Latest news with #OpenGov
CBS News
28-05-2025
- Business
- CBS News
Lauderdale Lakes criticizes couple facing 6-figure fines for code compliance violations caused by inspection delays
City leaders defended code compliance staff after hearing complaints about six-figure fines caused by inspection delays. "The suggestion that the city has acted improperly, has (dragged) its feet or slowed the process: not with respect to the Bordeauxs," City Attorney Sidney Calloway said at the end of Tuesday's City Commission meeting. Two weeks ago, CBS News Miami Investigates shared the complaints of Kenneth Bordeaux, 82, and his wife, Mildred, 80. They own a duplex that the couple rents. The income pays their bills and is also an asset they hope to pass to their family. However, the property faces $366,000 in liens from five violations, according to city records. Those violations included a broken window handle and a cracked electrical plate cover. The couple fixed the violations; however, it took more than 220 days for inspectors to verify those cures. The couple blamed code inspectors for the delays. "It's an absolute misrepresentation of the factual record," Calloway said during the meeting. The couple's nearly 450-page case file with the city's code compliance office has 20 violations that did not meet "minimum standards" for a dwelling, Calloway said. He said there is no evidence that staff caused delays and blamed the Bordeauxs for their months-long wait to meet compliance. Calloway also insisted the fines are justified and have nothing to do with a line in the city's adopted budget that projected a 161% increase in lien and fine collection while directing staff "...to seek strategies to reduce expenses and/or create new revenue opportunities." The Bordeauxs insist they fixed violations as quickly as they could and insist staff delays left them with a lien they cannot afford. Now, the couple is in a situation they struggle to believe. "It's going to put us both in a box," Kenneth Bordeaux said. One of the city's biggest taxpayers, Levy Realty Advisors, faces $740,000 worth of liens. Two weeks ago, their owners told CBS News Miami Investigates that staff delays caused fines to rise. The company's representatives, though, left Tuesday's meeting optimistic for two reasons. First, the city commissioners approved a deal to use OpenGov software to improve the efficiency of departments, including code compliance. Also, the city attorney invited Levy Realty Advisors and the Bordeauxs to meet with him about reducing how much they owe. Levy representatives plan to meet with the city attorney this week.
Associated Press
23-05-2025
- Business
- Associated Press
Deer Park, TX Lays the Groundwork for Smarter Maintenance with OpenGov
DEER PARK, TX, UNITED STATES, May 23, 2025 / / -- With staff relying on emails and spreadsheets to manage work orders and no centralized way to track time or tasks, Deer Park officials needed a more efficient, organized solution to take on their asset management operations. They found that solution in OpenGov, the leader in modern cloud software built for government operations. The City's Parks and Recreation Department had outgrown its manual processes, which made it difficult to keep up with maintenance tasks or understand how staff time was being spent. They prioritized a system that could automate maintenance scheduling, generate real-time reports, and digitize asset tracking for parks, trees, and facilities. OpenGov Enterprise Asset Management stood out for its powerful GIS integration, intuitive mobile interface, and the ability to centralize operations in one platform. With the implementation of OpenGov Enterprise Asset Management, the City is looking forward to a major operational transformation. The software will allow staff to manage requests digitally, monitor work progress in real time, and generate data-backed reports to help justify staffing and resource needs. In addition, supervisors will gain new tools to locate field staff and vehicles more efficiently, improving response times and day-to-day coordination. OpenGov is the leader in AI and ERP solutions for local and state governments in the U.S. 2,000 cities, counties, state agencies, school districts, and special districts rely on the OpenGov Public Service Platform to operate efficiently, adapt to change, and strengthen the public trust. Category-leading products include enterprise asset management, permitting and licensing, procurement and contract management, accounting and budgeting, billing and revenue management, and transparency and open data. These solutions come together in the OpenGov ERP, allowing public sector organizations to focus on priorities and deliver maximum ROI with every dollar and decision in sync. Learn about OpenGov's mission to power more effective and accountable government and the vision of high-performance government for every community at Peter Fudalej OpenGov email us here Legal Disclaimer: EIN Presswire provides this news content 'as is' without warranty of any kind. We do not accept any responsibility or liability for the accuracy, content, images, videos, licenses, completeness, legality, or reliability of the information contained in this article. If you have any complaints or copyright issues related to this article, kindly contact the author above.
