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MRSC FOCUS › Focus - April 2003
 

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Focus - April 2003

Cities Take on Anti-Poverty Strategies (April 30)
Recent new initiatives and partnerships show how local governments are both willing and able to take action to address increasing economic and racial disparities in their cities and regions. This article looks at initiatives in Seattle, Wash., and San Antonio, Tex. More from Nation's Cities Weekly.
Seattle Scores Productivity Gains with Segway Scooters (April 30)
The city of Seattle's six-month Segway experiment went so well that the self-balancing scooters will likely become permanent. Productivity doubled for water meter readers who usually drive on their routes while parking meter collectors, who usually walk, scored a twenty percent increase. More from the Seattle Post-Intelligencer.
Free ICMA Professional Development Opportunity (April 30)
The International City/County Management Association's (ICMA) Technology Management Institute will cosponsor Microsoft's annual government summit, June 3-4, and host an executive forum for local government managers and CIOs on June 5, in Redmond, Washington. Both of these events are free of charge. More from ICMA.
User Fees to Promote Transportation Finance Equity and Efficiency (April 30)
A new policy brief from the Brookings Institution's Center on Urban and Metropolitan Policy, "Improving Efficiency and Equity in Transportation Finance" (Adobe Acrobat Document596 KB), argues that continued or expanded reliance on user fees remains the most promising way to promote efficiency and equity in transportation finance.
OSHA Guide for Local Governments (April 30)
The Public Entity Risk Institute's Occupational Safety and Health Guide for Local Governments provides local governments with useful summaries of major Federal OSHA requirements and offers guidance on implementing effective workplace safety programs.
Seattle Reviews Dangerous Dogs Ordinance (April 30)
The Seattle City Council is reviewing the city's dangerous animals ordinance to clarify previously adopted dangerous dog regulations and add new controls for cats. Their "Dangerous Dogs Ordinance In-depth" page offers useful, background, public involvement and media coverage links.
EPA Provides Tools to Promote Better Septic System Management (April 30)
The Environmental Protection Agency's (EPA) Office of Wastewater Management (OWM) has assembled a collection of useful information to assist officials in educating citizens about proper onsite wastewater system management.

