2009 Exemplary Systems in Government (ESIG) Winners Announced

ENTERPRISE SYSTEMS CATEGORY
Systems in this category are outstanding and working examples of using information systems technology in a multi-department environment as part of an integrated process. These systems exemplify effective use of technology yielding widespread improvements in the process(es) and/or service(s) involved and/or cost savings to the organization.
       
2009 ESIG Winner: Virtual Charlotte – City of Charlotte, NC
Submitted by: Nianwei Liu, GISP, Senior System Analyst
      
The Virtual Charlotte system achieves organizational goals by providing comprehensive and exemplary service to customers in a user-friendly environment.  To achieve the City of Charlotte’s strategy for comprehensive, seamless citizen service, City of Charlotte personnel require real-time access to information from multiple business systems. Virtual Charlotte enables the visualization of 311 calls, traffic accidents, construction projects, permits, street maintenance services, and vehicle locations tracked with automated vehicle location (AVL) technology.
 
Virtual Charlotte effectively provides a wide range of users with important real-time information from diverse data sets in a familiar (Google-like) interface that is easy to understand and simple to use.  In addition to providing a range of city and non-city information to citizens, the system also facilitates coordination and collaboration across city business units that are working in or near the same geographic area and allows staff to respond to citizen inquiries that could be related to multiple City activities or events.  The development process for Virtual Charlotte is interactive and iterative resulting in frequently reviews and updates to provide better service; developers have effectively added complexity to the system without increasing the complexity of the user interface.  Implementation of Virtual Charlotte has resulted in increased staff productivity and improved customer service, and the use of an open API (Google Maps) resulted in major cost savings for the City.
 
Distinguished Systems in this Category:
• Regional Land Information Database (RLID) - Lane Council of Governments, OR
Submitted by: Eric Brandt, GISP, GIS Program Manager
• SewerView - Milwaukee Metropolitan Sewerage District, WI
Submitted by: Don Nehmer, Capital Program Business Manager
 
SINGLE PROCESS SYSTEMS CATEGORY
Systems in this category are outstanding and working examples of applying information system technology to automate a specific SINGLE process or operation involving one department or sub-unit of an agency. The system application results in extended and/or improved government services that are more efficient and/or save money.
 
This year's review process resulted in two exemplary systems.
 
2009 ESIG Winner: Online Census - City of Airdrie, Alberta
Submitted by: Corey Halford, IT Data Services Team Leader
 
The City of Airdrie was the first Alberta municipality to move from a paper-based system to a completely electronic process for its annual citizen census.  Through the Online Census system, Airdrie has implemented a secure, real-time, virtually paperless data collection process that simplifies the city’s census process for clerks, enumerators, and citizens.  Exemplary components of this system include use of biometrics to validate enumerator identities, use of tablets for in-field data collection, and use of online PINs for secure data entry by citizens.  The Online Census system has improved efficiency, reduced costs, reduced paper, improved privacy, improved data confidence, and even resulted in greater online participation by citizens, which ultimately reduces the amount of work enumerators need to do.  In addition, the City of Airdrie has since shared the Online Census system with several smaller municipalities, thus offering other cities the same efficiency and customer service benefits that Airdrie has achieved.
 
2009 ESIG Winner: GIS Mobile Emergency Response System (ERS) - Forsyth County, GA
Submitted by: John Kilgore, GISP, GIS Director
 
Forsyth County developed it’s GIS Mobile Emergency Response System (ERS) in order to enhance the preparedness, response and recovery phase of emergency management for Forsyth County. The system is designed to be used as an emergency support function for the Forsyth County Emergency Operations Center (EOC) or deployed in the field to provide direct support to first responders.  The Mobile ERS uses pre-made templates for quick map and report making, provides extensive base data, and integrates models that allow for what-if analysis in the field.  In developing this system, the County utilized good, common sense design methods to deliver real-time GIS and analysis tools to emergency responders.  Additionally, the County’s use of the Homeland Security data model was forward thinking and will allow the system to be easily integrated into wider emergency response situations if needed.  This application can certainly serve as a good example for other entities wishing to create an emergency response system that keeps people in the field and back in the control centers ‘in the know’ during critical situations.
 
URISA congratulates all of the participants in the 2009 Exemplary Systems in Government Award program. The winners in each category and those systems recognized as Distinguished Systems will be celebrated during the Awards Breakfast at URISA's 47th Annual Conference in Anaheim. All five systems will also present their accomplishments within the ESIG Award Showcase Sessions at the conference on Thursday afternoon, October 1.
 
All of the winning submissions are posted online: http://www.urisa.org/awards/2009esig