Officials said that improving their digital services also means figuring out which services people want to continue receiving in person.

City Chief Innovation Officer Denise Riedl said her team wants to “make it as easy as possible for residents to interact with government, in-person and digitally.”

One city leader said federal officials were surprised by the reduction of environmental impact offered at a low cost.

The health crisis has forced city officials to completely rethink they connect to their constituents, and to start experimenting with new engagement strategies.

The Indiana college town's former chief innovation officer, Santiago Garces, returned to run economic development after a stint leading Pittsburgh's IT efforts.

Attempting smart city innovation without buy-in from citizens and partnerships is futile, a panel of city and university IT leaders said.