etownblog.org

Welcome to etownblog.org, a Web site created as a public-service  information resource regarding municipal cost savings through better, more efficient local government.

This site is hosted and moderated by Progeos, a web-based software company dedicated to municipal cost savings and improved services.   As part of our mission we have devoted a portion of our resources to help create this conduit to information, collaboration and cost savings measures to help towns and cities across the United States.

Please read through the posts on this blog for links and stories about municipal cost saving measures.

And — please — take a moment to contribute your input, information links, and other valuable data that you come across.  Together, let’s help expand the scope of knowledge for the public’s benefit.

Sincerely,

The Moderators of etownblog.org

The summer months are upon us and the local news is full of reports on Town Hall “short weeks.” Although this is good for the budget, it can have negative effects on local residents and businesses. The inability to request services on weekends and now Fridays or Mondays can make it difficult, particularly if you work or run a business that requires town support. But this issue results from “brick and mortar” town hall processes. When services can be requested from the web, these limitations disappear if town processes and employees are “web enabled”. For example, many permits can be applied and paid for via the web. Although physical inspections and drawings may be required for some permits, much of the application and tracking process can still occur 24 x7. If the inspectors and other department personnel are connected to the web, appointments, reviews and approvals become much more flexible.

The same also holds for other service requests, such as repairs or removals, that can be made over the web and responded to at any time. With the reducing cost of web connected phones and other devices, more and more citizens and town personnel can connect forming a virtual town hall that costs less to maintain but serves local citizens and businesses better than before!

On December 18, 2008, the Wall Street Journal  ran the article “Compiling a To-Do List for Obama’s New Deal”. Now, seven months later as new stimulus funding discussions are in the news, I was struck by how eTown makes this earlier list relevant and actionable. First consider Transportation and Infrastructure. In eTown, residents and town hall are tied together through a web based service request system. Each resident becomes a sensor for the integrity of the transportation infrastructure and town hall is able to quickly address deficiencies while repair costs are still low. Another area, Energy Efficiency, is improved by replacing paper with digital communications and allowing interaction with  a virtual town hall from home and business vs. travel by car and truck to physical energy consuming buildings. Similarly, School Building Repairs benefit from the same type of online service request system used for infrastructure with the added benefit of being able to share town and regional personnel, equipment and vendors to reduce the cost and time of maintenance and facility improvement actions. Finally, available Broadband and wireless communication connections enable the interactions of eTown. Digitized Records in the form of land and property information, codes and standards, plans and strategies, and meeting proposals and decisions provide the context for enabling residents, businesses and town officials to drive continuous improvements. In summary, eTown is the realization of the “New Deal” vision. Fortunately, the building blocks are all available and the stimulus incentives are in place for any town to become an eTown.

I recently read James Glassman’s book review “The Cyber Way to Knowledge” in the Wall Street Journal. The review of the book  “Liberating Learning”  by Terry Moe and John Chubb indicated several themes that resonate equally well with municipal governements. Just as K-12 education is faced with the need for reforms, so too are municipal services. The potential of technology to enable fewer teachers per student, outsourcing, accountability and cost savings applies equally well to municipal services. The parallels are too strong to ignore. I encourage reading this book as you think about taking municipal services to a higher levels of service, productivity and accountability - at lower cost.

With municipalities cutting back on office hours due to budget cuts the services associated with going to town hall are being limited.  With e-government, many of the services that are offered in town hall can become available over the internet. Whether you need to apply for a permit for an outdoor fire, pay your taxes or notify the town about a maintenance issue these services are all slowly coming online across the country.

But, there is an entity that is well ahead of the curve when it comes to providing municipal services over the internet.  Many colleges and universities are active in the development of online services for their students, faculty and staff.  For example, many university building departments have online service request tools that allow faculty, students and staff to submit work orders over the internet.  These work orders are then processed by the maintenance department, keeping the facilities in great condition and keeping faculty, students and staff happy.  Many universities also allow students to pay for tuition over the internet, a practice very similar to paying for taxes over the internet.  There are several great examples of these types of tools, but many are restricted to campus use.  These tools have turned these offices into a 24/7 service, making the office more accessible to all of the population.

