Launch of eNews You Can Use

The City launched a new information service via the Internet called eNews You can Use. eNews is designed to provide rapid dissemination of information about the City to subscribers, at no charge, via email. Subscriptions are currently available in these areas: City News Releases, City Council Agendas, the monthly schedule of City Government Meetings, Board and Commission Vacancies, and the Alexandria Police Department’s Daily Crime Report. Additional topics will be added during FY 2004.

Improved City Web Site

The City worked throughout FY 2003 to expand citizens’ opportunities to access City services, learn about City activities and programs, and conduct business with the City through the Internet and the City web site.

The City of Alexandria continued to expand eGovernment in FY 2003 with additional opportunities for citizens to access City services, learn about City activities and programs and conduct business via the City’s web site http://alexandriava.gov. The top five eGovernment online services are: the bicycle map, City job opportunities, real estate assessments information search, DASH bus routes and schedules and the Alexandria Police Department daily incident report. Citizens can also:

• Obtain a certificate form for the Car Tax reduction.
  
• View the Solicitation Bid Board web page which lists procurement opportunities of $500,000 and higher.
  
• Use the online Permit Tracker to search for building, electrical, mechanical or plumbing permits applied for and issued during the last year.
  
• Visit to the Office on Women’s web site to sign up for events, make donations, register for workshops or training sessions, read the office’s newsletter and find information about the Commission for Women and its meetings.

Other Web Site Improvements

• Personnel staff developed and implemented a new Classification and Compensation web page which is accessible via the Internet and the intranet. This site contains the City’s class specifications, describing the work of all classes in the City; the City’s General and Public Safety pay plans; the City Council’s adopted Compensation Philosophy; the City’s Job Analysis Questionnaire (JAQ), used in evaluating jobs; and a Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) section. For the first time, this information is available, on line, to citizens, other jurisdictions, and City employees.
  
• The Historic Alexandria Online Museum Shop was launched as the City’s pilot e-commerce project. Web site visitors can purchase merchandise and publications offered by each of the City-owned museums, order tickets for events, and pay for memberships in the museums’ Friends organizations. This project has improved business practices and provided more efficient service, as all City-owned museums have combined their products into one online shop, enabling users to purchase merchandise, tickets and memberships from more than one museum in a single transaction. The Online Museum Shop was launched in December 2002 and has resulted in increased sales.
  
• In May 2003, the Virginia Department of Health launched its new web site, www.healthspace.ca/vdh, providing information about food programs in all Virginia health districts, including Alexandria. Visitors to the web site are provided with a list of food establishments permitted and evaluated within the City of Alexandria, sorted by name and location. By clicking on each establishment, visitors can view inspections conducted after January 1, 2003. Currently, there is a seven day delay between completion of the inspection and the posting of results.
  
• Visits to the Library’s home page increased by more than 37% to 228,683 during FY 2003. Use of individual pages on the site increased by 20% to 861,944. The web site provides the public with access to the online catalog, book renewal, and informational databases licensed by the Library. The online catalog now displays thumbnail images of book jackets, reviews of books, tables of contents and, for many listings, the full text of the first chapter.

GIS Expansion

The City’s Geographic Information System (GIS) has progressed over the past year, creating efficiencies in staff work and in the storage and retrieval of a variety of types of information. Over the last year, the following GIS advancements were made:

• Global Positioning System (GPS) was acquired, making data collection (e.g., inventories of street signs, benches or fire hydrants) significantly more efficient in terms of time and accuracy. Already, work has been done on the King Street and Washington Street corridors.
  
• The conversion of paper tax maps to a digital format was completed, allowing staff using those materials to access them at their computer to map information that had been contained in a 283 page book.
  
• Significant progress was made in creating a web-based mapping system. This system will enable staff, and eventually the public, to access over the Internet, basic information, such as addresses, zoning, parcels, streets and similar information on all property in the City.
  
• Snow removal mapping was created to track citizens’ complaints, City plowing and chemical treatment during snowstorms.
  
• The capacity to develop 3D Virtual Models was obtained, which allows citizens, the Planning Commission and City Council members to quickly visualize the physical impact of a proposed development.
  
• GIS software was used to convert historic maps to GIS layers, in order to increase the accuracy and efficiency of site plan review for the protection of archaeological resources. Staff now have a computerized version of the primary Civil War map that is used to determine historic site locations in the City, which enables staff to predict more quickly and precisely the locations of significant sites and assist in making decisions regarding archaeological work.

Disaster Recovery Plan for City Data

During FY 2003, the Department of Information Technology Services (ITS) worked to create a Disaster Recovery Plan for the City’s information technology system in the case of natural or man-caused events that disable the City’s information technology system. In addition to identifying operating risks and implementing strategies to mitigate these risks, key ITS staff were involved in plan training and testing. Throughout FY 2004, staff will work to implement the recommended recovery strategies to further improve the short-term recoverability of ITS operations and services.

Public Internet Access

The Library increased its number of computer terminals to 54, including four Spanish language terminals, which provides free public access to the Internet. Library card holders are allowed one hour of Internet terminal use per day. This service helps to close the “digital divide” in Alexandria by making the Internet available to those who do not have home, school, or business access.

CityNet Kiosks

To help reduce the “digital divide” within the ranks of City employees, the ITS Department installed seven CityNet kiosk PCs around the City. These kiosks provide CityNet (intranet) access to over 600 City staff whose jobs do not require them to use a computer. Prior to the implementation of this initiative, these employees had no means of accessing information available to computer-enabled employees via the City’s intranet. Access to common forms, administrative regulations, employee related web sites, employee phone lists and a listing of upcoming events are some of the useful information provided on CityNet to which these employees can now obtain access.

Fire Staffing System

The Fire Department implemented the new Telestaff system, a computer-based program for handling the complex staffing functions of fire departments. Since first-responding fire apparatus must be staffed 24-hours a day, seven days a week, personnel with specific training, skills and abilities must fill various positions in the field, including hazmat, advanced life support, and other specialties. Telestaff ensures this staffing is accomplished in an efficient and effective manner.

Web-Based Automated Time and Attendance Module

The City’s ITS and Personnel Departments worked together to design, configure and implement “Kronos,” the City’s new web-based automated time and attendance module. Kronos provides the means for City departments to electronically track the time and attendance activities of all employees and prepare biweekly payrolls in a far more efficient and accurate manner. This application has been implemented in 17 departments and rollout to all departments will continue through FY 2004.

Reduced Telecom Charges

In FY 2003, a new contract was negotiated with Verizon that will save the City approximately $96,000 annually in telecommunications charges. In addition, approximately 3,000 telephone “land lines” that were not in use, and not needed as emergency back-up, were cancelled, realizing savings of approximately $72,000 annually.