Speed-Measuring Devices (September 30)
Ensuring the courts' and public’s confidence is paramount when it comes to speed-measuring devices—in purchasing decisions, in maintaining the equipment, or in defending the use of technology in court or to the public. More from The Police Chief.

Cameras to Keep Track of Visitors (September 30)
Medina, a community of about 3,100 just across Lake Washington from Seattle, has installed cameras at several intersections to monitor every vehicle coming into the city. More from Governing's Idea Center.

The Difficult Path to Electronic Health Records (September 30)
They will produce better outcomes. But building this ‘network of networks’ will be complicated. More from Governing.

The Next Federal Grant System (September 30)
The stimulus law’s transparency requirements won’t shed much light on the achievement of objectives. More from Governing.

Information for Innovation (September 30)
Data is nice, but information is better, faster, cheaper. More from Governing.

Ratcheting Up Performance (September 30)
Ratcheting up performance is essentially an addiction strategy: Create performance targets that people can hit. Get them hooked on success. More from Bob Behn's Performance Leadership Report.

Retirement Benefits and the Incumbent Employee Conundrum (September 30)
Bill baby boomers for their retirement costs — before they get away. More from Governing.

Is Privatization the Answer? (September 30)
Mounting revenue shortfalls are forcing state and local governments to find creative ways to cut costs, while at the same time, continue to provide core services to residents. More from MuniNetGuide.

Social Media: Not Your Grandfather's Democracy (September 30)
As blogs, YouTube videos, and text blasts reshape how America communicates, few local governments—and even fewer city and county managers—are keeping pace. More from Public Management.

The Change in the IPD from July 2008 to July 2009 is -0.848 Percent (September 23)
The State Department of Revenue has received information on the July implicit price deflator (IPD) for personal consumption expenditures from the Bureau of Economic Analysis of the Department of Commerce. It is 109.270. This represents a 0.848 percent decrease compared to the revised July 2008 index number of 110.205. More …

Helping Local Police Departments Solve Cold Cases (September 23)
The National Institue of Justice’s Solving Cold Cases with DNA program is dedicated to getting forensic science to the field and to making communities safer by solving cold cases, taking perpetrators off the streets, and preempting future crimes. More from The Police Chief.

CDC's Recommendations for Obesity Prevention and Control (September 23)
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) just released its first comprehensive set of evidence-based recommendations on how local governments can address the nation’s obesity epidemic with policies and programs that encourage physical activity and healthy eating. More from ICMA

California: Paying the Price for Indulging Citizens (September 23)
The Golden State's voters opted for more schools, roads and research, but then refused to pay for them. More from Governing.

Prefunding OPEB in State and Local Governments (September 23)
A new issue brief from the Center for State & Local Government Excellence, Prefunding Other Post Employment Benefits (OPEB) in State and Local Governments: Options and Early Evidence, takes a hard look at the options state and local governments are pursuing to reduce their unfunded liabilities for retiree health care.

ARRA Fund Recipient Registration (September 23)
Registration at www.federalreporting.gov is required of organizations receiving American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA) funds who are either the prime recipient of awards or who have been delegated to report on Recovery Act projects by the prime recipient.

Affordable Housing Toolbox (September 23)
An online resource created by Tompkins County, New York, Vital Communities Toolbox, catalogues a variety of planning tools that are available to assist communities in the creation and preservation of affordable housing.

How Four-Day Weeks Work (September 23)
This alternative schedule can improve efficiency and work-life balance, but how is it implemented? More from Governing.

Web Sightings – H1N1 (Swine Flu) (September 23)
Governments at all levels are providing useful information about the H1N1 virus (swine flu) and the annual flu season, the subject of this month's Web Sightings.

International, Federal, and State H1N1 Sites

• International City/County Management Association(ICMA) - Public Health Threats
• World Health Organization - Pandemic (H1N1 2009)
• Flu.gov - Comprehensive U.S. government site with information on pandemic influenza, H1N1, and avian influenza for the general public, health and emergency preparedness professionals, government and business leaders, schools, and local communities. See State and Local Governments Topics
• Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) - 2009 H1N1 Flu (Swine Flu)
• Washington State Department of Health - H1N1 (Swine Flu) Information. See H1N1 Resources and Materials, including FAQs and Fact Sheets

Selected Local Government H1N1 Sites

• MRSC - Emergency Preparedness Planning for Pandemic Influenza
• MRSC - Local Government Pandemic Influenza Preparedness Documents
• Burlington - H1N1 (Swine Flu)
• Clark, Cowlitz, Skamania, and Wahkiakum County and the Cowlitz Tribe - H1N1 (swine flu)
• Kittitas County - Emergency Response Information, 2009 H1N1 flu (swine flu)
• Seattle and King County Public Health - H1N1 influenza (swine flu)
• Spokane Regional Health District - Pandemic H1N1 (swine flu)
• Whatcom County Health Department - H1N1 Information

The Impact of the Fiscal Crisis on Local Governments (September 23)
A new report from the International City/County Management Association, How It Plays in Peoria: The Impact of the Fiscal Crisis on Local Governments, offers a snapshot of how local government leaders and communities throughout the nation are weathering the economic storm and positioning themselves for growth in the future.

