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News & Insights

Here you’ll find the latest news and information about Keystone Municipal Solutions, along with timely and informative viewpoints from some of our KMS local government experts. Interested in learning more about a topic we’ve discussed here, or have an interesting local government issue you think we should touch on? Let us know! Drop us a line at info@keystonemunicipalsolutions.com. We want to hear from you!

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The Benefits of a Good Employee Handbook

May 24, 20232 min read

The Benefits of a Good Employee Handbook

Let me be clear from the very beginning of this post that I have no formal legal training and I recommend that any questions on this...

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Could You Be the Boss’s Boss?

May 10, 20232 min read

Could You Be the Boss’s Boss?

It seems that getting residents to run for local government elected office is becoming more and more difficult. Civic duty is no longer a...

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Time For an Upgrade

Apr 26, 20232 min read

Time For an Upgrade

With the winter season now in your rearview mirror, you have undoubtedly calculated the savings you experienced from very mild snow...

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Scouting for A New Project

Apr 12, 20233 min read

Scouting for A New Project

One thing that I have learned during my tenure as a municipal manager is that you can’t reflect very long on past accomplishments. Local...

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Your Professional Team

Mar 29, 20233 min read

Your Professional Team

The 1992 presidential race introduced us to a truly unique candidate. Texas-born and bred Ross Perot and his distinctive accent and...

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If You Do For One, You Do For All

Mar 16, 20233 min read

If You Do For One, You Do For All

As an experienced municipal manager, I felt my duty was to educate newly elected council members on the nuances of their local government...

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The Zoning Officer

Feb 22, 20233 min read

The Zoning Officer

One of the many important members of a municipal team is the person overseeing the zoning department. If you open up your laptop and...

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Revenue Stream

Feb 8, 20233 min read

Revenue Stream

One of the most important aspects of a municipal government is the flow of money into the budget coffers, referred to as the revenue...

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Audit Time

Jan 25, 20232 min read

Audit Time

Those of us who have spent some time in local government know January is "Auditor" time. The group of "number nerds" who love to read...

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Water Works

Jan 11, 20233 min read

Water Works

Public water service has been a hot topic on the national news front. Forgive this pun, but the "trickle-down effect" that has been...

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Challenges For the New Year

Dec 29, 20223 min read

Challenges For the New Year

A new year is upon us. Municipalities across the commonwealth will be reorganizing and strategically placing team members in leadership...

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Are You Doing Your Best?

Dec 14, 20223 min read

Are You Doing Your Best?

I oversaw a municipality for 23 years in the role of manager. While working late into the evening, I often asked myself if I was doing my...

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Just Like a Road, Local Government is Built from the Ground Up

Nov 30, 20223 min read

Just Like a Road, Local Government is Built from the Ground Up

Sometimes you just need to step back and take a hard look at things. It is pretty easy to get caught up in the “we’ve always done it that...

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One Way to Help Save the Volunteer Fire Department

Nov 9, 20222 min read

One Way to Help Save the Volunteer Fire Department

I'm willing to bet that nearly every volunteer fire department has the exact same set of primary problems, decreasing membership and a...

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I Always Wanted to Work There

Oct 26, 20223 min read

I Always Wanted to Work There

Well, who would have thought that local government would ever have a problem filling positions? I can recall the days when getting a job...

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It’s My Party

Oct 12, 20222 min read

It’s My Party

Lesley Gore sang “It’s My Party” back in 1963, and even though Democrat John F. Kennedy was riding high as our president, I'm pretty sure...

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When the Worst Happens

Sep 28, 20222 min read

When the Worst Happens

As appointed guardians of a municipal operation, managers and administrators are held to a higher standard than other business...

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Size Doesn’t Matter in Local Government

Sep 14, 20223 min read

Size Doesn’t Matter in Local Government

A recent edition of the "PSATS Morning News" provided some interesting factoids that enlightened me as to the general make-up of...

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Minutes Not Hours

Aug 31, 20224 min read

Minutes Not Hours

One of the most important jobs of a municipal operation is the recording of the minutes from the various public meetings. These records...

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Rough Financial Waters Ahead?

Jul 27, 20223 min read

Rough Financial Waters Ahead?

The mere mention of Act 47 consideration can cause a municipality and its leadership team a great deal of stress. After all, it is the...

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