Web Sightings - Government Sites for Kids (April 30)
Many government sites for children and teens have been developed at the federal, state and local levels. These sites offer educational links, activity calendars, youth involvement opportunities and other services. Here are a few of our selections:
Study Finds Deficiencies in Nation's Fire Response (April 22)
Many of the nation's fire departments lack the equipment and training to respond adequately to emergencies. Those are among the findings of a recent study (Adobe Acrobat Document1 MB) conducted by the National Fire Protection Association and the Federal Emergency Management Agency for the U.S. Fire Administration.
The Battle Over Broadband (April 22)
Long considered the domain of private-sector enterprise and the Federal Communications Commission, broadband access has emerged as an essential concern for America's local governments. More from American City & County.
Securing Technology Patent Rights (April 22)
City and county workers often create new technological solutions to workplace problems that are beneficial to their employers and potentially patentable. Local government officials need to understand the law regarding employee inventions, and to review or create policies accordingly. More from American City & County.
Risk Management Resource Center (April 22)
The Public Risk Management Association, the Nonprofit Risk Management Center, and Public Entity Risk Institute have created the Risk Management Resource Center to help local governments and nonprofit organizations manage risks more effectively.
The Municipality eGovernment Assessment Project (April 22)
The Municipality eGovernment Assessment Project assesses e-government implementation across 55 different city functions and services and assigns rated municipalities an "e-score". The ratings provide a snapshot of the leading edge, an inventory of current e-government best practices and a benchmark of how different municipalities stack up.
E-government Study Finds Interest, Concern from Citizens (April 22)
According to a new study released today by the Council for Excellence in Government, "The New e-Government Equation: Ease, Engagement, Privacy and Protection" (Adobe Acrobat Document837 KB), American Internet users have a strong interest in using government Web sites to complete transactions, but express concerns about the privacy of those transactions.
War and Threat Alert Increase City Security Costs (April 8)
According to a new U.S. Conference of Mayor's survey, cities nationwide are spending about $70 million per week on additional homeland security measures due to the war in Iraq and high national threat alert. More from Federal Computer Week.
Shared Leave Program Aids Employees Called to Military Duty (April 8)
The city of Everett has established a military reserve shared leave program that allows city employees to donate accrued vacation leave to assist fellow city employees called to active military duty. More from Everett's Web Site.
Smart City - Central City vs. Suburb (April 8)
A recent Smart City™ radio show, "Central City vs. Suburb," discusses how central cities and suburbs can both be home to desirable neighborhoods. Smart City™ is a weekly, hour-long public radio talk show that takes an in-depth look at urban life, the people, places, ideas and trends shaping cities.
Best Practices - Early Childhood Development and School Readiness (April 8)
The National Association of Counties recently announced the 2003 Counties Care for Kids Award winners. The program highlights the critical role counties play in early childhood development and school readiness.
Innovations in American Government Awards (April 8)
The Institute for Government Innovation at the John F. Kennedy School of Government at Harvard University recently announced that applications for the 17th annual Innovations in American Government Awards are now available. Paper applications are due Friday, May 30, 2003. On-line applications are due Friday, June 6, 2003.
Stenciling Storm Drains Raises Public Awareness (April 8)
A storm drain-stenciling program can be an effective, inexpensive, and easy way to get your message across about protecting local rivers and streams. More from NACo's County News Online.
Use of Remote Sensing Technology in State and Local Government (April 8)
A recent report from the National Research Council (NRC) of the National Academies, "Using Remote Sensing in State and Local Government: Information for Management and Decision-Making," assesses the potential and likely barriers for the use of remote sensing data by state, local and regional governments.
State and Local Influences on Land Development (April 8)
Two papers, "City Fiscal Structures and Land Development," and "The State Role in Urban Land Redevelopment," co-sponsored by CEOs for Cities and The Brookings Institution, probe how state legislative initiatives and local fiscal structures can heavily influence city land-development efforts.
Local Governments Call for an Additional $9 Billion for Homeland Security (April 2)
The National League of Cities intensified efforts to secure funding critical to local homeland security needs last week as Congress began consideration of a 2003 emergency supplemental spending bill. More from Nation's Cities Weekly.
Spokane Valley is State's Newest City (April 2)
Spokane Valley became the state's newest and ninth largest city on March 31. Located just east of Spokane, the new city will encompass 38.5 square miles and have an estimated population of 80,700 residents.
Bullet Proof Vest Program Applications Available (April 2)
The Justice Department's Office of Justice Programs recently announced the opening of the application period for the 2003 Bulletproof Vest Program. This year $25 million is available to law enforcement agencies of all sizes across the country. The deadline for completing 2003 registration and applications is May 2, 2003.
Military Leave for Active Duty (April 2)
In "Military Leave for Active Duty - Job Rights & Benefits for Public Employees and Officers," outlines the state and federal laws that protect service member employment rights and benefits while they are actively serving in the military.
Web Sightings - Request for Proposals (April 2)
Here are some places to start when looking for sample request for proposals (RFPs) or qualifications (RFQs):
GFOA Recommended Practices (April 2)
The Government Finance Officers Association (GFOA) has developed a body of recommended practices in the functional areas of public finance to give GFOA members and other state and local governments guidance on sound financial management practices.
Online Lessons (April 2)
Web-based courses are giving local government employees opportunities to improve their skills without attending classes. More from American City & County.
Wayfinding Sign Programs (April 2)
Wayfinding sign programs employ consistent design elements to create a visitor-friendly environment that addresses both vehicular and pedestrian signage issues and presents a unique civic visual identity. More from American City & County.