Stands Pat on Fireworks Rule. With the Fourth of July coming up we all just want to blow something up.
Columbia Basin Salmon Plan Faces New Challenge. The plan from the Federal government is under scrutiny from conservationists, salmon advocates.
Pure Midwest
Federal Judge Ends Monitoring of City Hall Patronage Hiring. The Windy City will no longer be under the watchful eye federal government, who has monitored hiring practices for 42 years to prevent patronage hires.
Park Ridge Residents Vote on more Money for Library. The annual library tax will officially be on the November ballot, following a 6-1 vote Monday.
University Heights City Council Agree Bond Issue for Public Park Should Go to Ballot. Tuesday night City Council members discussed their support for the project, which will go in front of voters in November.
Hawarden Requests Help From Volunteers. Day of heavy rainfall have pummeled parts of Iowa. Cities are now looking for volunteers to help clean up in the aftermath.
South by Southwest
SE ELGL
Higher Speed Limit Coming to I-285 North. Commuters in Atlanta will be happy to hear the speed limit will be increased in September, depending on traffic patterns at any given time.
Two-Way Traffic Coming to Four Downtown Raleigh Streets. City Council agreed deigns last night to bring back two-way traffic on several streets downtown, citing revitalization as a driving concern.
Walkout Forces Durham’s Anti-Poverty Project Rethink. Roughly a dozen residents staged a walkout from the Mayor’s poverty-relief program, saying they feel undervalued in the process.
Powhatan Leaders Fore School Board to Scrap Retirement Plan. Tensions between the School Board and the Board of Supervisors has peaked as accusations of a cover-up swirl.