Community Indicators Conference in Bellevue (September 17)
The Community Indicators Consortium’s 2009 International Conference showcasing best practices and some of the latest community indicator efforts, tools, and techniques will be at the Meydenbauer Conference Center in Bellevue, September 30 - October 2nd.

The CompStat Process: Four Principles for Managing Crime Reduction (September 16)
CompStat is not a quick-fix answer to crime but rather a process of organized problem solving that, when coupled with commitment and consistency, inexorably leads to the positive outcome of recurring incremental reductions in crime. More from The Police Chief.

Credit Card Confusion (September 16)
New rules for credit card fees leave many government agencies dazed. More from American City & County.

Methane from Landfills (September 16)
Localities are finding new ways to use a potent greenhouse gas. More from Governing.

A Case Study in Reducing Traffic Congestion (September 16)
A new report from the IBM Center for the Business of Government, Designing and Managing Cross-Sector Collaboration: A Case Study in Reducing Traffic Congestion, concludes that a collaborative, multi-modal approach is crucial to significantly reduce traffic congestion.

Forget Curbing Suburban Sprawl (September 16)
Building denser cities would do little to reduce CO2 emissions, a new National Academy of Sciences report concludes. More from Technology Review.

Trimming Waste (September 16)
A greener, cheaper way to deal with garbage - solar-powered trash receptacles/compactors. More from Slate.

San Jose, Calif.'s Wikiplanning Project on Course (September 16)
In San Jose, Calif. -- the heart of Silicon Valley -- city officials are attempting to bring the wiki concept to city planning. More from Government Technology.

Where Less is More Efficient (September 16)
There are signs that four-day workweeks may have another, unexpected benefit: greater efficiency. More from Governing.

Frustrated by an Unchangeable Agency? Change Anyway (September 16)
The 10 Paradoxical Commandments of government explain why changing your agency is so hard — and why you should do it anyway. More from Governing.

Where We Want To Be (September 16)
A new report from the Victoria Transport Policy Institute, Where We Want To Be - Home Location Preferences And Their Implications For Smart Growth, finds that demographic and economic trends are increasing demand for communities based upon smart growth approaches while demand for sprawl housing is declining.

Rescuing 911 (September 02)
To reduce the crush of calls flooding into 911 systems, some local governments are using their non-emergency 311 service to manage administrative and informational needs so 911 centers can devote their resources to life-threatening situations. More from American City & County.

Driving and the Built Environment (September 02)
A report from the Transportation Research Board, Driving and the Built Environment: Effects of Compact Development on Motorized Travel, Energy Use, and CO2 Emissions, examines the relationship between land development patterns and vehicle miles traveledto assess whether petroleum use, and by extension greenhouse gas emissions, could be reduced by changes in the design of development patterns.

Providing Police Services to the Deaf (September 02)
One of the unique challenges facing emergency officials across the United States is the need to educate and provide public services to a growing deaf population. More from The Police Chief.

Tying Federal Funding to Regional Cooperation (September 02)
If the Obama administration gets its way during the next few years, the means by which the federal government interacts with states and localities across a wide range of policy areas will be redefined. More from Governing.

College Towns: High Marks For Lifestyle (September 02)
At a time when many cities are struggling to spur civic vitality, places that are home to major colleges or universities are percolating along robustly, often with healthy job growth, low costs of living and rising property values. More from New Geography.

Traveling At Good Speed (September 02)
Transportation policy shouldn’t be reduced to average commuting times. More from Governing.

Few Payoffs for Overtime Pay (September 02)
It can be a drag on pensions and the bottom line. More from Governing.

Vibrant Neighborhoods and Successful Schools (September 02)
A recent Brookings paper, Vibrant Neighborhoods, Successful Schools: What the Federal Government Can Do to Foster Both, focuses on four principles regarding the vitality and performance of schools and communities and discusses opportunities for constructive policy interventions.

Upgrading the Way We Do Politics (September 02)
Dozens of effective public engagement techniques have been developed to enable citizens to have authentic, civil, productive discussions at public meetings—even on highly contentious issues. More from Yes!

It's All in the Questions: The Manager's Role in Achieving Fiscal Health (September 02)
As the fiscal reality facing local governments across the nation becomes more challenging to manage and the necessary financial choices become more difficult to make, local government managers must ensure that the right questions are being asked to assess their organization's state of fiscal health. More from Public Management.