The COVID-19 pandemic has brought new challenges to local and utility leaders. How do you keep the utilities running, ensure the safety of your employees and residents, or hold public meetings in the social distancing era? There's no one-size-fits-all solution, so...
The COVID-19 pandemic, a once in a century public health and economic crisis, is putting a strain on every community. Residents are turning to their elected officials, and, with so much uncertainty and scrutiny surrounding the epidemic, that leadership role is a...
“I had a call … ” Those words can make you cringe, because rarely does a resident reach out to tell you what a great job you’re doing – it’s usually a problem or a complaint. Public service is a privilege, and it means your residents will turn to you when there’s an...
HomeServe USA, a leading provider of home repair solutions, launched Telefix, a new remote home repair assistance option. The new service, which is in early release, allows qualified technicians to remotely examine, diagnose, and even offer repair guidance to help...
It isn’t a matter of if water service lines will fail, it is a matter of when – and that “when” will be sooner than many think, as research has shown that older lines, made of materials such as lead, copper and galvanized steel, have reached the end of their usable...
Economic shock is a bigger threat than you or residents you serve may realize. Economic shock, or a large and unexpected expense, impacts roughly 60 percent of American households each year – the obstacle could be medical bills, a car or home repair or a job loss – so...
Dr. Juneseok Lee, formerly an Associate Professor of Civil and Environmental Engineering at San Jose State University, researched water service line failure, finding a significant portion of housing stock is poised for service line failure. In the study, published in...
Panel discussion from the NLC City Summit Nov 2019
Shane D’Onofrio made helping homeless veterans his life’s work. Shane had special empathy for struggling veterans, since he had served himself and suffered an injury that caused mobility issues. He went through his own struggles after his injury and separating from...
Economic shock, a large, unexpected expense such as a home system repair or sudden loss of income, is a hidden threat to your community. You may be surprised at how many of your neighbors are living paycheck to paycheck and how few have any savings set aside for an...
Flush against the Ohio River and Ohio’s southern border, Lawrence County is home to roughly 25,000 households, and more than half of those depend upon Hecla Water Association for their water service. General Manager Tony Howard and his staff pride themselves on a...
Warmer water and rising oceans equal more intense and more frequent storms, and the rise in frequency and destruction we’ve seen from storms out of the gulf and across the country are just one of the symptoms of climate change. Hurricane Ian recently demonstrated the...
Anita I. and her family had to be innovative to survive a winter without a working HVAC system in their Dunbar, West Virginia, home. Anita placed small heaters in bedrooms and the living room, but the electric system in the home couldn’t handle any more, leaving other...
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