By Erin Wenglekowski and Jim Welfley
July 12, 2004

On Saturday, June 26th at the United States Conference of Mayors 72nd Annual Meeting in Boston, mayors and members of the Mayors Business Council came together to discuss E-Governance and its impact on cities. The Mayors and Business Council Breakfast was sponsored by Cisco Systems, Inc.

Conference Executive Director Tom Cochran moderated the breakfast and Conference President, Hempstead (NY) Mayor James A. Garner, discussed the growing relationships between mayors and the business community. Garner commented that during his term as President of the Conference "the Business Council has grown more than 20 percent...we have reached our membership goal — today the Business Council is more than 100 companies strong."

The session focused on E-Governance: using information technology to streamline city operations, delivering services to citizens and attracting new business to cities. Speakers included: Louisville-Metro Mayor Jerry E. Abramson, who highlighted the benefits of technology and his experience with reverse auctions; Cisco Systems, Inc Senior Manager of Mobility and Wireless, Ann Sun, discussed the importance of public/private partnerships in managing government services; and Des Moines' first CIO, Michael Armstrong, who detailed the role of CIOs in helping mayors realize their vision for their community through the use of technology.

Ann Sun, the Senior Manager of Mobility and Wireless for Cisco Systems, Inc., detailed how Cisco is currently using their communications infrastructure to help cities streamline city operations, provide citizen services and attract new business. By implementing the wireless facet of Cisco's "Intelligent Information Network", cities are "extending the edge of their networks to the outdoor environment." The results have been better prepared first responders, a more mobile, accessible workforce and technological advances such as wireless traffic light control across entire cities, wireless surveillance cameras, wi-fi access for citizens and real time bus and train updates.

Des Moines CIO Michael Armstrong began the E-Governance discussion by likening technology to a "force multiplier." "Just as you use hammer to make yourself stronger or a car to make yourself faster," said Armstrong, "you use technology to do information work faster and more effectively."

Armstrong, who was selected as one of the top 25 Information Technology leaders in the country last year by Government Technology magazine, stressed to the mayors that technology can be leveraged to make communities better and that the knowledge is there to do it. "The constraints are resources," he said. He continued by saying that CIOs should be part of the decision making process, as they offer not only the technical know-how, but a "translation ability" that makes "knowledge available to different audiences". He also pointed to the vast network of technology professionals as a way for CIOs to run ideas a city has past numerous professionals from around the country to avoid repeating the same mistakes others have made.

Armstrong pointed to the many successes Des Moines has had using technology to save money and efficiently solve problems, including the development of a voice-over IP telephone system and a nationally re-known Citizen Relationship Management System. He also discussed the important role technology plays in helping governments come together to keep citizens safe, particularly in the wake of 9/11. While acknowledging cities compete with one another for citizens and businesses, safety is paramount. "When it comes to safety, technology has driven a move to regionalization," he said.

In closing, Mr. Armstrong told the mayors, "You have a vision of what you want your communities to be. As CIOs what we need from you is help in understanding that vision so we can be helpful to you." He added that he hopes the E-Governance session "begins an exchange that will carry us through a number of years."

Abramson first commented that with E-Governance the Conference has really struck a chord with the mayors. Then in his talk, "A New City's Adventures in E-Government," Abramson described the key role technology played in consolidating Louisville's city and county governments in 2003.

"E-Governance is something we ought to talk about," said the former Conference President. "In a city that jumped from the 64th largest city to the 16th largest city...when your city goes from 61 square miles to 385 square miles overnight, all of a sudden systems really mean something." Abramson went on to say if the systems in place help him do things more effectively, then that frees up resources to enhance other services, such as the number swings and equipment in parks. "(New systems) are not sexy infrastructure nor will it create a great deal of energy in your hometown when you talk about it," he said, but the savings it creates indicates that you can do more with less in difficult economic times.

Abramson encouraged mayors to sit down with their CIOs and "look beyond the same old same old." He noted that the odds are there's a better way to bring out more efficient government. "My best advice is to listen to your IT director," he said.

Abramson then detailed three E-Government best practices from his new city, Louisville Metro:

With companies bidding against one another to sell Louisville its products and services, Louisville has saved an average of 10-15 percent on every purchase, including $50,000 on its first purchase.

By selling city property from desks to motorcycles, Louisville has found a "significant opportunity to create a revenue stream."

By putting the city budget on CD and the internet rather than printing it, Louisville saved $60,000 the first year alone.

Mayor Abramson concluded his address by saying that cities need to reach out to the its businesses then "really step forward and say the future of America's cities is its connectivity with its citizens and with its businesses and ensure that the community is better in the future that it has been in the past. That's what it's about and that's what technology can provide."