• Posted On: September 08, 2020

On-premise or cloud-based solution? This is a question facing many public agencies when looking to upgrade technology. Utilizing cloud-based technology reduces maintenance costs and allows for automated updates. But what about security, redundancy, and other infrastructure needs? Is going cloud-based really a safe option? Comcate has invested in having our software hosted on Amazon’s GovCloud […]

• Posted On: September 01, 2020

Is your agency working from home, partially from home, or back in the office? This is a difficult decision that many agencies have faced during this pandemic. And each choice comes with its own challenges. Some agencies decided to work from home since that was easier than dealing with the CDC guidelines, but that also […]

• Posted On: August 27, 2020

When a key employee leaves the organization, this can have a bigger impact on the staff and management left behind than may be initially realized.  This is especially true in smaller agencies where the employee may have been wearing multiple hats and is the only one with key information in certain areas.  Standard operating procedures, […]

• Posted On: August 19, 2020

Capturing historical code enforcement activities is valuable to allow officers to understand patterns with repeat violators and specific properties. This in turn allows the officers to take modified actions earlier, reducing the time and effort to abate to bring the issue into compliance. This results in an increased compliance and return to the agency.   Maintaining […]

• Posted On: August 12, 2020

Public agencies have limited resources and allocating resources effectively is a fundamental strategic objective. Since frequent violators take more agency resources, it is important to be able to efficiently work through this issue.  Comcate provides tools to manage frequent violators through software for a variety of public agency programs including code enforcement, animal control, citizen […]

• Posted On: August 04, 2020

With constant technological improvements, it is worth taking a look at what is on the market to help make yourself and staff more efficient.  One way to do this is through system integrations to help simplify workflow and automate tasks.  Comcate is committed to automating routine activities with technology.  One recent integration highlights this focus. […]

• Posted On: July 30, 2020

Code enforcement is focused on the prevention, detection, investigation, and enforcement of violations of statutes or ordinances regulating public health, safety, and welfare, public works, business activities and consumer protection, building standards, land-use, or municipal affairs. Because of the amount of responsibility of code enforcement officers, standardizing comply by dates by violation type and severity […]

• Posted On: July 23, 2020

When a violation is verified, the best practice is to establish a comply by date.  The comply by date is based on agency policies. Some agencies apply the same period for all violations, and for other agencies, it varies depending on the violation. When setting the comply by date, there are several items to consider: […]

• Posted On: July 15, 2020

Proper documentation is key for code enforcement notices, including capturing the violation with photographs. But with code enforcement already so busy, why should you spend time taking photos and what should you keep in mind while taking them? There are several reasons why taking violation photos is important: Proves the violation is real and exists […]

• Posted On: July 09, 2020

Code enforcement deals with lots of paperwork since the daily routine involves giving notices to violators. This happens even more when dealing with those that don’t address the violation after the first notice and with repeat offenders.  Comcate gives users the ability to create and deliver notices easier than ever before while automating paperwork. This […]

• Posted On: June 26, 2020

In today’s busy society, it is important to make sure you effectively document your case information and activities as this helps both you and the affected party understand more about the case and provides details if you need to escalate and move to a forced abatement activity.   Effective case documentation should include the following: Providing […]

• Posted On: June 18, 2020

The role of code enforcement officers has significantly expanded in recent years.  The housing boom has brought a time of foreclosed and vacant properties.  Because of this, code enforcement officers have had to spend a great deal of time addressing property maintenance and housing code violations at these properties.  How well the CE officers perform […]

• Posted On: June 11, 2020

This year has resulted in a record number of job losses, even in the state and local government sector with 981,000 lost in April and another 487,000 in May. What does this mean for agencies who are tasked with still having to do the same amount of work but with less hands to help? Using […]

• Posted On: June 05, 2020

As communities around the country deal with protests and riots, keeping citizens informed has become even more important.  Whether you need to alert citizens of curfews, request the help of citizens to report riots and looting, or provide access to FAQs, Comcate supports government agencies with our citizen engagement solution. The citizen engagement application provides a […]

• Posted On: June 04, 2020

The events over the last couple of months have found many of us educating ourselves about racial inequality, asking tough questions, and taking action to make a difference. Several organizations such as UNICEF, Equal Justice Initiative, ICMA, and others are sharing ideas on how to get involved and address this issue in a productive and […]

• Posted On: May 26, 2020

Memorial Day is the unofficial kickoff to summer – pools opening, fireworks displays, festivals, and more. But due to COVID-19, the typical Memorial Day weekend was not seen across the country. As state and local agencies make difficult decisions on what should be held normally, modified, or canceled all together, here are some things to […]

• Posted On: May 19, 2020

There is no denying that small businesses have been hurt during this pandemic.  But there are ways you can support your local business owners by helping them reshape their economic development strategies as shared by ICMA. Know the guidelines and set consumer expectations. Work with your economic development staff, a health and safety expert, your […]

• Posted On: May 08, 2020

As the country slowly starts to reopen, making sure you enforce non-essential businesses that are attempting to operate earlier than allowed or essential businesses that are open who are not following social distancing protocols is important. For those agencies who are proactively visiting businesses before allowing them to open up their doors, code enforcement software […]

• Posted On: April 30, 2020

As governors across the country come up with plans on when and how to reopen communities, it is important to plan for anything that may arise. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the Federal Emergency Management Agency, and other government officials have provided draft guidance to Washington to combat the coronavirus and reopen parts […]

• Posted On: September 15, 2020

Switching technologies can seem like a daunting task. However, it doesn’t have to be. Keep in mind there is a reason why the switch is happening and what the end goal will bring you. Here are some best practices when switching technologies: Define the specific goals you want to accomplish with the change Establish clear […]

• Posted On: September 15, 2020

Strengthening the citizen engagement in your community includes receiving more feedback and increasing dialogue with your citizens to help get more commitment from your community. This can increase the likelihood that projects or solutions will be more widely accepted. There are additional benefits to creating a strong citizen engagement process: Allows you to see differing […]

• Posted On: September 14, 2020

The year 2020 has been unlike any other year we have experienced and has stressed the importance of a flexible work environment. Comcate understands what public agencies need after working with them for 20 years and has made the investment to update two of our main product offerings – Code Manager and Citizen Engagement. What […]