Democracy on the Front Lines
Walter Denton
City Administrator Blog
October 6, 2005
There are two primary roles for a city administrator: modernizing the organization and building a sense of community. Modernizing the organization is internal-focused and entails increasing efficiency in operations and demanding quality and professionalism among City employees. Building a sense of community is external-focused and promotes the quality of life of residents in the community.
While it may seem dull, modernizing the organization exemplifies strongly held values -- namely, that O'Fallon citizens deserve the highest quality services for the taxes they pay. It is the cornerstone for the legitimacy of democracy.
With the explosion of technology and the information society, modernizing the organization can be a daunting task. In just the past 18 months, here are a few efficiency projects in City departments:
- Automating water meter reading and utility billing, including automatic withdrawal and credit card payments
- Automating payroll and financial accounting
- Automating Public Works work order system and digital mapping system
- Automating building inspections and building permits
- Establishing a computerized Reverse-911 emergency notification network
- Automating recreation program registration and credit card payments
- Digital imaging of all City records and documents
- Overhaul of the City's web site with interactive features including online forms, city council and board agendas and minutes, meeting calendars, and email subscriber options for public notices.
Managing all of these technological advances requires coordination with our employees to provide excellent services to our residents. We believe in a teamwork approach, where employees from all levels and departments of the organization work together to provide seamless service to the community. We may not always succeed in doing this, but we strive for continuous improvement.
My next entry will address community building. . .
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