The holidays are here! And whether you’re currently finishing up a few projects from the office or already baking cookies with the kids, it’s important to stay safe during all the festivities. Check out these top tips to share with your coworkers, family, friends & fellow city residents! A Designated Driver This season is all about celebrating – but remember …

Longview, Texas is experiencing a building code issue A local salesman and member of the city’s Planning and Zoning commission summarized the issue by stating that people don’t want to build in the city anymore because of the drawn out process. According to Longview News-Journal, the city’s commissioners met with City Council members regarding the Unified Development Code. Those involved …

How familiar are you with broadband? Well – if you’re reading this on your daily commute, from the convenience of your smartphone, then probably very familiar! But it’s not something we think about often. Broadband killed dial-up. It’s faster, with much higher capability, and it’s key to a successful SMART city. Every city across the United States is frequently researching …

No matter the season, cities are always working towards improving building efficiency and refining overall energy efficiency It’s all part of the SMART city initiative – sure, it’s not as exciting as green roof gardening or bicycle renting stations, but it’s important nonetheless! With current technology enhancing solar panels and reducing the amount of energy needed to heat and light …

‘Tis the Season! To be thankful! As Thanksgiving nears, city offices are getting into the holiday spirit. Among your Thanksgiving dinner shopping list, end-of-year budgeting and all the tasks you’ll rush to finish, we hope you’ll browse our City Manager’s Thanksgiving to-do list! It will help you cross items off your list and remind you what this holiday season is …

If you’ve been following along with our latest posts, Then you’re aware of the emphasis we’re putting on #SmartCities. CityForce loves Smart Cities because they’re made up of tech-loving, innovative city managers who seek adaptation and progression with the help of new software systems. ICMA, the International City/County Management Association, feels the same. In a recent blog post, they stated: …

Pump the breaks Meeting of the Minds reported that In 2016, the U.S. saw a 6% increase in road fatalities. 30-40,000 road deaths occur annually, and 59,374 of the deaths between 2010 and 2015 were completely preventable. It’s time for cities to start stepping up safety measures and stepping on the break pedal. According to Vision Zero Network, pedestrians have …

NY Daily News reported that property owners were found bribing corrupt city inspectors with money and gifts to speed up development projects. Fourteen people were charged including the two inspectors from the Department of Buildings. The property managers involved bribed inspectors (with earrings, and money to be spent on Mother’s Day gifts) to overlook major violations, like inoperable exit signs. In …

Happy Halloween! The CityForce team wants to wish you and your city a safe, fun and fantastic Halloween night! With thousands of kids trick or treating and adults passing out candy or attending Halloween parties, there’s a lot of safety risks lurking in the shadows. Check out our list of last minute Halloween tips + tricks to ensure that your …

Let’s talk light  Solar light, that is. Solar lights are part of the general #SmartCity initiative that is reducing high energy costs and helping to eliminate the consequences that come from using so much electricity. It’s the cleanest, most renewable energy source on earth – so considering installing solar panels isn’t a hard decision. Check out some of these fast …