In a recent webinar hosted by Novotx, municipal experts came together to showcase how cities are transforming public service delivery with Novotx, Elements Connect. With a focus on 311 services, permitting, and integrations, the session highlighted real-world success stories from Brigham City, Utah, and the Village of South Holland, Illinois—two communities that have embraced digital modernization to better serve their citizens.
Meet the Experts
Emma Lubin, Product Solutions Lead at Novotx, demonstrated the power and flexibility of the Elements Connect platform.
Cami Sabin from Brigham City, Communications Manager, shares how her team streamlined building permits and is now expanding into business licensing.
Travis Bandstra, Community & Economic Development Director for South Holland, detailed how the village revolutionized rental licensing and inspections.
These expert users of Elements XS and Connect offer practical insights for any city looking to modernize.
What Is Elements Connect?
Elements Connect is Novotx’s external-facing portal designed for:
Permitting & Licensing
311 Citizen Requests
Code Enforcement
GIS Integration
Brigham City: From Paper to Powerhouse
Challenge: Brigham City’s permitting process was heavily manual—paper-based, email-driven, and lacking automation. Staff had to re-enter data, track down emails, and manage permits across disconnected systems.
Solution: With Elements Connect, Brigham City implemented a fully digital permitting workflow. Key features include:
GIS-based parcel validation to prevent out-of-boundary submissions
Automated task generation and routing for internal staff
Real-time applicant communication through a built-in messaging system
Online payment processing and automatic permit issuance
Impact: The transformation has been profound. Staff now manage everything in one centralized platform, reducing administrative overhead and improving transparency for applicants.
“The automations have saved our building permit administrator so much time. Everything is in one place now—we’re not chasing emails or trying to remember who said what. It’s all tracked, visible, and efficient,” remarked Cami Sabin, Communications Manager for Brigham City.
Brigham City is now expanding into business licensing using the same platform, with expectations of even greater time savings and operational clarity.
She added, “We’re just starting our business licensing module, and I honestly think it might save us even more time than permitting did.”
South Holland: Smart Rental Licensing at Scale
Challenge: South Holland needed to manage over 600 single-family rental licenses annually, while enforcing a unique rental density ordinance. Their previous system lacked integration, automation, and visibility.
Solution: The village built a comprehensive rental licensing system in Elements Connect, featuring:
GIS-based rental density enforcement tied to census blocks
Smart forms with conditional logic for owner and tenant details
Automated inspection scheduling and re-inspections
Integrated lease and compliance documentation uploads
Full communication history and payment tracking
Impact: South Holland now operates with a centralized, transparent system that supports staff efficiency, improves compliance, and enhances tenant safety.
“Having everything tied to a parcel record has been immensely helpful. We’ve caught up on inspections, improved compliance, and eliminated the silos that used to slow us down,” said Travis Bandstra, Community & Economic Development Director for South Holland.
The system also supports business licensing and integrates seamlessly with other departments, creating a unified view of every property in the community.
“This isn’t just about rental licenses,” he continued, “it’s about transforming how we manage our entire community. From utilities to code enforcement, everyone benefits from having one source of truth.”
Hear directly from the innovators at Brigham City and the Village of South Holland as they walk through their real-world successes with permitting, licensing, and 311 modernization using Elements Connect.