Ada County Highway District wins national smart community technology award

The Ada County Highway District is one of seven organizations and individuals nationwide to receive a 2026 ENGAGE Award from CentralSquare Technologies, a public sector software company headquartered in Lake Mary, Florida.

ACHD received the Smart Community Award at CentralSquare’s annual ENGAGE conference, held March 15-18 in Washington, D.C. The award recognizes the district’s work transforming how it communicates, plans and delivers development services across the Boise region.

Guided by its “Build Together” initiative, ACHD implemented CentralSquare COMMDEV and Laserfiche software to automate permitting and impact fee processes. The move reduced errors, eliminated incomplete submissions, and helped protect critical infrastructure funding while improving overall service delivery.

More than 1,400 government and public safety leaders from across the United States attended the conference, which focused on practical strategies including cloud technology, workflow automation, artificial intelligence and workforce challenges.

“We’re proud to celebrate the heroes who protect, serve, and strengthen their communities across the country,” said Manolis Kotzabasakis, CEO of CentralSquare. “These organizations and individuals exemplify the dedication, innovation, and leadership that move the public sector forward and make a meaningful difference every day.”

Other 2026 ENGAGE Award winners include the City of Tarpon Springs, Florida, for Excellence in Resourcefulness; the City of Punta Gorda, Florida., for Innovation Excellence; Russ St. Myers of South Metro, Colorado, for Smart Safety; the South Dakota Public Safety User Group for User Group of the Year; Dan Hyman, chief of police at the Ramapo Police Department in New York, for Citizen Experience; and Brunswick County Emergency Communications Center in North Carolina for Exemplary Service in 911.

In recognition of the honorees, CentralSquare donated to the Travis Mills Foundation. Mills, a retired U.S. Army staff sergeant, delivered the conference keynote address.

This story was written using artificial intelligence with human oversight.