Why can’t more local governments provide simialr online services?  With online tools that cover a number of municipal services operating hours at town hall could be cut back.  A majority of Americans have regular access to the internet either at home or work, meaning that they have 24/7 access to those services that were once only available in person during regular business hours.

Lets take a page from our local universities and start thinking about the impact that online access to municipal services will have on the public.

A recent story from the Springfield Republican  talks about reducing hours at city offices to reduce budget costs: “Easthampton budget cuts force reduced hours at muncipal offices“. In etown, offices may close but services are still available.

I was just reading an article about a consultant who recommended reducing the local town budget by sharing maintenance services between the town and the local school system. Although I don’t know how much sharing is possible based on needs, timing,  and equipment/ material demands, it’s worth considering. For example, snow and leaf removal, grounds maintenance, and some building maintenance would appear to have common needs. Also, the ability to reduce costs by combining cleaning services and supplies also appear feasible. However, the realization of benefits requires an integrated approach to requesting, processing and executing requests that spans the different environments and jurisdictions of the municipal and educational systems. Web based service request management can provide the vehicle for linking these environments but the hard work of agreeing on services, processes, responsibilities and  ”who pays for what” still remains. From my perspective, the hard work is justified. The savings appear to be large and, done appropriately, service can improve for both our children and our towns.

Progeos, a Connecticut based municipal software and technology firm, has distributed a recent press release that describes their newest low-cost, web-based municipal software.  This new this new technology is aimed at saving municipalities countless dollars in software and technology costs while at the same time improving access and efficiency.

Towns across America discover a Web-based system from Progeos that dramatically reduces land and property management expenses.

80% less installation cost than traditional systems. Leverages a town’s existing technology. Operates with a simple Web browser and PDF reader.

HARTFORD–(BUSINESS WIRE)–Progeos (www.progeos.com), a Connecticut-based municipal software and technology firm, continues to help America’s towns and cities “reinvent government” with a suite of Web-based GIS (Geographic Information System) enabled, e-government services that can save municipalities significant operating expenses, month after month.

Savings occur immediately.

The Progeos system eliminates the need for traditional hardware and software systems. Progeos leverages a municipality’s existing technology, and can be up and running in just days — not the months traditionally required.

Progeos harnesses the efficiencies of the Web.

As the system is entirely Web based, any computer equipped with a Web browser and a simple PDF reader can become a powerful GIS workstation.

Fully modular. Implement only what’s needed — and expand at any time.

Progeos provides plug ‘n’ play services for:

· GIS based land management

· Property management: property look up, abutters lists

· Request management: entering, processing, and executing service requests

· Permit management: creation and tracking of permits

· Code management: code tracking and enforcement

More than money savings. Progeos provides new sources of revenue for your town.

For instance, online Permit Management lets residents apply and get approvals for the vast majority of all of your town’s permit requirements. Create a 24/7 “Virtual Town Hall” for an automated, around-the-clock, profit center — while your residents enjoy enhanced services.

Affordable by any municipality.

Until now, only large cities could afford such advanced GIS capabilities. But now, for a fraction of the cost, Progeos gives your town the tools to save money, generate revenue, and enhance community services. For more information, please visit www.progeos.com.

Contact:

Progeos, Inc.

Matt Schleicher, 860-896-5274

matts@progeos.com

In the previous post we mentioned the work taking place in the state of New York concerning the study and implementation of shared municipal services.  As we know, when done correctly, shared services can save towns and counties valuable tax dollars.  Some examples of shared services include municipalities sharing costs on expensive capital projects that benefit both towns, the regionalization of emergency dispatching services or shared information technology services.

In Connecticut the state government and regional planning agencies have worked together to implement shared services throughout central Connecticut.  The state has set aside grants for a number of purposes with the intention of lowering costs and improving efficiency for regional projects.

One of the lead agencies in the development of these shared services projects is the Capitol Region Council of Governments (CRCOG).  CRCOG provides member municipalities guidance when applying for these grants and provides and “excellent opportunity for CRCOG member communities to obtain grant funding for a wide variety of projects.”

The grants target the following areas including IT Application Sharing and Development, Enhancement of Regional GIS and GIS Flight and Mapping Data.

To learn more about these Regional Performance Incentive Program Grants visit CRCOG’s website or view this presentation.

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