The plan, outlined by Charlie Haase, head of the county’s Information Services and Technology Department, will require one-time upgrades costing $400,000 a year for the next two years, then with ongoing expenses rising up to $1.5 million a year by 2020. Budget details will be reviewed in March when officials outline spending plans for the next fiscal year.
Haase and top high-tech staffers said the program essentially sets the course for the department for the next five years and is based on best practices in a rapidly changing technology environment.
“We identified three primary goals that are key to our future success,” he told the county board, listing them as “service delivery for today, the changing role of information services technology, and security at the forefront.” Outcomes and action plans for each goal include such things as “mobile app development, e-signature and other efforts to improve efficiency and access for the public,” Haase reported.
The plan, developed after review of similar efforts by other public agencies as well as help from employees, county executives and a new Advisory Committee for Technology, calls for a “mobile first” approach “so that mobile capabilities are built in rather than bolted on.”
“It is important that we develop the capability to ramp up for projects quickly … implement servers as fast as Amazon or Google ... develop and deliver consulting services (to) county departments,” according to Haase. “All of this needs to be built on a foundation of rigorous security practices.”
The program, closely aligned with the county’s new five-year business plan, includes providing employees and the public with mobile access to information from all mobile devices, expanding the county wifi network, developing apps for county departments, improving the county website, providing more data to the public, developing online payment and “electronic signature” programs and upgrading software.
In addition, the plan seeks to increase employee work efficiency, provide consulting services that maximize department output while minimizing costs, provide a coordinated data security effort across all platforms and improve emergency preparedness.
“We feel it is really important we ramp up our security efforts,” Haase told supervisors, adding plans include a new “information security officer” post.
“I feel Information Services Technology is stepping out and stepping into the future,” Supervisor Kate Sears said after Hasse and top aides outlined the program. She asked for more detail on costs.
“Why did we fall behind?” Supervisor Steve Kinsey asked.
Haase, who took over as department chief three years ago after serving in a similar role in Shasta County, said the county was not that far behind because “great work got done” in recent years. “We just need to push it a little further,” he said.
©2016 The Marin Independent Journal (Novato, Calif.). Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.
