Mayor Larry O'Brien's task force on e-government has released its report with eight recommendations, including ensuring technology alternatives are considered to offset any direct or indirect increase in staffing levels when council directs staff to take action on a specific item.
The 58-page report also recommends the city come up with an investment plan for each municipal department that shows how technology can improve service and compare how Ottawa delivers its services and programs to the best public and private organizations in the world, not just other municipalities.
To make sure this happens, the task force is recommending the city "invest in a chief strategist for service delivery, reporting directly to council, who will drive the implementation of these recommendations.
"The task force strongly believes that all of its recommendations must be adopted," says the report.
CITY GETS TECH NOD
Using technology to make life easier for city residents seems to be working. The city announced yesterday it has been nominated in four categories at the Government Technology Exhibition and Conference.
The GTEC awards have acknowledged the city's work to make its municipal website a more interactive, one-stop calendar for cultural events, a tool for residents to become more involved in public consultation, as well as a Web tool for developers to submit documentation and track building permit applications.
The city's ottawa.ca site also includes "Browsealoud" that improves accessibility for those with vision problems.
Last year, the website received 5.3 million visits.
"We are confident that our strategic plans and vision are well aligned with the priorities identified in the report of the mayor's task force on e-government," said Steve Finnamore, the city's executive director of business transformation services.
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Autor(en)/Author(s): Derek Puddycombe
Quelle/Source: Ottawa Sun, 13.08.2008
