Cities work with schools to remedy park shortages
With little land available for new parks in established neighborhoods, Houston created a program in 1983 to open schoolyards to the public after the students go home. Since then, 200 Houston school playgrounds in eight school districts have been upgraded and opened to the public, and the idea has spread to Baton Rouge, La....
NASPO honors innovative state procurement programs
The National Association of State Procurement Officials has presented its annual George Cronin Award for Procurement Excellence to three cutting-edge state purchasing programs....
New technology, stimulus funding help revive municipal broadband
Municipal broadband often brings up negative connotations thanks to the failures of some very large muni-Wi-Fi programs in 2008. However, some communities have found that broadband networks can save them money by using them as their primary network for multiple city departments. In fact, technology enhancements, wireless spectrum availability and creative funding have combined to lift municipal broadband projects off the ground....
North Carolina implements plastic bottle landfill ban
As of Oct. 1, plastic bottles are no longer welcome in North Carolina landfills. The goal of the ban is to enhance plastic recycling efforts and, subsequently, protect the environment while improving economic conditions....
Local governments like to Tweet, survey shows
RSS feeds, Twitter and Facebook are the most common Web 2.0 applications used by local governments, according to a recent survey by the Washington-based Public Technology Institute (PTI). The technology allows officials to keep residents informed and involved in their city or county government....
USGS report: Road deicing contributes to high chloride levels in streams
Road salt for deicing may be causing elevated levels of chloride, a component of salt, in many urban streams and groundwater across the northern U.S., according to a new government study. Other chloride sources include wastewater treatment, septic systems and farming operations....
Feedback sought for draft of hand sanitizers standard
Amid rising concerns about infectious diseases that are causing public service providers to rely heavily on hand sanitizers to protect human health, the EcoLogo Program, a third-party eco-labeling organization based in Ottawa, Ontario, is inviting comments to its first draft of the EcoLogo Hand Sanitizers Standard. ...
2009 NRPA conference casts an eye to the future
The recession has created an atmosphere of anxiety and uncertainty for many, and those who work in the parks and recreation field are not immune. With so many forces ¬— the economy, politics, and social and leisure trends, for example ¬¬— out of the control of parks and recreation professionals, thinking about the future could cause a few sleepless nights. ...
Former NRC Executives Join Keep America Beautiful
Three former National Recycling Coalition (NRC) executives have joined Keep America Beautiful (KAB). Ed Skernolis, formerly acting executive director of the NRC, has become KAB’s vice president of recycling, and Anjia Nicolaidis, formerly the NRC’s deputy director, is now KAB’s director of recycling. Alec Cooley, formerly the NRC’s collegiate programs manager, has joined KAB as manager of recycling programs....
California county acquires tool to boost fleet efficiency
The Sonoma County, Calif., Fleet Operations Division will use Networkfleet’s wireless diagnostic and GPS tracking system to reduce fuel costs and lower greenhouse emissions for its fleet of 1,000 vehicles. During a pilot test of the system’s implementation, the county achieved a 15 to 30 percent increase in miles-per-gallon (mpg), which it expects to replicate across the fleet....
Survey: New transportation funding needed
The federal gasoline tax is not enough to finance the nation's highway system, so new funding for transportation projects is needed, according to a survey of 1,000 Americans from Kansas City, Mo.-based HNTB Holdings. The "America THINKS" online survey by Kelton Research also found that 67 percent of respondents were willing to pay more in tolls, taxes or public transit fares to fund transportation improvements in their area, such as highway capacity expansions and high-speed rail....
Building deconstruction delivers benefits to governments and the environment
More governments are looking to building deconstruction and salvage and reuse of building materials from obsolete structures as they update and upgrade their communities' building stock. ...
Veterans continue serving their country as vendors to governments
Kurt A. Walker, owner of a Batteries Plus store in Newport News, Va., served his country for 21 years in the U.S. Air Force. He continues to serve by supplying state, local and federal agencies with batteries and police radios, as well as facility maintenance products, including emergency exit lights, fire alarm panels and scrubbers....
