The Sacramento Municipal Utility District, affectionately known as SMUD, is a power generation company, distribution, and a retail outlet to their 650K customers in the Sacramento County area.  On this episode of The Districts, CIO Stephen Clemons talks about how SMUD’s operations and use of technology as it relates to solar, distributed energy resources, and its increased visibility into the grid.  From payment options, to elevating the customer service experience, to working with customers’ IoT devices to help save energy, all have contributed to an increase customer satisfaction.  SMUD has implemented a retail outlet, offering thermostats, light bulbs, water conservation and more, that has generated $1M in revenue in its first 3 months, a testimony of the brand.  Devon Winthrop, AT&T Principal Architect, talks about how drones with AI and machine learning, utilizing LTE, are changing the way public utilities do business in the field. Guests: SMUD CIO Stephen Clemons and AT&T Public Sector’s Devon Winthrop

The Districts

Sacramento Municipal Utility District (SMUD)

 On this episode of TheDistricts, we enjoy the arrival of spring with a visit to the Naperville Park District in Illinois. IT Director Omar Sandoval tours us through a community-focused, wi-fi connected parks system across a city within a city.  Also on this episode, Bahadir (Baha) Koseli, the Lead Business Development Manager with Internet of Things – Fleet Solutions at AT&T Business, sees opportunities for IoT in parks or any place where there are end points sharing data for improving efficiencies and saving money.   

Naperville Parks District

The Long Road to Autonomous Mobility On this episode, we take a trip into the future with the Contra Costa Transportation Authority. Executive Director Randy Iwasaki, a Special Districts award winner, goes in depth on the strategy to bridge the first and last miles with new mobility options - including autonomous vehicles of all shapes and sizes. CCTA's closed track testing facility replicates real-world streets to help autonomous vehicles learn about how humans act, and help investigators learn how to adapt new mobility options to solve long standing problems. Iwasaki, an owner of a '57 Chevy, also reflects on how old cars fit into new mobility options. Also on this episode, Bahadir (Baha) Koseli, the Lead Business Development Manager with Internet of Things – Fleet Solutions at AT&T Business, discusses VisionZero, a global initiative to eliminate traffic deaths. Learn more about the Special Districts program at govtech.com/districts

012 The Long Road to Autonomous Mobility with the Contra Costa Transportation Authority (CCTA_

The Atlanta Housing Authority exists to provide affordable shelter to city residents in need. It still administers housing ventures but it is now a major player in area real estate, providing affordable housing and a full suite of wrap-around services.  Authority CIO Dr. Mark Campbell faces hard choice about what it needs to do – and what it needs to stop doing – as it works to stay ahead of demand. Coming off a successful mobility initiative, Campbell is now looking at network and security on one hand and an agency app and chatbots on the other. Campbell says the build out of an infrastructure it can grow into, the Authority is guided by Agile Scrum, a framework for managing processes. We also hear from Don Parente, Assistant Vice President of Engineering and Architecture for AT&T Public Sector, on taking advantage of cost curves when standing up new networks to support the Internet of Things. Connect with The Special Districts, a program of AT&T and Government Technology, at www.govtech.com/districts

011 Atlanta Housing Authority Pushes Limits to Stay Ahead of Demand

The 240-mile Ohio Turnpike connects the east coast to the midwest and is a magnet for summer travel. It has also become a test-bed for connected vehicles and automated customer service. Brian Kelley, CIO for the Ohio Turnpike and Infrastructure Commission, talks through the pilot projects that are pointing the way to the turnpike's future. Also, AT&T's Bob Zapotocky provides his perspective on the intersection of special districts and the Internet of Things.

010 Drive This! The Ohio Turnpike, Traffic, and Technology

South Central Texas is home to the San Antonio Water System (SAWS), recognized as a world-leading water utilities for its track record for innovation and conservation.  The agency's business model is to encourage customers to use less of its product while maintaining necessary revenue levels - and it works.    Sree Pulapaka, a veteran of serving in senior positions in three Special Districts, is SAWS' Vice President of Information Systems.  He is our guest on this episode, detailing SAWS approach to core and emerging technologies, while keeping it all secure.  We also hear from DuWayne Aikins, Principle Architect, SLED Gulf States Region, with AT&T Public Sector on cybersecurity.

