ASPA National Weblog

NOVEMBER 17, 2016

The recent election cycle was painful. Regardless of your viewpoints, it seems our civil liberties were nearly ravaged. Many opinion leaders are calling for healing and more tolerance. Lord knows, we experienced a wicked year of community violence and upheaval that ended with a federal campaign about a war of the words. Throughout the year we have heard about racism, sexism, homophobia, immigration criminals, class warfare, emails, pails of vitriol and you name it.

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Laws Leadership Voting Campaign 130

PBB Center for Priority Based Budgeting

DECEMBER 8, 2016

“GovTech is the operating system of government!” “GovTech is a rapidly expanding industry across the globe that has an engaging, collaborative, inspiring community of individuals within government, nonprofits and private industry who all share the commonality of employing new and existing technologies to improve the lives of citizens." GovTech is generally defined as the technology infrastructure that government departments use to do their internal work or deliver services to their “customers” i

Operations 52

Operations Petition Government Regulations 52

Data.gov

OCTOBER 19, 2016

The U.S. Coast Guard is responsible for investigating accidents on coastal and inland waters and compiling the associated accident statistics. The USCG Boating Safety Resource Center has an online query tool for users to search and filter recreational boating accident … Continued. The post Trends in Recreational Boating Safety, U.S. Coast Guard Recreational Boating Safety Statistics Tool appeared first on Data.gov.

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Andy Feldman's Gov Innovator podcast

AUGUST 18, 2016

Public leaders — whether they’re helping run a state agency, a school system, a hospital, a set of Head Start centers or any other organization — are likely to implement changes over time, whether it’s adjusting programs or adding new services. Maybe it’s a new curriculum for students in a school district or new intake procedure for patients in a hospital.

Education 52

Education Implementation Development 52

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Breckenridge’s short-term rental boom—over 4,200 licenses —put intense pressure on the town’s small staff and manual processes. Facing compliance and efficiency challenges, the town teamed up with GovOS to automate its STR licensing. The new system: Cut admin time Reduced errors Improved the experience for property owners and town staff Discover the full impact of automation on Breckenridge’s STR management—download the case study.

Management

Public Policy Blog

JANUARY 12, 2016

The Chief Digital Officer Jason Goldman for the Obama administration published to his Medium account “[the] American people will see a multi-platform streaming and social broadcast of the State of the Union that reflects the ways people experience live events in 2016. We’ll be reaching people where they are?—?and making it possible for them to engage, respond, and share the President’s speech themselves in new and different ways.” He briefly outlines how the SOTU has evolved with adv

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Social Media Housing Engagement Accountability 40

ASPA National Weblog

OCTOBER 11, 2016

Poet Robert Frost once said , “The world is full of willing people; some willing to work, the rest willing to let them.” Then again, there are those who are willing to work but can’t find a job. Photo Credit: Vermont Public Radio. Today’s job market stands dramatically changed from what it was during Frost’s idyllic years in rural Vermont. Employers disproportionately prefer younger workers with college degrees.

Management 130

Management Security Development Public Management 130

ASPA National Weblog

NOVEMBER 1, 2016

Now that we are approaching the next presidential election, there have been several moments that have made me question the election process, the elected candidates and the policies that are being passed on the state and federal level. A few months ago, I made a promise to myself to get more involved in local policy and to stay informed. I started by reading all the Measures and Propositions, writing down questions and noting my concerns.

Voting 100

Voting Elected Officials Public Administration Accountability 100

ASPA National Weblog

OCTOBER 27, 2016

Nov. 1 marks that time of year when highly ambitious, slightly delusional folks like me take on the self-imposed quest of writing a 50,000-word novel in one month’s time. The challenge is called National Novel Writing Month or NaNoWriMo for short. As arduous a task as it is, there are many strategies designed to help aspiring participants to complete a novel.

Management 100

Management Public Management 100

ASPA National Weblog

OCTOBER 20, 2016

Don’t get too excited by the title. No, I am not advocating for the mass retirement of men. Instead, I am making a case for retirees mentoring replacements before they retire. Take my retirement in 2014. After 36 years within state and local government (and in many roles) I filed retirement documents about 90 days in advance of my final date. However, I planned retirement years in advance.

Local Government 100

Local Government Budgeting Management Implementation 100

ASPA National Weblog

OCTOBER 18, 2016

If you answered yes, congratulations. You’re having fun! If you answered no, congratulations. You’re part of the global and national workforce that is the majority. So how do you create a happy workplace? The blindingly obvious answer is, “To have a happy workplace, get rid of the unhappy people.” There’s a lot of truth in that statement. We all know a disgruntled employee.

Leadership 100

Leadership Management Engagement Public Management 100

Speaker: Noratek

Maintaining parks and recreation facilities efficiently is no easy task, especially when faced with scheduling issues, aging infrastructure, and inconsistent inspections. Join us for this insightful webinar where we explore the most common challenges departments like yours are facing and how digital tools like CityReporter can help you streamline operations, ensure safety, and make better use of your resources.