Report: 56 percent of local governments have reduced IT energy costs
Local governments are succeeding in lowering their information technology (IT) energy costs, according to a survey by Vernon Hills, Ill.-based CDW Government. However, the survey also found that the recession has forced some agencies to forgo longer-term savings created by energy efficient equipment and choose to buy cheaper but less energy-efficient devices....
City sends less waste to landfill, thanks to incentives-laden recycling program
With a new curbside recycling program, Westland, Mich., residents have sent 1,184 fewer tons of waste to the landfill in the past two months, and Mayor William Wild is quite proud: “That amount comes to 2.4 million pounds of waste diverted,” Wild said. “When communities come together for the greater good, they can accomplish amazing things. The city of Westland has witnessed that firsthand.”...
Air quality district receives ARRA grant
The Diamond Bar, Calif.-based South Coast Air Quality Management District (AQMD), the air pollution control agency for all of Orange County and the urban portions of Los Angeles, Riverside and San Bernardino counties, has received a $45.4 million grant from the U.S. Department of Energy to develop a plug-in hybrid electric vehicle PHEV. The grant is part of the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA)....
End of the federal fiscal year brings new selling opportunities
immixGroup, a fast-growing company in McLean, Va., helps technology manufacturers and other companies achieve success in doing business with the government. GovPro.com chatted with Steve Charles, immixGroup co-founder and executive vice president, about selling strategies as the federal government fiscal year end approaches on September 30. ...
NACo adopts policies on stimulus funds, food inspection and more
Following its annual conference in July, the Washington-based National Association of Counties (NACo) has adopted new policies on a variety of issues, from food inspection to illegal dumping. More than 20 new proposals were submitted for consideration during the conference.Following its annual conference in July, the Washington-based National Association of Counties (NACo) has adopted new policies on a variety of issues, from food inspection to illegal dumping. More than 20 new proposals were submitted for consideration during the conference....
Flood of stimulus-funded projects at National Park Service
The federal National Park Service (NPS) will invest $750 million in almost 800 projects to stimulate the economy through the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA). A large percentage of those projects will be completed by the end of the federal fiscal year, which is September 30, an NPS spokeswoman told GovPro.com....
NASCIO releases report on ARRA's effect on health IT
State chief information officers (CIOs) must act quickly but carefully to take advantage of $2 billion in grants made available by the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA) for improving health information technology (health IT), according to a report from the Lexington, Ky.-based National Association of State Chief Information Officers (NASCIO). "HITECH in the States: Action List for State CIOs" lists ways state CIOs can improve health information exchange (HIE) using ARRA funding....
Local and state IT purchases on the upswing
State and local governments’ demand for information systems and services will increase from $49.6 billion in 2009 to $60.1 billion in 2014, growing the market by $10.5 billion at an annual growth rate of 3.9 percent....
Bay State aims to curb electricity use and costs through management plan
Massachusetts’ Division of Capital Asset Management (DCAM) will closely administer electricity consumption in state facilities through its recently signed statewide contract with CPower, an energy management firm based in New York City. The company will provide demand response and permanent peak reduction services to Massachusetts state facilities, including the Holyoke Soldiers’ Home (photo) in Holyoke, Mass., which is operated by the state’s Office of Health and Human Services....
Alliance for Innovation accepting case studies for conference
The Phoenix-based Alliance for Innovation is accepting applications for case studies to present at its 2010 Transforming Local Government (TLG) conference, scheduled for June 2-4, 2010, in southern Nevada. Applications should discuss successful programs, projects, services or initiatives in which local government organizations have demonstrated creative and innovative practices relative to the 2010 TLG Theme, "The Future of Service in Local Government."...
LED signs grow in popularity, but safety may be an issue
They are hard to ignore — billboards made from thousands of glowing LEDs that change ads several times a minute. While the technology is a boon to advertisers, local governments are trying to figure out how best to regulate digital displays so they do not distract drivers or bother nearby residents....
Safety tips for mowing government grounds
There is no shortage of mowing safety tips for government grounds maintenance officials. Jimmy Eavenson, chief engineer of commercial turf products at Cleveland, Ohio-based Cub Cadet Commercial, offered this tip to GovPro.com: “Operators should not mow in conditions where traction or stability is questionable. If an area has too much slope, is wet, or the ground is deemed too uneven to operate the mower safely, use a string-trimmer or some other device.”...
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