Last week saw plenty of new conversations and helpful resources for local government professionals on the Knowledge Network. Check out some of the highlights below.

Many new questions last week focused on a few categories:

Emergency Management

• What’s the first thing to do when FEMA declares a disaster area?
• How do you get information to the community during a power outage?

Police

• How should the police department counteract lost productivity when an officer is injured?
• With the Crown Vic gone, what’s the next best police car?

Personnel

• What’s the best way for an MPA grad to break into local government?
• Have you used a 360-degree evaluation tool for employee evaluations?
• Do you incorporate personality assessments in professional development?
• Do you continue to provide benefits to elected officials once they leave office?

Check out the latest blog posts on a wide range of topics:

• How sustainable development is different in Paraguay (Sustainable Communities)
• Using mobile phones to improve water and sanitation conditions (CityLinks)
• Trends in state and local employee compensation (Government Affairs & Public Policy)
• Information on municipal bankruptcy protection (Alex Brown)
• How local government professionals interact online (Joshua Rauch)

Finally, don't miss the new documents added to the Knowledge Network's resource library. The Town of Danville, California shared two resources to help citizens understand their local government: the 2012/13 budget-in-brief and capital improvement program in brief. You can also download a new case study on the Port of Houston’s efforts to decrease medical costs through employee wellness initiatives.

Coming to the 2012 ICMA Annual Conference in Phoenix/Maricopa County? Join the ICMA Annual Conference Group on the Knowledge Network to connect with other attendees and keep up with the latest announcements before you arrive!