The stereotypical crime boss isn't someone to emulate, but it's worth noting how their organizations are good at delegating, creating a loyal culture and being careful about recruiting, say Jerold Zimmerman and Daniel Forrester, who wrote a book about such businesses. Business leaders might look at how they can -- in moral and legal ways -- live by their values and outlast the competition.
911 callers in eight counties in Minnesota on Monday were able to talk to dispatchers and hear them, but dispatchers were unable to hear callers. The outage, which lasted roughly seven hours, was caused by faulty equipment at a fiber link in Wisconsin that has since been fixed, according to 911 provider CenturyLink.
Residents of the Northside and Westside neighborhoods in Missoula, Mont., could see more investment in green space under a 50-year deal the city has signed with Resurrection Cemetery Association to lease the land for $3,700 annually. This deal formalizes an existing arrangement and allows for dedicated investment.
Bears Ears National Monument (George Frey/Getty Images)
Commissioners in Grand County, Utah, have added their voices to a plea by San Juan County, Utah, and the Utah Navajo Commission, asking President-elect Joe Biden to reinstate the original borders of Bears Ears National Monument, which President Donald Trump reduced in size in 2017. Two towns in San Juan County -- Blanding and Monticello -- have issued a joint resolution against a reinstatement.
A municipal committee in Sidney, British Columbia, is considering the purchase of a used concrete pontoon to replace the city's Beacon Wharf. The floating concrete pontoon was formerly part of a bridge across the Hood Canal in Washington state.
A $4 million grant from the US Department of Transportation will help fund a trial of smart traffic infrastructure on a section of highway in Dallas that is being transformed into a pedestrian-friendly street. Proposals for the project include connected-vehicle technology to improve traffic flow and prioritize emergency vehicles, and smart crosswalks and bus shelters for pedestrians and transit users.
The two-year Community Wellness and Crisis Response Pilot Project has been approved by San Mateo County, Calif., supervisors to reduce the police response to mental health crises. Four cities within the county will participate beginning in September pending City Council approvals.
Students at Mazama High School in Oregon noticed a few changes intended to prevent the spread of the coronavirus as they returned to in-person learning recently. Changes include the installation of dividers at school lunch tables to help stave off student-to-student transmission of the virus.
Government is trying to make progress with the emergency brake on. Knowing that innovation is critical is not enough -- "getting it" is one thing, but "getting it done" is quite another. If your organization thinks of itself only as a government, it behaves in only one way. However, if it begins to think of itself as a community builder, quality of life advocate, and service provider, then it starts to behave differently. When you implement change, innovation rises to the surface and creates a new dimension of performance. Join our webinar on Tuesday, March 2, to learn practical strategies and proven techniques you can implement to set the tone of a dynamic, always-on, learning culture that is essential to unleashing creativity and leads to faster and better innovation. Learn more and register today!
Each year, ICMA recognizes outstanding contributions to the local government management profession through its Local Government Excellence Awards Program. Recipients will be recognized for individual achievement through the Professional Awards and for jurisdictional achievement through the Program Excellence Awards at ICMA's Annual Conference and will be highlighted in ICMA's award-winning PM magazine (read about last year's recipients.) Visit the awards page of ICMA's website for complete information on the awards program and the nomination process. Then nominate the best of the best in professional local government management.