Associated Press
23-05-2025
- Business
- Associated Press
Emerald Coast Utilities Authority, FL Modernizes Permit Reviews with OpenGov
EMERALD COAST UTILITIES AUTHORITY (ECUA), FL, UNITED STATES, May 23, 2025 / / -- Facing growing frustrations from applicants and the burdens of a highly manual system, the Emerald Coast Utilities Authority (ECUA) in Florida set out to find a more efficient way to manage its permitting process. The organization chose OpenGov, the leading software partner known for driving efficiency and improving transparency across local government operations. Based in Escambia County, ECUA provides critical water, wastewater, and sanitation services and was struggling with review delays, manual plan deliveries, and an over-reliance on outdated tools like Excel and Access. Leadership was seeking a solution that could offer electronic review integration, unlimited user access, and an online portal to reduce both staff workload and applicant complaints. OpenGov Permitting & Licensing stood out for its user-friendly interface, cost-effective pricing, and ability to support cross-department collaboration on a single platform. With the implementation of OpenGov Permitting & Licensing, ECUA anticipates faster turnaround times and improved visibility into every stage of the permitting process. The team looks forward to automating reviews through direct Bluebeam integration and gaining access to a centralized dashboard to track applications in real time. Just as important, unlimited user access will allow departments to work simultaneously without bottlenecks, ensuring a smoother experience for both staff and residents. OpenGov is the leader in AI and ERP solutions for local and state governments in the U.S. 2,000 cities, counties, state agencies, school districts, and special districts rely on the OpenGov Public Service Platform to operate efficiently, adapt to change, and strengthen the public trust. Category-leading products include enterprise asset management, permitting and licensing, procurement and contract management, accounting and budgeting, billing and revenue management, and transparency and open data. These solutions come together in the OpenGov ERP, allowing public sector organizations to focus on priorities and deliver maximum ROI with every dollar and decision in sync. Learn about OpenGov's mission to power more effective and accountable government and the vision of high-performance government for every community at Peter Fudalej OpenGov email us here Legal Disclaimer: EIN Presswire provides this news content 'as is' without warranty of any kind. We do not accept any responsibility or liability for the accuracy, content, images, videos, licenses, completeness, legality, or reliability of the information contained in this article. If you have any complaints or copyright issues related to this article, kindly contact the author above.
Associated Press
23-05-2025
- Business
- Associated Press
Durango Fire & Rescue Brings Permit Processing Online with OpenGov
DURANGO, CA, UNITED STATES, May 23, 2025 / / -- Burdened by paper-based fire, special events permitting, and an inefficient email-and-spreadsheet tracking process, Durango Fire & Rescue in Colorado sought a more intuitive and transparent system. The District found its answer in OpenGov, the leading provider of modern, cloud-based software built to meet the unique needs of local government agencies. Serving the City of Durango and areas of La Plata and San Juan Counties, the District faced challenges with fragmented systems, limited GIS address integration, and no centralized portal for applicants or staff. Leaders needed a user-friendly, no-code platform that could support online submissions, improve internal coordination, and provide applicants with real-time status updates. OpenGov Permitting & Licensing stood out for its intuitive configuration, seamless integration with inspection workflows, and ability to handle cross-jurisdictional permits. With the launch of OpenGov Permitting & Licensing, the District looks forward to improving both staff efficiency and customer experience. Applicants will now be able to submit permit requests online, check status updates, and receive communications automatically—all from a single portal. Internally, inspectors will gain mobile access to plans and permits in the field, while staff benefit from increased visibility into approvals, timelines, and payment tracking. OpenGov is the leader in AI and ERP solutions for local and state governments in the U.S. 2,000 cities, counties, state agencies, school districts, and special districts rely on the OpenGov Public Service Platform to operate efficiently, adapt to change, and strengthen the public trust. Category-leading products include enterprise asset management, permitting and licensing, procurement and contract management, accounting and budgeting, billing and revenue management, and transparency and open data. These solutions come together in the OpenGov ERP, allowing public sector organizations to focus on priorities and deliver maximum ROI with every dollar and decision in sync. Learn about OpenGov's mission to power more effective and accountable government and the vision of high-performance government for every community at Peter Fudalej OpenGov email us here Legal Disclaimer: EIN Presswire provides this news content 'as is' without warranty of any kind. We do not accept any responsibility or liability for the accuracy, content, images, videos, licenses, completeness, legality, or reliability of the information contained in this article. If you have any complaints or copyright issues related to this article, kindly contact the author above.
