[Durham INC] Durham Named Citizen-Engaged Community

Tue Oct 1 10:12:59 EDT 2013

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CITY OF DURHAM
Office of Public Affairs
101 City Hall Plaza
Durham, NC 27701

News Release

News Media Contact:
Amy Blalock
Sr. Public Affairs Specialist
(919) 560-4123 x 11253
(919) 475-7735 (cell)
Amy.Blalock at DurhamNC.gov<mailto:Amy.Blalock at DurhamNC.gov>
http://Facebook.com/CityofDurhamNC
http://Twitter.com/CityofDurhamNC

For Immediate Release: October 1, 2013

Durham Named “Citizen-Engaged Community”
Public Technology Institute Chooses Durham Again as One of 13 Nationwide

DURHAM, N.C. – The Public Technology Institute (PTI) has once again designated the City of Durham as one of 13 “Citizen-Engaged Communities” from throughout the United States for 2013-2015 for its use of technology to connect with residents. This is the second time PTI has selected Durham for this designation.

PTI’s Citizen-Engaged Communities Designation program recognizes excellence in multi-channel contact centers and best practices for the use of Citizen Relationship/Records Management (CRM) systems, 311 systems, web portal technology, telephony systems, and mobile communications infrastructure.

According to City Manager Tom Bonfield, winning this national designation for the second time indicates that Durham is moving in the right direction with using technology to keep residents informed on the actions of, as well as interacting with, City government. “Communication and interaction with Durham residents – whether it’s in person, over the phone, or through the use of technology – drive the City’s ability to make this community the best that it can be. We have to be accessible in multiple ways that residents find helpful and useful.” Bonfield said. “The way we communicate is evolving daily, and local governments must adapt and evolve with it so residents can connect, interact, and hold their government accountable. I believe we are doing that here in Durham and that’s why this designation is significant, because it shows our residents that we’re using technology for fast, friendly, and responsive service.”

PTI invites local governments to apply for this designation and all applications are reviewed and scored using metrics and standards developed by PTI in four key areas, including resident participation processes, integrated communication channels, integrated technology, and performance reporting. Other cities receiving this designation include Chesapeake, Va., Dallas, TX, Washington, DC, Kansas City, Mo., Minneapolis, Minn., Philadelphia, Pa., San Antonio, TX, Santa Monica, Calif., Winston–Salem, N.C., City and County of San Francisco, Calif., Pinellas County, Fla., and Montgomery County, Md.

According to Jay Reinstein, strategic initiatives manager with the City’s Budget and Management Services Department, the award demonstrates that the City has risen to the challenge of using new technology for fast, friendly, and responsive service. “To win this award, local governments had to demonstrate how they engage residents through multi-channels, empower them by enabling direct interaction, and then demonstrate accountability through performance reporting, not just for calls, but also for service delivery,” Reinstein said. “The City is doing this in a number of departments – Inspections, Durham One Call, and Parks and Recreation – and we are constantly striving to find new ways to interact with our residents.”

Several examples of current technology use include the City/County Inspections Department’s new mobile phone app that allows contractors, developers, architects, engineers, and residents to use their cell phones to gain immediate access to the Land Development Office software, to schedule field inspections, and to check on inspection results and the status of the Certificate of Occupancy. According City/County Inspections Director Gene Bradham, the department is one of the first Inspections Departments in North Carolina to have a mobile phone app created to interface with their software.

Another example is the use of Durham One Call’s web-based service request form, which enables residents to submit service requests online in addition to by phone. According to Durham One Call Contact Center Manager Marcelle Brawner, in fiscal year 2013-2014, the average number of service requests received per month is 2,718. With the rollout of the online service request tool earlier this year, the average number of online requests submitted is 203, which represents 7.5 percent of the monthly activity.

A final example is the use of the MindMixer website by Durham Parks and Recreation, which gathered extensive online community input for the development of its updated Master Plan. The site operated from August 2012 until July 2013 and had 270 participants, 2,274 total visitors, and 18,415 total page views.

For more information about the Citizen-Engaged Communities Designation and this year’s winners, visit http://www.pti.org/index.php/t1/more/166.

About the Budget & Management Services Department
The Budget and Management Services Department is primarily responsible for the development and oversight of the City’s annual budget and Capital Improvement Program (CIP). The department is also responsible for organizational development, performance management, and strategic planning<http://durhamnc.gov/ich/as/bms/Pages/Strategic%20Plan/sp_SPHome.aspx> as well as for providing policy and management analysis to support decision making. The department primarily supports two Strategic Plan goals – Well-Managed City and Stewardship of the City’s Physical Assets. Overall, the department is focusing on furthering the goal of transparency and accountability with its operations and communications and enhancing resident and employee engagement. To learn more, visit http://DurhamNC.gov/ich/as/bms/Pages/Home.aspx.

About Durham One Call
Durham One Call is the City’s contact center, where highly trained customer service representatives answer questions, and/or submit service requests to the appropriate department.Durham One Call enables the City to better monitor services performed by its departments with improved tracking software, creating a more efficient and accountable government. Durham One Call is open from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. Monday through Friday except holidays. The department also provides an online service request form that allows residents to request services 24-hours-a-day, seven days a week. To help residents who visit City Hall, a Durham One Call representative is located in the City Hall lobby. Bi-lingual English/Spanish-speaking representatives are available to provide assistance. To learn more, visit http://durhamnc.gov/ich/cmo/Pages/DOC/home.aspx.

About the Technology Solutions Department
The Technology Solutions Department aligns the City’s information technology infrastructure and systems to the business needs of the City’s departments. It designs, implements, and maintains the technology hardware, applications, and programs. Guided by the City’s Strategic Plan, Technology Solutions ensures that its services support making Durham a great place to live, work, and play by helping provide a well-managed city and stewardship of the City’s physical assets. To learn more, visit http://durhamnc.gov/ich/as/ts/Pages/Home.aspx.

About the Public Technology Institute
Public Technology Institute (PTI) is a national, non-profit research and development organization established by and for city and county governments. PTI promotes innovation and collaboration by thought leaders in government, and advances the use of technology to improve the management and delivery of services to citizens. For more information, visit www.pti.org<http://www.pti.org>.

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