Quick Hit News

  • Fairlawn, OH, is deploying connected-vehicle and signal-priority technology along a busy corridor to give priority to emergency vehicles, buses, and snowplows, along with an app for motorists, cyclists, and pedestrians to receive alerts. Read →

  • Long Beach, CA, is launching public workshops starting October 8th that will teach residents AI, cybersecurity, and digital skills to enhance digital inclusion and awareness. Read →

  • New York, NY, is launching an International Landing Pad Network to attract growth‐stage international AI and tech companies via selected operator programs, business development support, and investment connections. Read →

Community Spotlight 

Jim Pennan Warren, Mayor of Cedar Park: Building a Downtown from Scratch

Cedar Park Mayor Jim Pennan Warren is leading one of the most ambitious city- building efforts in Texas: creating a downtown where none existed before. The Bell District, anchored by a striking new public library, is transforming what was once ranch land into a civic heart designed for connection, culture, and community life.

In just its first six months, the library has drawn over 500,000 visitors, becoming a regional destination for families and knowledge workers alike. The building blends playful design with practical features: childrenʼs learning zones, conference rooms open to residents, and spaces for community groups to gather. The library has already hosted farmersʼ markets, green-space concerts, and a steady stream of daily programming for all ages, making it the cityʼs de facto front porch.

The surrounding Bell District is envisioned as a mixed-use neighborhood that will eventually include housing, restaurants, offices, and public art. The city partnered with master developer RedLeaf to guide the long-term buildout, which has been over a decade in planning and will continue for several more years. Early phases have focused on establishing identity and public trust: the city relocated a major highway to create space, preserved trees on-site and milled them into interior finishes, and involved residents from the earliest visioning sessions to shape what they wanted their downtown to be.

Warren sees the district as central to Cedar Parkʼs economic and social future. The city sits just outside Austin and has grown rapidly with an influx of tech workers from companies like Apple and Meta. The Bell District offers the kind of walkable, vibrant hub that helps retain talent, attract young residents, and give families a reason to stay rooted. Housing will include a mix of apartments, townhomes, and senior living, while the cityʼs former library is being repurposed into a flexible community center. By giving residents a shared place to gather, celebrate, and see themselves reflected in their city, Cedar Park is building more than a downtown.

Resources & Events

📅 New York / New Jersey Higher Education IT Leadership Summit 2025 (Newark, NJ October 15, 2025)

A one-day summit where senior IT and institutional leaders from New York & New Jersey colleges and universities come together to share strategies on modernizing systems, aligning AI & data use with mission, strengthening cybersecurity and talent pipelines, and rethinking legacy infrastructure. Details →

📅 Arizona CIO/CTO Forum (Phoenix, AZ  October 21, 2025)

A gathering of Arizonaʼs top technology and digital leaders from state agencies to discuss emerging trends, strategic tech planning, AI governance, cybersecurity, and collaboration to improve public services and infrastructure. Details →

📊 Report Spotlight: Strong Data Practices Support Decision-Making and AI Adoption (Center for Digital Government, 2025)

This report drills into what state & local agencies need to do to effectively use data to support decisions, scale AI responsibly, and ensure governance and policies are in place. Read →

Insight of the Week

Many governments are still moving on backend modernization (data lakes, unified data sharing, cloud-native infrastructure), but citizen trust is lagging. Nearly half of U.S. residents say theyʼre uncomfortable with agencies using AI for public

services. Efforts to improve transparency, data governance, privacy protections, and human oversight are now becoming just as important as the technical work.

For the Commute

Cyber-resilience, Fostering Skills Development and Supporting Diversity  Stephen Woodsˮ (Public Sector Podcast, Episode 151)

Join Stephen Woods as he explores three pillars shaping modern public sector work: enhancing cyber-resilience in the face of evolving threats, broadening skills development to build future-ready teams, and reinforcing diversity.

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