Is Your County a Top Digital County?
Arlington, Arlington County, Virginia
IT reorganization, mobile apps and open data projects set Arlington County, Va., apart from others of its size.
Arlington County, Virginia’s reorganization of its Department of Technology Services and appointment of team leads earned it one of four first-place awards in the 2016 Digital Counties Survey.
Dividing personnel between traditional IT support and innovation led to the development of several new mobile apps and open data projects, aided by leadership’s improved communications and goal setting.
While Arlington County won for the 150,000-249,999 population category, Wake County, North County, won for the 500,000-plus category; Sonoma County, California, for 250,000-499,999; and Nevada County, California, for 150,000 or less.
“We’re proud of this award and for the work that was done this year to help create a more streamlined, responsive and inclusive government using technology,” Arlington County Board Chair Libby Garvey said in a statement. “Arlington will continue to innovate and explore new technology tools with the goal of creating the best possible experience for residents and businesses when they interact with the County.”
This marks the county’s first first-place finish, despite prior top 10 placements, driven by the strength of its Open Government Program. Launched in 2016, on the back of a new portal, the program has already seen the creation of the My Arlington app for county services and a more organized Arlington Today calendar.
A dark fiber network, ConnectArlington, was strategically expanded to include local businesses and tech startups—boosting economic development.
The survey, conducted in part by the National Association of Counties, evaluates participating counties’ tech programs and strategies for best practices saving money; boosting transparency, cybersecurity and engagement; and altogether innovating.
Wake County was recognized for its open data portal and hiring of a data scientist to assist with business decisions, Sonoma County for open data advances, and Nevada County for new citizen self-service offerings.
Other survey findings include counties’ emphasis on cybersecurity, mobile apps, IT personnel, and open government in the coming year.
Of counties surveyed, 68 percent had less than 100 staff dedicated to IT support. And 92 percent reported adopting endpoint security and wireless infrastructure, while 77 percent web analytics.
“Modern technology allows counties across the country to innovate, providing citizens with smarter, more cost-effective services,” said NACo Executive Director Matthew Chase in the announcement. “The Digital Counties Survey recognizes county innovations that truly benefit our communities and, by extension, America.”
Dave Nyczepir is a News Editor at Government Executive’s Route Fifty and is based in Washington D.C.
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