In today’s digital age, citizens expect the same convenience and accessibility from their local governments that they experience in other areas of their lives. Whether it’s paying bills, accessing services, or engaging with their community.

Community engagement is vital to local government operations, fostering a sense of trust, collaboration, and transparency between residents and governing bodies. But what exactly is community engagement, and why is community engagement important?

Local governments are increasingly turning to technology to streamline operations and improve services. One of the most significant advancements in recent years is the adoption of mobile apps for inspections. 

In the digital age, local governments increasingly turn to technology to streamline processes and enhance service delivery. However, transitioning to digital workflows is challenging. 

Fall is a busy time for municipalities, marked by preparations for winter, community events, and festivals. This year, digitization is crucial in streamlining these seasonal activities. Here are four fall-specific digitization trends that local governments are embracing in 2024.

While PDF forms have been a staple for years due to their simplicity and ease of distribution, integrated digital forms offer numerous advantages that can revolutionize government operations. 

States like New Jersey and Florida are pioneering legislation to digitize permitting and plan review processes in local government. Lawmakers are striving to keep pace with rapid advancements in government technology, aiming to equip government employees with the latest tools. 

Many local governments have already started their journey in digitizing processes. Perhaps they’re using PDF forms or building a website, but what’s next? It’s important to think about continuous improvement and the end goal of a streamlined, efficient system. 

In local government operations, the plan review process plays a crucial role in urban planning, construction, and community development. Traditionally, this process has been paper-intensive and time-consuming, leading to delays and inefficiencies. 

In today’s digital age, local governments face increasing demands for transparency, efficiency, and seamless service delivery. One way to meet these demands is by bringing multiple departments online using a unified software platform. 

Traditional methods of handling citizen complaints can be time-consuming and prone to errors. Integrating complaint management software offers a solution to streamline this process, ensuring timely resolution and improved citizen satisfaction. 

Did you miss our webinar? As citizen expectations for online services increase, we’ve seen managers and department heads look for dynamic ways to digitize services across multiple departments. 

Municipalities often find themselves inundated with various tourism-related requests, inquiries, and administrative tasks during the summer months. However, there's a solution that can alleviate these repetitive processes: citizen portals. 

Pet licensing is a crucial aspect of responsible pet ownership, ensuring the safety of both animals and communities. However, the traditional methods of managing pet licenses can be cumbersome for local government clerks and pet owners alike. 

With the rise of platforms like Airbnb and VRBO, local governments face new challenges in regulating and managing short-term rentals. From ensuring compliance to addressing community concerns, managing short-term rentals requires a strategic approach, especially in an increasingly digital landscape.

As summer approaches, local governments are gearing up to streamline their services to ensure a seamless experience for both residents and visitors. Many local governments are embracing digital solutions to enhance efficiency, accessibility, and sustainability. 

Mobile inspections involve the use of smartphones or tablets to conduct on-site inspections. Inspectors can carry these devices to different locations, capturing and documenting relevant information in real-time. 

Did you miss our webinar? We sat down with Joe Costa, retired Director of Code Enforcement for 10+ years, to discuss three surefire ways to streamline your permitting processes. 

Online permit tracking offers numerous benefits to municipalities by providing a streamlined and transparent system for managing and monitoring the progress of permit applications.  Online permit tracking helps governments in several ways:

The pursuit of transparency is a cornerstone for building trust between communities and their local government. In this blog post, we'll explore innovative ways to simplify and modernize your municipality's OPRA and FOIA request process.

The allure of hackers targeting government entities is undeniable, given the sensitive nature of the information they house, ranging from national security data to personal citizen records. 

Spatial Data Logic (SDL), a leading provider of municipal management software, announced the expansion of its partnership with Google Public Sector. 

There has never been a better time for local governments to harness technology and revamp their traditional systems. As we embark on a new year, these five technology trends are predicted to shape government modernization in 2024.

Integrating AI into government practices is not a trend. It’s a strategic move towards smarter, data-driven decision-making. In an era of increasing citizen expectations, it is becoming more important to provide government services efficiently.

In response to Hurricane Sandy, the Borough of Oceanport made it a priority to offer information and services online for its residents. After vetting multiple vendors, Oceanport enlisted SDL to help roll these services out gradually.

Historically, residents of Raritan Township had to visit the Department of Public Works in person to acquire recycling permits. Recognizing the need for change, the DPW’s office manager used SDL Forms to convert the township’s paper process to a digital form.

Historically, Schenectady County relied on paper-based processes for its child care assistance program. Anyone looking to apply for assistance needed to submit applications by mail, fax or by physically dropping off the application at the county’s Department of Social Services office.

While the county’s departments generally operate in silos, budgeting for and finding their own software vendors, the CIO sought out to find a flexible software solution that could meet the needs of all of its departments and offer a single destination for citizen services.

In response to the pandemic, Lambertville's Deputy Clerk wanted to give residents the option to submit applications and requests online. Using SDL’s digital form builder, the city began replacing its paper applications with digital forms.