Streamline Blog

Website accessibility is no longer just a best practice—it’s a legal requirement. Many special districts are finding themselves caught in unexpected and costly ADA compliance lawsuits. While website accessibility tools and widgets promise easy solutions, they often fall short, leaving districts vulnerable to legal challenges. Mac Clemmens, CEO of Streamline, has been actively involved in helping special districts navigate these challenges. Recently, he shared a real-world example of how one district faced an ADA lawsuit over a non-compliant website they were in the process of transitioning. They had invested in an accessibility widget, assuming they were covered, only to find that it failed to meet legal standards. With the help of expert legal counsel, they were able to reduce their settlement from $17,500 (originally demanded) to $5,000 to $2,500—but this case highlights an important lesson: automated accessibility solutions are not enough to mitigate risk. Mac also noted another case in which a request for accommodation escalated into a full legal complaint involving not just the district, but the county and a related government agency. Because the district acted quickly and had a structured compliance process in place, they avoided paying any legal fees.

In an era where smartphones and digital platforms dominate, libraries face an evolving challenge—staying relevant in the digital space. The Genoa Public Library District in Illinois wasn’t just looking for a website refresh; they needed a full-scale digital transformation to better serve their community. That’s where Streamline came in.

Artificial intelligence (AI) isn’t just for Silicon Valley startups or blockbuster movies—it’s here and changing the game for special districts like yours. Streamline is all about making technology approachable, helpful, and downright useful for tackling your biggest challenges—but let’s break it down: AI can save you time, help your communication efforts sparkle, and even take some of the grunt work off your plate. (Cue the Back to the Future montage because you’re about to get some serious time back!)

When an emergency strikes, it’s critical to have the right tools to communicate quickly and effectively. Think of Streamline as your digital Emergency Communication Toolkit—packed with all the tools your fire district needs to share emergency action plans, engage your community, and keep everyone informed. Let’s break it down!

By Mac Clemmens, CEO, Streamline

By Mac Clemmens, CEO, Streamline

The Department of Justice has issued new website accessibility guidelines that will significantly impact special districts nationwide. Here are the 5 biggest takeaways:

Special District Grant Accessibility Act - H.R. 7525 The Special District Grant Accessibility Act codifies in federal law a first-ever formal definition of “special district.” In addition to establishing such a definition, H.R. 7525 would direct federal agencies to recognize special districts as local governments for the purpose of ensuring that districts are eligible to receive appropriate forms of federal assistance, including funding and resources through key grant programs.

Goldman Sachs has said that artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning will have 100x more of an impact than the personal computer in terms of productivity and GDP growth.

Now Special Districts will have one of their own leading the customer support, onboarding, and education teams at Streamline. Effective July 1, Karey Hansen will be promoted to Head of Customer Support. She will carry the torch from Chris, who has stepped down from the position to spend more time with his family after four years at Streamline.