Information Technology Overview

The City of Ontario continues to make considerable investments in modernizing its Information Systems with tremendous backing and support of the City Council, City Management and all City Departments.

Information technology impacts all aspects of City operations and service delivery. Information technology tools help to create, manipulate, organize, transmit, store and act on information in digital form in supporting traditional business techniques as well as providing new alternative and more efficient ways of doing business. Core technologies (processors, drives, and peripherals) continue to get smaller, better, faster, cheaper and easier to use enabling new ideas and techniques to be introduced on a regular basis.

In 1998, the City identified an Information Technology deficiency totaling approximately $14.5 Million. By 2005, all major IT systems and applications had been either replaced or updated with a significant version upgrade. These include: Network Backbone, Computer Rooms and Closets, Standardization of equipment and software, City Council Audio Visual System, Phone System, Email, Print Services, Enterprise Storage, GIS, Financials, HR, Payroll, Customer Billing, Work Order Management, Computer Aided Dispatch, Police and Fire Records Management, Recreation, Fleet Management, Fire Staffing, Permitting, Business Licensing, Case Management, Internet, Intranet. These systems provide staff with essential tools in conducting daily operations and effectively serving the public. The City continues to make a significant annual investment to keep these solutions working. As a result of the investment into these back end systems, the City is now able to support efforts to deploy e-government and e-commerce offerings for its businesses and residences.

In 2007, an Information Technology Project Review Committee began meeting to review all new departmental technology projects. The project review team consists of staff, as designated by the City Manager, to review project justification, resource requirements, and budgets and ensure alignment with City Council Goals and Policies. This committee meets as necessary in advance of the City’s quarterly budget adjustment or annual budget review processes.

The role of the IT Department is to support the operational departments with reliable systems and information on a daily basis. The most critical support required of IT being network, communications and applications support. The IT department provides short and long term direction in planning, researching, selecting and deploying future technologies. IT strives to accommodate improved business process automation, self service and quality customer service through a variety of hardware and software solutions.

New solutions and projects going forward will be evaluated as to whether they: 1) have appropriate capabilities for the need to be addressed, 2) will be easy to use with minimal user and administration training required, 3) will be reliable, stable and supportable, and 4) have a proven track record with a number of deployed sites.

Since the early 1990’s, Ontario has been a leader in the use of GIS technology and land based information management. Ontario maintains a robust and effective GIS. GIS spatial data has been integrated with Public Safety Dispatch, Mobile Computers and Work Order Management applications for uniform and accurate street and addressing information, geographic links to assets and resources and field capabilities. GIS will be heavily utilized in managing the City’s fiber optic networks by identifying, tracking and managing the many assets that comprise that system.

The City has made significant progress in mobile computing, allowing for transactions and access to information in the field versus back in the office. Currently, mobile computing capabilities are deployed in approximately 86 police cars, 31 fire engines, 10 dispatch laptops, 10 code enforcement and rental inspection vehicles, and 8 building inspector vehicles. In addition to mobile computers, the City uses approximately 100 cellular phones across many departments to conduct daily operations. Further, 31 satellite phones are deployed throughout the departments for emergency communications when cell phone coverage is not available.

Increasingly, as growth occurs, city facilities and offices are being constructed throughout the City. Satellite facilities have generally been essential for fire stations for minimal response times. However, decentralized office space for other city staff requires a creative approach to procuring and maintaining network and telecommunication services to these locations. The City uses a combination of point to point wireless and leased lines (T1 and 56k circuits) to serve these remote sites. More recently, the City has explored opportunities with Dark Fiber Leasing with regional Telco and utilities that have excess capacity in Ontario.

Internal technical support issues are reported through a phone call or via an email to the help desk. Support issues are prioritized into categories of Critical (with a 2 hour maximum response and resolution), Priority, High, Medium and Low. IT provides extended hour support for the Library and 24/7 on call support for emergency services. The department strives have 100% up time on critical systems and to respond critical and priority calls immediately.

Ultimately, the success in providing quality Information Services and Technologies is a result of well trained users and a highly qualified and capable support staff.