Yahoo
15-05-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Scranton improves its pave-cut rules for better monitoring, oversight
Scranton has revamped its pave-cut rules for better oversight of restoration of utility excavations in roads, the mayor announced Tuesday. Earlier this year, Mayor Paige Gebhardt Cognetti proposed improvements to Scranton City Council in the city's street excavation and openings code, also known as the pave-cut ordinance. Amendments approved by council in April give the city new tools and regulations to improve the condition of roads, the announcement said. Improved standards and third-party accountability have become increasingly necessary as more companies that build infrastructure in Scranton do so by excavating roads to install lines and equipment, she said. For example, internet companies Comcast, Loop and Verizon each are working in the city to deliver fiber optic internet to residents. Since Jan. 1, Scranton has received more than 260 permit requests for street excavations, an average of almost two permits per day. 'I am extremely frustrated by the insufficient repair of Scranton's roads by outside groups this past winter. While we are excited about the high level of infrastructure improvement activity across the city, this work has to be done right. We are pressing these firms to repair our roads quickly and, most important, properly,' Cognetti said in the statement. 'The amendments to the pave-cut ordinance approved last month, plus diligent work by our project management team, help us track street openings through an improved permit process that holds companies responsible for restoring our roads.' Previously, the city used a decentralized paper permit system for street excavations. The city in December approved prior updates to the pave-cut ordinance and a contract with a third-party engineering firm to do pave-cut inspections. Changes under the latest amendment include: • The permit process has been moved online into a system called OpenGov, which provides greater ability to track pave cuts, receive payments and flag problems for repairs. • Pavement restoration must meet the state Department of Transportation standards. • Traffic control, safety personnel and coordination of road closures with the Lackawanna County Emergency Communication Center. • A new, color-coded asphalt tag based on type of utility work performed. • Added inspections occurring before excavation, during the work and after restoration. • Late fees and the ability to issue quality-of-life tickets through Scranton's Code Enforcement Office for violations. • Permits required within 24 hours after emergency work, so the city can track restoration results going forward. Members of the administration also detailed the improvements to council in a council caucus Tuesday. 'I'm thrilled that the amended ordinance … puts more of you involved and there's more tracking and there's more oversight,' Councilman Mark McAndrew said during the caucus. He has noticed inconsistent sealing of pave-cut restorations, with some having been done over a year ago. 'So who's watching that now?' he asked. City Business Administrator Eileen Cipriani said the city also reviews the Pennsylvania One Call system, also known as PA One Call, which requires contractors and homeowners to call 811 at least three business days before starting any digging or excavation project. 'We're going back through the historic 'PA One Calls' and that's how we're identifying who was the utility that was involved. Then we reach out to the utility to have them address this issue,' Cipriani said. Cognetti said her administration also has made strides in collaborating with utilities by continuing monthly meetings and developing stronger communications. The Pennsylvania Public Utility Commission also is monitoring for mischaracterized emergency work across the state, which adds another layer to Scranton's enforcement, the announcement said.