Parks And Recreation

PBB Center for Priority Based Budgeting

NOVEMBER 21, 2016

" This approach ensures every decision council makes is viewed through a priority lens. " - Mayor Roxanne Carr Strathcona County, Alberta, Canada, is leading the way in priority based business planning and budgeting. As the first municipality in Canada to implement online PBB, this will result in Strathcona County being more proactive, strategic and effective in program and service delivery.

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Strategic Planning Budgeting Implementation Social Media 52

PBB Center for Priority Based Budgeting

NOVEMBER 10, 2016

" This budget is really exciting for me. It represents the beginning of some things that I've wanted to do since becoming administrator here two budgets ago: more transparently articulate the policy decisions within the budget to the public and use County priorities to make funding decisions.

Budgeting 52

Budgeting 52

PBB Center for Priority Based Budgeting

NOVEMBER 3, 2016

" While politicians easily offer policy prescriptions, they often fail to ask how they will be paid for. " - Mark Funkhouser, Publisher of Governing Magazine Governing recently published a P3 supplement as part of their Guide to Financial Literacy series. This publication is called Putting Citizens First with an Innovative Approach to P3's. In it they state, " Governments continue to find new ways to leverage private sector money, expertise, innovation and flexibility.

Local Government 52

Local Government Budgeting Social Media Government 52

PBB Center for Priority Based Budgeting

SEPTEMBER 1, 2016

"Now integrated into its seventh consecutive year of budget development, PBB is the framework within which all budget decisions are made." The City of Boulder, Colorado is one of the fiercest proponents of priority based budgeting (PBB) in the nation. They deeply and fundamentally understand how to implement and utilize PBB, and their community has benefited tremendously from the city's continued and evolved implementation of PBB.

Budgeting 52

Budgeting Parks And Recreation Social Media Implementation 52

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Digital transformation is reshaping government interactions, bringing agencies closer to the communities they serve. However, while many have adopted new digital tools, few have implemented comprehensive strategies to maximize their benefits. Our Strategic Workbook for Modern Government offers a step-by-step guide to developing a sustainable digital strategy.

Government

PBB Center for Priority Based Budgeting

AUGUST 27, 2016

"PBB communities are driving innovation, sharing information, experimenting, advancing lessons learned, and fulfilling the complete mission of PBB to unearth, marshal and re-direct resources towards the betterment of our communities." The Center for Priority Based Budgeting is psyched and honored to come in at #34 on this list. We're proud of our work assisting dozens of cities and counties across North America fundamentally change their approach to resource alignment through Priority Based Budg

Local Government 52

Local Government Budgeting Government Sustainability 52

PBB Center for Priority Based Budgeting

AUGUST 16, 2016

"PBB communities are driving innovation, sharing information, experimenting, advancing lessons learned, and fulfilling the complete mission of PBB to unearth, marshal and re-direct resources towards the betterment of our communities." Just one week ago, our 5 th Annual (un)Conference on Priority Based Budgeting concluded, and to quote one of our attendees who has been to all five “it was easily the most complete Conference, and also the most forward-looking.

Implementation 52

Implementation Budgeting Local Government City Manager 52

Andy Feldman's Gov Innovator podcast

AUGUST 10, 2016

In 2010, the Administration for Children and Families (ACF) at the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services launched a project to explore how programs could advance their goals, and address specific challenges, by applying insights from behavioral sciences, including behavioral economics. It is called the Behavioral Interventions to Advance Self-Sufficiency (BIAS) project.

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Implementation 52

Data.gov

JULY 26, 2016

For the first time, USDA’s Rural Housing Service is publicly releasing data across every program area in which the agency provides loans, guarantees, and grants—multifamily housing, single-family housing, and community facilities. This set of data will bring stakeholders and the … Continued. The post Introducing New Rural Housing Data from USDA appeared first on Data.gov.

Housing 52

Housing 52

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Local governments and municipalities serving populations under 200,000 face distinctive challenges in delivering efficient and effective services to their communities. To overcome these challenges, many rely on Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) systems tailored to their specific needs. Not all ERP systems are created equal, and some may hinder progress rather than support it.

Local Government

PBB Center for Priority Based Budgeting

JULY 25, 2016

"Right now we’re seeing governments truly understand how to take their most precious resources, staff, and reallocate them towards the new programs that really accomplish what their communities desire." - CPBB Co-founder Chris Fabian National Research Center Exclusive Interview with CPBB Co-Founder Chris Fabian and the 2016 Conference NRC's Angelica gets the scoop on the highly anticipated 2016 CPBB Unconference and the power of priority based budgeting in this exclusive local government intervi

Budgeting 52

Budgeting Local Government Government 52

PBB Center for Priority Based Budgeting

JULY 7, 2016

We will have information at our hands that we don't have right now. Council, because council has to approve the spending that comes before us, this is going to give us a great tool to be able to understand where we want to allocate dollars." - City of Toledo Councilperson Sandy Spang In an unprecedented public-private partnership, the Toledo Regional Chamber of Commerce is partnering with the City of Toledo, OH to bring Priority Based Budgeting (PBB) to Northwest Ohio.

