Best of 2024: Public Administration

The new year comes with challenges for public administrators. Some old, like the hiring crisis that has plagued government agencies for several years now. Some new, like adjusting to the policy priorities and reallocation of funding that inevitably come with a new administration.

Two of the best ways to prepare for 2025 are learning from the past and learning from others. So reflect on 2024. Are there any processes that can be streamlined, any areas where inefficient workarounds have become the status quo? Can you learn from the successes and failures of other government agencies to save yourself time, money and frustration?

In this article, we provide key takeaways from the leading webinars, case studies, and articles in 2024 that can help you succeed as a public administrator.

Streamlining Accounting Processes With Cloud-Based Solutions

Fitzgerald Water, Light and Bond Commission of GA provides local utilities to the Fitzgerlad community, including electricity, water, sewer, natural gas and propane gas. Over 20 years ago, they started looking for a one-stop solution for accounting software, utility billing and more.

They moved to the cloud in 2007, saying goodbye to their on-prem system, the IBM AS/400. Since then, Fitzgerald has saved money on IT personnel, relying on their vendor and cloud provider to take care of most IT responsibilities. 

In 2018, they adopted the CentralSquare NaviLine system. NaviLine is a cloud-based solution that helps Fitzgerald manage their general ledger, accounts receivable, payroll, fixed assets, purchasing and inventory, and utility billing. It truly is the one-stop solution they had been looking for.

Since implementing CentralSquare, Fitzgerald has seen numerous benefits, including cost savings and streamlined processes. The community has benefitted as well. With the Citizen Engagement Portal, citizens can access and pay their utility bills online.

“We love working with CentralSquare…reaching out to them for any problems is seamless…they’re also a phone call away, always answer, and very ready to answer any needs we have.”

Donna Waller, Finance Director and Business Office Manager

Thriving in the Cloud With San Mateo County, CA

Moving to the cloud can be daunting for local governments. You may have concerns about data security, transition costs, and the challenge of integrating with legacy systems.

San Mateo County, CA had similar concerns. On-prem may require more IT infrastructure, maintenance, and IT staff, but at least it was controlled by them. With so much at stake, relinquishing control was no easy task. 

For San Mateo County, transitioning to the cloud was a leap of faith. Suddenly you’re trusting in cloud providers to maintain data security and privacy. You’re trusting that your government will experience the same benefits as others. And it was even more daunting 20 years ago, when there was less documentation and evidence as to the benefits of cloud solutions.

Today, however, San Mateo has been using Finance Enterprise by CentralSquare for 20+ years. They have roughly 400 Finance Enterprise users supporting over 6,000 employees. And they have discovered the benefits of CentralSquare cloud solutions firsthand:

• Disaster Recovery: Cloud services provide robust disaster recovery solutions, ensuring data integrity and service continuity without on-site infrastructure.
• Staffing Advantages: Cloud computing reduces the need for specialized IT staff by offloading maintenance and updates to the cloud provider.
• Always Current: Cloud platforms automatically update to the latest software versions, ensuring access to new features and enhanced security without manual intervention.
• Advanced Security: Cloud providers invest in advanced security measures that often surpass on-prem security capabilities.
• Easy Implementation: Deploying cloud solutions is typically quicker and less complex than hardware installations, which minimizes disruption and upfront costs.
• Scalability: Cloud solutions can easily scale resources up or down based on demand, accommodating growth without the need for physical infrastructure expansion.
• Simple Maintenance: Maintenance of cloud systems is handled by the provider, reducing the workload on local IT teams and lowering operational costs.

Watch the San Mateo County webinar today to learn how they’re thriving in the cloud.

Benefits of Cloud-Based Community Development Solutions for Local Governments

Cloud-based solutions are becoming more integral to the public sector, where many departments are experiencing hiring and retention crises. Limited staffing and resources have forced many government agencies to cut down on services or compromise on service quality.

Community development is no exception. These departments manage essential functions such as land use, property development, and maintaining infrastructure, which directly impact the safety and attractiveness of the community. As populations increase and housing becomes less affordable, the pressure on these departments grows. Tasks like enforcing building codes, processing permits, and upgrading infrastructure require substantial resources that are often in short supply.

