NLC COVID-19 Update: Confronting Our New Normal this Fall

LEADERSHIP UPDATE

Colleagues,

Happy September! Much like this summer, fall will bring new challenges and opportunities as we continue to confront our new normal. As many of us are sending our children back to school virtually, colleges are navigating how to hold classes, and civil unrest continues to persist, it is clear that our communities are adapting to unprecedented circumstances – and we need help.

We are still pushing Congress to act. Months of federal inaction has strained local government beyond its breaking point. Before local governments can begin to rebuild our economies, we need the resources to get back on our feet. With the election approaching, we need to make sure politicians keep in mind the level of government that has been on the front lines since the beginning – local government.

We’re still fighting for you. NLC is dedicated to adapting right along with you, providing new resources and research.

Sending you strength,

Joe Buscaino
President,
National League of Cities
President Pro Tempore, Los Angeles City Council

RESOURCES

UPCOMING EVENTS

WEBINAR: US Mayors Roundtable: Our Fight to Economic Recovery | Thursday, Sept. 17, 2 pm CT/3:00 pm ET
Join Mayor Stephen Benjamin of Columbia, SC as he hosts a conversation with Mayor Francis Suarez of Miami, FL and Mayor Latoya Cantrell of New Orleans, LA about how their cities are responding to COVID-19 and working towards economic recovery in the midst of the pandemic. Space is limited. Register now.

OPPORTUNITIES

New Resource from Societal Experts Action Network (SEAN) of the National Academies of Science, Engineering and Medicine
Access a new online resource to help decision makers in local governments increase participation and cooperation in contact tracing from the Societal Experts Action Network (SEAN) of the National Academies of Science, Engineering and Medicine. Based on survey research, strategies include providing advance notice, partnering with trusted sources, offering incentives, and developing messages that appeal to people’s motivations. Download here.

BEST PRACTICES

How Cities Can Help Bring COVID-19 Financial Relief to Residents
NLC has highlighted ways that municipalities can lift up the awareness of the CARES Act funding for black communities and overall, but the data shows more work needs to be done. Are your residents among the estimated twelve million people in the United States who did not receive their stimulus relief? Read more.

Looking Beyond the Crisis: Helping Governments Navigate a COVID-19 Surge
The reopening journey differs for every region in our country. NLC partner Accela has put together five “check-in” points for elected and appointed officials to help stem the tide of the coronavirus. Read more.

Three Keys to Speed in Government Service
If operating a business during a pandemic has taught us anything, it’s that speed matters, and speed of services, therefore, has become the lynchpin between being able to stand up services quickly, or completely clipping an agency’s ability to provide what is most needed to keep a community humming. Read more.

IN THE NEWS

Local Governments Have Embraced New Technology to Weather the Pandemic, Survey Finds
Route Fifty – August 31, 2020

The rocky road ahead: How will COVID-19 affect America’s already-questionable infrastructure?
IWCE’s Urgent Communications – August 27, 2020