City Manager Letter

In response to Awaiting Report Number 11-83, regarding a report on technology plan for the City, the use of social media tools, and identifying projects that would benefit from using Gov 2.0, as well as a response to Awaiting Report 11-84, regarding the creation of a research and development office for technology, please be advised of the following:

As part of the FY12 Budget Process, the City Council appropriated funds for the development of mobile applications, a citizen complaint system and an optimized search function.  All of these initiatives have been completed.

In addition, I informed the City Council that I would be forming an E-Gov Executive Committee.  While the Information Technology (IT) Department has employed a planning process, incorporating input from across City departments and from a range of stakeholders, evaluating suggestions, input and cost considerations as part of its determinations on priorities, the creation of an E-Gov Executive Committee will allow the City to develop a more formal procedure for prioritizing projects and assisting in development of an IT Strategic Plan. A formal IT Strategic Plan will allow the City to continue to address the ever-expanding interest in keeping pace with technology, which will enhance city service delivery and municipal government communication.

The following is a summary of the composition of the E-Gov Executive Committee, as well as an update of the activities and planned initiatives the Committee has worked on.

was formed in June 2011. The members of the E-Gov Executive Committee are:

Assistant City Manager for Fiscal Affairs

Assistant City Manager for Human Services

Assistant City Manager for Community Development

Deputy Finance Director/Budget Director

School Department Chief Financial Officer

The E-Gov Executive Committee has held three meetings to discuss priorities and devise a strategic process for Information Technology planning going forward.  Funds were allocated in the 2012 Budget to support a range of existing IT Projects as well as a new set of Innovation Projects (see May 23, 2011 report to the City Council from the City Manager).  A summary of the status of these projects and others is attached.

The E-Gov Executive Committee will continue to meet during Fiscal Year 2012 and focus on setting a strategy for future Budget years which will include input from all City Departments as well as the Public.

was developed at these meetings and includes the current status of those initiatives:

E-Gov Executive Committee - Action/Future Discussion Items

- Develop a workshop for January 2012, which will assemble City departments and provide a forum through which the E-Gov Executive Committee is able to receive input and suggestions from the public on technology improvements to enhance interaction with the City.

:  Planning is in process for this workshop for January 2012.

A working group of the E-Gov Executive Committee, comprised of the Deputy City Manager, Deputy Finance Director/Budget Director, Chief Information Officer, Assistant City Manager for Community Development, Commissioner of Public Works and the School Department Chief Financial Officer, plus three members of the public, will be responsible for selecting the date, time and location of the workshop, developing a workshop format and other details. This working group will report back to the E-Gov Executive Committee.

E-Gov Project Management Committee Creation

It was agreed that an E-Gov Project Management team will be created to monitor progress and provide support to IT for current and future innovation projects. The E-Gov Project Management team will be comprised of members recommended by the E-Gov Executive Committee and will represent department managers responsible for planning, developing and implementation of technology initiatives for their departments. The proposed list of members will be forwarded to the E-Gov Executive Committee for approval.

The scope of this Project Management team will focus on developing a list of innovation initiatives to support the business needs of the City and not ITD Operations.  CIO, Mary Hart will chair the first meeting before the end of the calendar year.  The long-term objective is to set a strategy for technology innovation in the City, in collaboration with the E-Gov Executive Committee.  The first task of the E-Gov Project Management Committee will be to review and prioritize the short term existing projects to be implemented by ITD.  The E-Gov Project Management Committee will also brainstorm about other initiatives that the team would like to see planned for and prioritized in the 2013 Capital Budget.  The results of this session will be presented to the E-Gov Executive Committee prior to Capital Budget review.  Long term goals will be set after preparation of the FY13 Budget is complete.

Names for the Project Management Committee have been collected by the CIO and are awaiting approval by the Executive Committee.

- Explore ways to segregate IT budget allocations to better illustrate ongoing IT expenditures to support the IT system, versus IT innovations. Also, the E-Gov Project Management Committee will take information from the public workshop as well as from their internal meetings to begin development of a multi-year innovations budget for presentation to the E-Gov Executive Committee and the Public Investment Committee.