Traditionally, local governments have managed land use, zoning, permitting, etc. with on-prem systems that require extensive IT infrastructure, regular maintenance, and significant staffing. In contrast, cloud-based solutions reduce the IT burden by hosting data and software on remote servers. These solutions come with a myriad of benefits:

• Scalability: Easily scale (add more users, manage larger datasets, and integrate more services, etc.) to accommodate increased demand without the need for physical hardware upgrades.
• Flexibility: Empower your team to access and update data from various locations, including remote sites or while in the field. Conduct on-site inspections and update planning documents in real-time.

• Cost Savings: Reduce the need for on-premise servers, IT staff, maintenance, upgrades, etc. Not only does this lower your initial capital expenditure, it also decreases ongoing operational costs.

• Efficiency: Automate project workflows to save time on administrative tasks and focus your attention elsewhere, like strategic planning and service delivery. 

The transition to cloud-based community development software is more than a trend. It’s a strategic move towards more efficient, secure and collaborative community planning. Read the full article to dive deeper into the benefits of community development software. 

Public Sector Grant Landscape Overview and Free Grant Assistance

Government agencies today struggle with retaining employees and filling open jobs. With the right cloud-based software, your agency can reduce costs and do more with less resources. Most cloud solutions follow a subscription payment model, making budgeting easier year-to-year. Although the cost is often less than on-prem systems, there is still a cost. 

Fortunately, there are over $600 billion in grants available annually, and many grants can be used to pay for cloud-based solutions. 

Applying for grants, however, is not without challenges. It involves a detailed process that includes finding appropriate grants, crafting data-driven proposals, and competing with other organizations for the funds. Once awarded, managing these funds requires strict adherence to grant requirements to ensure compliance and avoid penalties.

Grants are designed to fund projects that improve your community. They are not loans and require no repayment, but they often come with reporting and matching requirements. 

Tools and resources are available to help navigate the grant application process, from databases like Grants.gov to specialized software that aids in proposal writing. CentralSquare offers a free Grant Assistance Program that provides access to these tools and expert advice. Watch this webinar or read this article to learn more about free grant assistance.

AI Solutions for Staffing Challenges in Dispatch Centers

Each year, around 240 million calls are made to emergency call centers, but not all are emergencies. Many are administrative or non-emergency calls, which can overwhelm dispatchers and detract from true emergencies. 

Due to understaffing and the nature of the job, dispatchers often face stress, burnout, and job dissatisfaction. In fact, 82% of PSAPs reported staffing difficulties in 2024.

AI technology offers a promising solution to this issue. AI systems, like Amazon Connect, can handle non-emergency calls efficiently, allowing human dispatchers to focus on more critical calls. Amazon Connect uses natural language processing to answer inquiries automatically, route calls appropriately, and provide self-service options – thus reducing the load on human operators.

There are many benefits to integrating AI into your call-handling system:

• It increases operational efficiency by handling multiple calls simultaneously and minimizing human error. 
• It cuts costs by reducing the need for extensive human resources, especially during off-hours or peak times. 
• AI can scale according to the volume and type of service requests without the need for significant infrastructure changes.

The ECC in Charleston County, SC uses Amazon Connect to handle non-emergency calls. Within seven months of implementing the system, the volume of calls to the administrative line decreased by 36%. The only potential challenge is that Amazon Connect lacks CAD/RMS integration. To take advantage of it, you’ll need a CAD and 911 call handling system that integrates with it.

CentralSquare is at the forefront of integrating AI in public safety operations with tools like CitizenLink AI. This system enhances non-emergency response capabilities, supports multilingual communication, and integrates with various public safety solutions.

Get Started Today

From Fitzgerald Water, Light and Bond Commission to San Mateo County, government agencies across the US have benefited from cloud-based solutions like CentralSquare.

CentralSquare serves the public sector with advanced cloud software that was built for the specific needs of public administrators. We have solutions for community development, asset management, citizen engagement, utility billing and much more. Schedule a discovery call today to learn how CentralSquare can benefit your agency.