By Jim Welfley
June 19, 2006

For the third straight year, some of the nation’s top city Chief Information Officers (CIOs) met in conjunction with the Conference of Mayors Annual Meeting to discuss timely technology issues both among themselves and with mayors. This year, as part of the Conference’s 74th Annual Meeting in Las Vegas, 15 CIOs met to discuss municipal Wi-Fi issues, then joined mayors in a discussion of legislative issues sure to affect the management of technology in their cities.

On Saturday, June 3, the CIOs were led by San Francisco CIO Chris Vein in a roundtable discussion focusing on strategies to implement wireless internet access in cities. Vein both moderated the discussion and outlined TechConnect, San Francisco’s prominent wireless initiative. Vein’s presentation demonstrated how the initiative is a part of San Francisco’s overall “Connect Strategy,” or the strategy of bringing services directly to those in need. Vein walked the CIOs through the process of implementing the initiative, from the request for proposal (RFP) to vendor negotiation with notable corporate partners, to the internal processes of the city, such as board, commission and agency approval.

Curtis Tani, Director of Technology Services for Long Beach, outlined his city’s efforts to establish a citywide Wi-Fi solution, explaining that the Long Beach experience began with a “Hot Zone” in 2003 and city council has since initiated studies for additional “Hot Zones” throughout the city. The city paid for an RFP process using redevelopment funds and is now considering 15 proposals through its cross-departmental review committee to develop and administer the project.

The CIOs maintained that through citywide Wi-Fi initiatives — there are over 200 such initiatives underway across the country — local governments can empower its citizens with technology, a necessary function of governance. “The government has a role in making sure no community is left behind,” said Thera Bradshaw, General Manager and CIO of Los Angeles.

On Sunday, June 4 Denver Mayor John W. Hickenlooper, Chair of the Conference’s Transportation and Communications Committee, moderated a roundtable discussion on the impact pending federal telecommunications legislation will have on city CIOs and their ability to manage technology in their cities. Hickenlooper presented an overview of a telecommunications measure under consideration in Congress that will “federalize” local government video/cable franchising, limit the benefits to broadband-video competition to a few well-to-do neighborhoods and undermine the ability of local governments to protect consumers and manage public rights-of-ways.

Denver CIO Michael Locatis then described how the legislation — H.R. 5252 and S. 2686 — will directly impact city CIOs, including giving the FCC final say on rights-of-way disputes, such as tearing up streets to install fiber, and on consumer protection disputes, such as billing and service quality. The legislation would also cap revenue and scope of access channels and institutional networks that improve governmental services, reduce revenue from franchise fees under a “nationalized” franchising scheme and allow broadband-video providers to avoid maintaining or upgrading facilities in certain neighborhoods.

Henderson CIO Curlie O. Matthews then detailed how both federal and Nevada state law currently impact technology initiatives in his city and how changes to the federal law will hijack his ability to have control over the actions of telecommunications franchises, particularly in the area of placement and location of equipment.

Hickenlooper concluded the session by saying, “There is much happening in Congress that will have lasting consequences for your IT operations. I urge all of you to take appropriate action.”

The city CIOs will meet again in Los Angeles as part of the Conference’s 75th Annual Meeting.