Budgeting 52

Budgeting Government Voting Campaign 52

PBB Center for Priority Based Budgeting

JUNE 28, 2016

"When analyzed, interpreted and explained well, data is the best tool to distinguish problems and actuate lasting change." The Center for Priority Based Budgeting 2016 "Prioritized World" (Un)Conference is just over a month away. The 2016 CPBB Unconference is going to be our biggest and most dynamic event to date! We'll be featuring many of the most creative and innovative local government leaders from across the country!

Budgeting 52

Budgeting Leadership Local Government Elected Officials 52

PBB Center for Priority Based Budgeting

JUNE 2, 2016

"Priority-based budgeting will allow city officials to regain control of the budget." - City Manager Sam Anselm The City of Joplin, Missouri is in their first year of the priority based budgeting process. And they're making excellent strides in their work! As part of this process, Joplin conducted a citizen survey to collect public input and validate community results.

Budgeting 52

Budgeting Parks And Recreation Engagement Voting 52

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PA TIMES Magazine is a publication of the American Society for Public Administration (ASPA), a not-for-profit corporation. This edition focused on diversity, equity and inclusion in public administration, including guest columns, insights for the field and interviews with city government DEI officers about their work at the local level.

Public Administration

Andy Feldman's Gov Innovator podcast

MAY 27, 2016

Bob Behn of the Harvard Kennedy School is one of the leading thinkers on the subjects of public management and leadership. He has argued that public agencies are unlikely to produce better results simply by creating rules, requirements or performance systems. A more effective approach, he notes, is to help managers learn better leadership practices.

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Leadership Public Management Management Government 52

PBB Center for Priority Based Budgeting

MAY 26, 2016

" We need to FIRST get our priorities straight and THEN align our money with our stated priorities." - Brad Karger, Marathon County Administrator Brad Karger This article originally written by Brad Karger and published in the Summer 2016 Marathon County Newsletter. 160 million dollars ($160,000,000) is A LOT of money. That’s the size of Marathon County’s annual budget.

Budgeting 52

Budgeting Implementation Leadership Housing 52

PBB Center for Priority Based Budgeting

APRIL 25, 2016

"Priority based budgeting will better allow the city to support its long-term strategic goals based on community values." This article originally written by Becky Zimmer from the Humboldt Journal. The public had their chance to ask questions on April 5th at the public budget meeting at the Uniplex. City Manager, Roy Hardy, made the presentation to a small crowd on what the 2016 budget is going to look like in terms of tax increases and social programs.

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Budgeting Housing Social Media Strategic Planning 52

Data.gov

FEBRUARY 18, 2016

FarmPlenty helps farmers better analyze U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) open data on crops grown within a five mile radius of their farms. Inspired by his conversations with farmers on the challenges faced in predicting crop yields and consumer demand, founder George Lee … Continued. The post FarmPlenty appeared first on Data.gov.

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Government agencies that rely on tax revenue to fund critical services and infrastructure are finding it more urgent than ever to bridge the gap between under-reported tax revenue and taxpayers’ understanding of the processes. This is especially true as things like short-term rentals (STRs) have grown in popularity and become new sources of income for residents.

Government Agency

Data.gov

FEBRUARY 7, 2016

Today, students are able to compare the cost of college with other significant data points, such as graduation rates and average salaries of graduates to determine where to get the most bang for their buck. Communities can finally map demographic, … Continued. The post Open Data: Empowering Americans to Make Data-Driven Decisions appeared first on Data.gov.

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Data.gov

DECEMBER 30, 2016

Data.gov recently completed migration to a new infrastructure. The change will make the Data.gov program more efficient and enable development of new capabilities for site users. For most users of Data.gov, there should be no impact. For users of Data.gov, … Continued. The post Data.gov Infrastructure Migration – Notice to Federal and Non-Federal Users appeared first on Data.gov.

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Development 40

Data.gov

OCTOBER 19, 2016

Author: Marin Kress, Research Scientist, Engineer Research and Development Center, USACE This Grain Transportation Report: Rail Deliveries to Port dataset from the USDA provides the total number of rail carloads used in weekly grain shipments traveling to ports in five … Continued. The post Harvesting Grain Data appeared first on Data.gov.

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Transportation Development 40

Data.gov

OCTOBER 19, 2016

The U.S. Maritime Administration has produced a summary of annual tonnage and values for shipments moving through groups of ports across U.S. Customs Districts. The file includes a list of the individual ports included in the 38 unique Custom Districts. … Continued. The post A Decade of Shipment Tonnage and Value Summaries appeared first on Data.gov.

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Many business license applications still can't be completed online, creating a frustrating user experience and lowering compliance. Shifting to a digital process makes it easier for staff and businesses alike. This guide covers: How to build a licensing and registration experience that works for your staff and local businesses. Why technology is your best partner for improving licensing and registration compliance.

Government