County among best in nation for digital innovation
WEST CHESTER » Chester County’s increased advancement in digital technology has earned it a higher ranking amongAmerica’s 3,000-plus counties. The Center for Digital Government (CDG) and National Association of Counties (NACo) have placed Chester County as eighth in the nation for best technology practices, including initiatives that save tax dollars, boost transparency, focus on cybersecurity and citizen engagement.
Chester County was evaluated and recognized by the Digital Counties Survey in 2016, earning a 10th place slot. The eighth-place award was presented at the NACo Conference in Columbus, Ohio.
Recognizing Chester County’s achievements, the judging panel noted: Whereas last year was one of broad steps, this year is one of efficiency and nuance for Chester County. The county has begun to include “snapshots” of local eateries’ most recent inspections online so they are accessible via mobile devices, using existing software and no new funding. The county also partnered with the U.S. Geological Survey to provide county residents updates on water conditions and now include civil efiling, which allows litigants to initiate cases and access files online. In addition to these smaller steps, Chester County was one of the first counties in the region to do introduce Text to 911.
Chester County Commissioners Kathi Cozzone and Terence Farrell accepted the award at the NACo Annual Conference.
“Chester County continues to make a concerted effort to develop digital systems that will improve and enhance our services, and make them much more user-friendly for our citizens,” Cozzone said.
“As technology continues to grow, so too will our effort to innovate and adapt,” noted Farrell.“This award acknowledges the work undertaken by our Department of Computing and Information Services, our Digital Communications personnel and those from many other many departments. Congratulations go to all of them for their efforts.”
CDG Executive Director Todd Sander said: “Digital counties are leveraging technology to improve the ways they conduct business and engage with citizens in increasingly innovative and exciting ways. The Center for Digital Government congratulates this year’s winners for their work to reduce costs, encourage citizen engagement, increase efficiencies and proactively address citizen expectations.”
The digital survey is conducted annually in the spring. All U.S. counties are invited to participate in the survey, which examines the overall technology programs and plans of the county. This year marks the 15th annual survey and details of winners can be found at http://www.govtech.com/dc/digital-counties/Digital-CountiesSur vey-2017-Winners-A nnouned.html.