URISA Announces 2011 Exemplary Systems in Government Award Winners

September 8, 2011 (Des Plaines, IL) – URISA’s Exemplary Systems in Government (ESIG) Awards recognize exceptional achievements in the application of information technology that have improved the delivery and quality of government services. URISA is pleased to announce the winners of this year’s ESIG Awards.

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.

2011 ESIG Winner: URA Digital 3D Urban Model System

Submitted by Mr. Peter Quek Ser Hwee, Director Corporate Development, Information Systems – Urban Redevelopment Authority, Republic of Singapore

This solution was deemed exemplary by the ESIG Review Committee because this system was built not only to innovatively serve the needs of the jurisdiction and the community, but to embrace a cutting edge technology.  The combination of 3D technology with 2D GIS technology has provided URA staff and their community with the tools to visualize the impact of urban development. The visual analysis provides a value added segment to the evaluation processes supporting the most educated decisions when building a greater Singapore. The use of 3D visualization has become a tool for Singapore’s marketing and communication of their land use plans. Quantitative impacts were given in terms of both “man-days” and monies saved to date, along with estimates of future benefits. Many different groups are now making use of the system and specific examples were given of projects/studies that used the system, along with visual representations for each.  This is a unique application in that it presented an innovative system for producing visualizations of Singapore.  The videos and images produced by the solution portray the vision of and for Singapore. Projects like these move the GIS and planning industries forward.

Distinguished Systems in this Category:

·         CAGIS Enterprise County Wide Construction Coordination System

Submitted by Raj Chundur, CAGIS Administrator, CAGIS – Cincinnati (Ohio) Area Geographic Information System

·         City of Calgary Cadastral Management System (CMS)

Submitted by Arne Svedahl, Leader – Land Asset Information & Mapping Infrastructure & Information, Corporate Services – City of Calgary, Alberta, Canada

·         iMAPS: Using Collaboration and Technology to Color Outside the Organizational Lines

Submitted by Charles Friddle, Director – Wake County (North Carolina) GIS

·         Portage County Enterprise Wide GIS

Submitted by Brian Kelley, CIO – Portage County (Ohio)

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.

2011 ESIG Winner: Philadelphia Stormwater Billing Application – "PhillyStormwater"

Submitted by Joanne Dahme, Watersheds Program Manager, City of Philadelphia (Pennsylvania) Water Department

This solution was deemed exemplary by the ESIG Review Committee because it is an application that has benefited all stakeholders, including both the Philadelphia Water Department staff and the public alike. The System is an application in green storm water management that uses GIS to assess impervious site areas. It gives the public easy access to – and transparency to – storm water charges, and the ability to see the effect on their bills should property owners consider greener strategies. Processes have also been developed to address the data quality and consistency issues as they arise. The PhillyStormwater system has made a substantial impact on the new storm water billing process and saved hundreds of hours for the Water Department staff members per month. The system is the largest of its type in the country and certainly is progressive in the way it charges for storm water management costs.

Distinguished System in this Category:

·         Clark County Utility Tracker (C-Cut)

Submitted by Dan Kaler, GIS Coordinator – Clark County (Washington)

URISA congratulates all of the participants in the 2011 Exemplary Systems in Government Award program. For more information and to read each winning and distinguished system submission, visit http://www.urisa.org/2011ESIG

All of these exemplary systems will be celebrated during the Awards Breakfast at GIS-Pro 2011: URISA’s 49th Annual Conference in Indianapolis on November 3, 2011.