009 It's The Water: Getting to Know the San Antonio Water System

This extended play episode of the podcast is a companion to the special report, Building a New Community for Special Districts, that harvests the key lessons harvested during the first year of the Special Districts program.  With special guest Steve Towns, the editor who authored the report, we recount our favorite stories of how Special Districts are fulfilling their missions and creating better customer experiences through the smart use of infrastructure and data while protecting vital public assets through disciplined cybersecurity measures.  Patrick Robinson, a Systems Security Certified Practitioners with AT&T Public Sector, also guests.

008 Building a New Community for Special Districts

We wrap up the year with Scott C. Carroll, the General Manager of the Costa Mesa, CA Sanitary District (CMSD).  We talk to him about his take on innovation ("If its not broke, break it") and his world of 2s - 2-2 man crews, 2 trucks, 2 tablets and 220 miles of sewer lines.  And, of course, his fondness for getting to edge of the cliff.

007 "Being the First One Off the Cliff" - Costa Mesa, CA Sanitary District (CMSD)

On this episode, a return visit to the Lower Colorado River Authority (LCRA) with CAO John Miri. We discuss staying on mission in a world of opportunity (and distraction), the latitude to innovate in (relative) obscurity, and a sense of what the future of flood alerting could look like. Think Akito.

006 Staying on mission and innovating at the edges at the Lower Colorado River Authority

We like to flush and forget.  But the infrastructure that takes all of that away is the legacy of sanitary sewer systems, the urban innovation that made cities possible. Clay Campbell, Administrative Services Director, at the Downers Grove Sanitary District, thinks about this stuff a lot.  From teaching the history of sanitary sewers in schools, using technology to improve the customer and board member experience, and taking a cue from Jeff Bezos, that it will always be Day 1 at the district - meaning that it will never stop acting like a startup.  You'll find Downers Grove online and on social media.

005 Downers Grove: Building on the greatest urban innovation of the 20th Century to Create Next Gen Citizen Experience

As the Huron-Clinton Metroparks approaches its 75th anniversary, it is working to futureproof its 13 park regional system - beginning by lighting up its parks with broadband wifi to anticipate the demand by millennial visitors and their kids.  Metroparks CIO Robert Rudolph is our guest on this episode.      

004 Lighting Up Parks: Broadband and the Huron-Clinton Metroparks of Michigan

Joe Iannello, CIO at the Capital Metropolitan Transportation Authority (Capital Metro), joins Bob, Dustin and Bob to discuss innovation in public transportation.  In getting to better know a special district, Iannello talks through how the agency's strategy works itself out through a pair of transit-on-demand apps, a streamlined process for proving ideas through demonstration agreements, and the prospect of autonomous buses.     

003 Better Know a Special District: Capital Metro

On the eve of a Special Districts road trip to Detroit and Houston, we meet Bob Graves who is not only part of the ensemble cast of The Districts podcast but the "animating figure" of the Special Districts program as a whole.  Bob, Dustin Haisler and Paul Taylor go deep on the program and its purpose.  Plus we found an excuse to play a little vintage ZZ Top.

002 Detroit and Houston or Bust

The Districts debuts with a visit to Austin, TX and insights on innovation with John Miri, Chief Administrative Officer of the Lower Colorado River Authority (LCRA).  Plus, an introduction of the Special Districts program - including a call for nominations for its leadership awards program.

001 Debut Episode: innovation in the Special Districts

The Districts is a conversation with the leaders of Special Districts, 38,000 strong and growing. The podcast and the namesake program it supports are produced by Government Technology and sponsored by AT&T, which imagined a program for the 38K special districts to connect, share and learn about IT innovation. Join the conversation - at govtech.com/districts

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The Districts

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