Welcome to the latest issue of The Districts, where we chronicle the people, issues and activities impacting special districts across the U.S. News Staff / March 26, 2021 Our first Special Districts virtual event of 2021 focused on issues facing special district leaders as the nation recovers from the COVID-19 pandemic and charts a new course for the future. Our seven-member panel of special district officials and industry experts broke down key trends around disaster planning, leadership and strategy, technology modernization, and project funding. Here are some highlights from this important conversation: Districts must plan for more complex disaster scenarios: When intense winter weather crippled power and water service in Texas last month, special district leaders in the state faced multidimensional business continuity challenges. For example, call center agents for the San Antonio Water System were working remotely due to COVID when the storm knocked out power and water service to many of their homes. Although the lights stayed on at the water system’s onsite call center, remote agents couldn’t travel to the facility due to poor road conditions. Similar challenges struck the Houston Airport System, where home-based IT staff lost power and couldn’t return to offices. Leaders at both organizations say these experiences will shape future resiliency and disaster recovery planning.