E-Gov Executive Committee will prepare the FY13 Capital Budget submission to the Public Investment Committee for review.

Enhance and coordinate existing social media and communication protocols to better inform the public in emergency situations.

develop a hierarchy of outreach and develop additional capacity within the City. Departments identified for inclusion in this discussion are: Police, DPW, Water, ISD, Fire, Schools, Library, DHSP, Traffic and PIO. The CIO will train and give access to any staff designated to post alerts to the City Website. The CIO is also investigating how to set up Social Network apps with the proper security to protect the City Network.

All Departments have been trained in how to post alerts on the City Website.  The Cambridge Alert Network was launched in fall 2011 and there have been numerous meetings held to define the hierarchy of communication between the Departments. These meetings will be ongoing and additional meetings on this topic will be scheduled.

- The City should work toward creating City Facebook and Twitter accounts but first needs to learn best practices and how to best administer these media. Roles need to be defined for who should administer each type of media. The CIO will investigate opportunities for training, working with the Police Department's Public Information Officer.

The City Facebook page was launched and publicized in November 2011.  The City's Personnel Dept. (Training and Staff Development Manager) is planning classes on best practices for using Social Media and those classes are planned for the fall/winter of 2011/12.

for ongoing City operations. The E-Gov Project Management Committee should develop a draft proposal for the E-Gov Executive Committee to review and approve.

The CIO will investigate potential workshops for the E-Gov Executive Committee to attend to learn more about Social Media and how it can be a useful tool in City Government. In addition, the Committee will review examples of policies developed by other municipalities.  A policy will be eventually distributed to all City employees.

UPDATE ON MAJOR IT INITIATIVES

- Develop mobile applications, which will allow the public to access City services via a Smartphone. This will allow transition of the web-based pothole reporting application to a mobile application and will allow the public to send in a photo of a problem for entry into the CRS work order system.

Public launch was Monday, October 31, 2011; application expanded to include public reporting of graffiti, missed rubbish pick-up, streetlights out, rodent issues, along with potholes.

Enhancements to the current Cambridge Request System (CRS) to allow the public to enter a complaint directly to the work order system and receive notification of the work order ticket, an estimate of when the problem will be resolved and notification when the problem is resolved. The Complaint System will include access to a website database that shows the ticket and status.

Using Google Search, enhance the search function on the City website to return more relevant information.

Completed.  Google search was implemented in August, search expanded to include Cambridge Public Schools, Health Alliance and Housing Authority websites.

Implementation of the Inspectional Services Permitting System

Vendor selected and contract waiting to be executed pending appropriation of funds on November 21, 2011; implementation of system with projected roll-out during FY13.

(Merger of E-line, City Observer (Police) and Code Red (Reverse 311)

- Development of City Department web pages. Transition CDD, Arts Council, Police and DHSP to City Website and Content Management System.

Projects have begun; currently in design phase for all departments; implementation phase beginning in early 2012; target completion summer 2012.

- PeopleSoft (Oracle) upgrades for Human Resources, Payroll and Financial Systems. Current versions go off support in calendar 2012.

Projects have begun for human resource/payroll upgrade; scheduled completion by late fall 2011, financials upgrade to begin spring 2012 with schedule completion by the end of FY12.

The creation of a development office for technology would require significant additional resources, which would impact the City's ability to provide funding for not only technology initiatives but initiatives in other areas while being mindful of the City Council's goal of "evaluating expenditures with a view of maintaining a strong fiscal position and awareness of the impact on taxpayers."  The E-Gov Committees will work with the Public Investment Committee in the upcoming budget process to review funding proposals to support technology initiatives and innovations.

I believe that with the creation of the E-Gov Executive and Project Management Committees, we have created a structured methodology to review, monitor and develop technology initiatives and innovations, provide an opportunity to receive public input and coordinate funding priorities with the Public Investment Committee. The information contained in this report illustrates the on-going significant progress the City has made on a number of technology initiatives as part of its continuing effort to support technology improvements.