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From Free to Flashy, Tech Solutions for Local Government

From Free to Flashy, Tech Solutions for Local Government by Kent Wyatt - LinkedIn and Twitter You’ve read local government’s wish list for technology solutions, now read a much shorter list -- tech solutions have been implemented by local government. ELGL asked, “What, if any, issues has your organization addressed in the past with technology?” Responses...

My Story with Barack Matite, City of Eudora, KS

ELGL’s mission is to connect, communicate, and educate. One way we do that is by “telling our story.” India Adams, Derek Matheson, Cathy Wilson have shared their story, now Barack Matite, Eudora, KS assistant to the city manager, takes center stage. I started working in local government because....I had nothing better to do (just kidding!!). I have always had...

Defeating the Bureaucratic Halls of Government Through Technology Solutions

Santa is coming early this year and he’s bringing local government a bag full of volunteer hours from tech developers. This Christmas cheer is being spread by ELGL and another professional association (that shall remain nameless until January 2015) who are creating an initiative to match software developers to civic projects. Details of the initiative...

What is an Assistant To: Chris Floore, Macon-Bibb County, GA

What is an Assistant to the City Manager? In between other duties as assigned, council meetings, and a bewildering assortment of public inquiries, ELGL members identify the essential functions of the position.

NorCal Download with Creighton Avila, El Dorado County, CA

Our Northern California insider Creighton Avila brings you a "simple list" of issues facing local government. A Simple List Many challenges are facing local governments in Northern California. The following is a simple list that is different from the hot topics in the Southern California article – because Northern Californians need to be different: H2O California...

My Story with Derek Matheson, Kent (WA) Chief Administrative Officer

ELGL's mission is to connect, communicate, and educate. One way to do that is by "telling the story" on how we got here, why we're still here, and how we can improve local government. We first profile Derek Matheson, Kent (WA) Chief Administrative Officer. Thanks to Dave O'Leary, Shelton (WA) city manager for recommending that we...

Guidepost #16 – Sarah Hazel

Welcome to week #16 of the Cookingham Connection. Today, we hear from Sarah Hazel, City of Charlotte, North Carolina. Guidepost #16: Don’t pursue your program at a faster pace than the council, the employees, and public can follow. You will always see plenty of things to do and have plenty of changes to make but be sure...

Allow Myself to Introduce Myself....Lisa Nisenson, Greater Places and Cards Against Urbanity

Cards Against Urbanity: Getting Snarky About Cities Welcome to the new and (somewhat) improved version of our member introductions. If you are puzzled by the column name, take a minute to watch the above scene from Austin Powers. Background Check Lisa Nisenson (LinkedIn and Twitter) is co-founder of GreaterPlaces, a tech start-up devoted to urban...

Tansy Hayward, Raleigh, NC

We're back with another installment of The Assistant series where we sit down with Assistant and Deputy City (& County) Managers to get their take on local government. Today we hear from Tansy Hayward, Assistant City Manager for the City of Raleigh, NC.

Easy as 1,2,3: Ranked Ballot Voting and Ontario’s Municipal Elections

Easy as 1, 2,3: Ranked Ballot Voting and Ontario’s Municipal Elections by Ashleigh Weeden October is municipal election season in Ontario, Canada; on October 27th, communities across the province will go to the polls to select their municipal leaders for the next four years. In recent years, voter turn-out for all elections has been, well,...

Powering Open Data with Socrata

Socrata Launches Apps Marketplace to Help Governments The 70's had the free love movement, this decade has the open data movement. One of the leaders of that movement is Socrata. You may remember them from #ELGL14 - huge computer monitor, cool giveaways, and right by the pizza line. In case we didn't get a chance...

State of Local Government: Political, Inexperienced, and Revenue Limited

Kent Wyatt is a senior management analyst with the City of Tigard, OR and the co-founder of ELGL. He writes the Local Government Confidential and This Week in Local Government columns. Last time I highlighted the workforce and demographic changes facing local government as identified by attendees at a recent ELGL and ICMA event. Three other themes were identified by...

Knope of the Week: Garrett Jacobs, Code for America

Inspiring. Wake Up Call. Better than a Latte Not many organizations have done more to bring government into the digital age than Code for America. This week, Garrett Jacobs from Code for America gave us a first-hand look into the work of Code for America. Code has accomplished a lot but it's clear that we...

Allow Myself to Introduce Myself...Tim Wolff, Lake Isabella, MI Village Manager

Lake Isabella manager gets national planning award Welcome to the new and (somewhat) improved version of our member introductions. If you are puzzled by the column name, take a minute to watch the above scene from Austin Powers. Background Check Tim Wolff (LinkedIn andTwitter) was hired as the Village's third Village Manager in January of 2004. He holds a...

Just One Thing: 85 Action Items For Strengthening Local Government

Kent Wyatt is a senior management analyst with the City of Tigard, OR and the co-founder of ELGL. He writes the Local Government Confidential and This Week in Local Government columns. Enough of the excuses. Shred your “I’m too busy” or “I don’t know how” replies. We’re here to highlight more than 80 ways that you...

What is an Assistant To? Ryan Adams, City of Irving, TX

ELGL has assembled an “A” team of Assistant To’s willing to provide insight into their transition from MPA Candidate to gainfully employed local government professional. In between other duties as assigned, council meetings, and a bewildering assortment of public inquiries, Nathan Mosley, Ryan Adams, Clay Curtin, and Ben McCready have collaborated to identify essential advice...

Innovation Series: Code for America, Open Data & the Digital Front Door

Second in the Innovation Webinar Series is Code for America, a non-profit focused on helping government use technology to make government services simple, effective, and easy to use. Code for America will be chatting about two of their initiatives, Open Data and the Digital Front Door. Check out the details below. Register for the Code for...

Social Media as Service Delivery

In social media, we’re often focused on communications efforts: pushing out links, promoting upcoming events and generally working to increase engagement among our followers. This is particularly true in local government, where there’s always an upcoming council meeting, community forum or groundbreaking ceremony to post on Facebook or Twitter. But social media has another role...

Quick Take: Ann Janda, Town of Milton, VT

We prepare for the ELGL & ICMA joint event at the ICMA Conference by getting to know attendees through their responses to four simple questions. Respondents will describe the current state of local government, their mentors, ways to strengthen local government, and of course, their dream six-pack. Link: Raise Your Hand If You’re Going “Back to the Future” with...

#ELGLFerguson Twittersation Recap

ELGL hosted a Twittersation addressing many of the local government issues that arose following the shooting of Michael Brown. Our moderator, Brittany Bennett, summarized her thoughts on the Twittersation. You can also read the Storify summary we compiled from the many tweets flying to and fro during the conversation and add your input on the...