Reference Articles

Displaying Items 616-630 (of 728)

Whistlestop Shops

May 12, 2017

Alex Mitchem, Community Development Director, Auburn

Downtown revitalization can be a daunting enterprise, unless you start small—literally.
 

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Make Your Website ADA-Compliant: Best Practices for Cities

CitySmart by VC3

April 25, 2017

Victoria Boyko, Software Development Consultant

Despite the perceived importance of ADA-compliant websites, many city websites do not comply with best practices that help disabled people access content. While ADA, W3C, and other organizations provide detailed guidelines and best practices, very few enforceable laws exist to keep cities accountable. Plus, even if a website designer follows all ADA best practices, a city employee may upload content to the city's website that doesn’t meet these requirements.

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The Art of Being a Changemaker: How to do it and Why it Matters

Leadership Focus

April 13, 2017

Deke Copenhaver

Whether it's in business, government or any other sector, changemakers are simply a necessity that society can’t do without. If no one tries to change things, things simply are never going to change.

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IT Lessons from a City That Lost $3.6 Million in Preventable Fraud

CitySmart by VC3

March 29, 2017

Ryan Warrick, Network Infrastructure Consultant

Are you sure that fraudsters aren’t currently stealing money from you? Is your technology modernized in such a way that you aren’t headed for a major disaster like permanent data loss?

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The Art of Leadership: Learning to Trust Your Instincts and Lead from the Heart

Leadership Focus

March 13, 2017

Deke Copenhaver

A focus on decisions made through time tested good instincts and on behalf of the greater good will undoubtedly lead to your becoming a more trusted and respected leader. It will also lead to your leadership role having a lasting impact which will serve your organization long after your season of leadership is over.

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10 Technology Warning Signs That You're Headed for a Disaster (Part 2)

CitySmart by VC3

February 27, 2017

John Miller, Senior Consultant

Last time we talked about warning signs such as lack of data backup, aging hardware, and non-technical staff handling IT issues. In Part Two, we discuss five more warning signs that may lead your city toward a disaster.

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GMA Model ROW Agreement Webinar

February 16, 2017

Many cities have worked with telecommunications companies seeking to place equipment on water tank towers and cell towers on public rights of way. As these companies increasingly compete for better wireless coverage, they have begun to rely more on specialty companies that approach cities about placing “small cells” in the public right of way.

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Media and Government: A Crisis of Confidence and Our Nation's Need for Trusted Voices

Leadership Focus

February 15, 2017

Deke Copenhaver

In a democracy in which a free press and an open government should be the pillars upholding the underpinnings of our nation, what happens when neither of the two institutions are trusted? In a time of uncertainty, trusted voices are now more important than ever and the best place to start developing them is at the local level. 

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10 Technology Warning Signs That You're Headed for a Disaster (Part 1)

CitySmart by VC3

January 26, 2017

John Miller, Senior Consultant

Too many times, cities only take action when a disruption or disaster hits. That’s way, way too late. Let’s look at some scenarios that might strike a chord with your city. If any of these scenarios speak to you, then you need to act. Now.

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Media Relations: How to Build Them and Why the Press is Your Friend

Leadership Focus

January 12, 2017

Deke Copenhaver

In today’s world the media can seem like an angry giant waiting to squash the latest bug on its radar. Whether it’s a celebrity, a politician or a corporation, it often seems like the members of the press are just waiting for the next controversy to arise to pounce on. Although there’s no doubt a good bit of truth to this, if you’re in the public eye building a good working relationship with the media is both a good idea and a good business principle.

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The Essential Elements of a Disaster Recovery and Business Continuity Policy

CitySmart by VC3

December 20, 2016

Mike Smith, Network Infrastructure Consultant

What happens when the worst happens? As an important city policy that should not be neglected, a disaster recovery and business continuity policy outlines how to recover electronic data after a catastrophe. Because cities cannot predict when a disaster such as a fire, flooding, or tornado will occur, it’s essential that a disaster recovery plan is in place.

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Echo-Chambers & Silos: Why They’re Dangerous and a Constant Impediment to Progress

Leadership Focus

December 15, 2016

Deke Copenhaver

How can we have a real dialogue on race relations, poverty, job creation or climate issues if we’re so entrenched in our own views, positively reinforced by constantly associating with like-minded individuals, that we’re simply unwilling to listen to another perspective or point of view?

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5 Best Practices to Improve Your Network Security

CitySmart by VC3

November 28, 2016

Ryan Warrick, Network Infrastructure Consultant, Sophicity

To understand the importance of network security, imagine your technology like it’s city hall. Inside city hall, you have people, offices, hallways, and assets like furniture, office supplies, and computers. To gain access to the inside, parts of city hall may be open to the public—like the unlocked front door from 9-to-5. Other parts may be off-limits directly (such as a locked door) or indirectly (such as a security officer or a sign that says “keep out”).

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Which Came First–The Chicken or Economic Development?

November 16, 2016

On January 7, 2015, the city of Louisville received an offer it could have refused. An unnamed company considered creating new jobs in the area if—and it was a big “if”—the city could provide a 150,000-square-foot building with a combined water and sewer capacity of 1.6 million gallons per day. One more detail: the company wanted the facility to be operational by December 17, 2015.

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Why Embracing Change and Moving Beyond Conventional Wisdom Matters

Leadership Focus

November 9, 2016

Deke Copenhaver

Change is happening all around us and our businesses and communities can either embrace it, adapt to and plan for it, or ultimately get run over by it.

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Displaying Items 616-630 (of 728)