May 2003

Issue 3

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Feature Story

The Eye of the Budget Preparation Storm

How technology lessens the effects of financial planning

Pramod Deshpande, CEO of PowerPlan Corporation
speaks with Tamara Halbritter of Municipal Technology Journal
 

Editorial Corner

This Issue: Escaping the budget preparation tornado and more …

Our "Feature Story" describes the whirlwind of activity many of you face when it comes time for budget preparation. We asked for practical suggestions from Pramod Deshpande, CEO of PowerPlan Corporation, on how to lessen this annual panic.

In the section called “What Is Your Best Advice?” see how your peers responded to the question Shari Freidenrich, City Treasurer of Huntington Beach asked: How do you involve government employees in the planning, implementation and administration of new technology? You'll also find this month's dilemma about technology posed by David R., an operations manager

Please let me know how successful we are at including articles relevant to your professional life. Drop me a line about any specific topics you want to see covered. Thank you for reading MTJ, and I look forward to hearing your views. You can win a color Palm Pilot by completing the survey below.

Tamara Halbritter, Editor

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Reader Survey

Win a Color Palm Pilot
Complete our 1-minute reader survey and you could win a free color Palm Pilot.

 

Spotlight

AMX International is the J.D. Edwards Public Services Area Business Partner of the Year for the last four years.

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Associations

Government Finance Officers Assoication (GFOA)

Advancing Government Accountability (AGA)

American Gas Association (AGA)

American Public Power Association (APPA)  

American Water Works Association (AWWA)

California Municipal Utilities Association (CMUA)

International City/County Management Association (ICMA)

Municipal Information Systems Association of Ontario

Municipal Information Systems Association of BC

National Cable and Telecommunications Association (NCTA)

Solid Waste Association of North America (SWANA)
 

Friends of MTJ

Accela, Inc.

The Active Network

GBA Master Series

PowerPlan

SymPro, Inc.

TMG Consulting

UtiliPoint International 

Warren B. Causey, Ltd.
 

Events

CIS Conference
May 31-June 3
Nashville, TN

2003 MISA
Conference and Trade Show

June 1 - 4, 2003
Ontario, Canada

ICMA’s 2003 Conference
September 21-24
Charlotte, NC

MISA BC Fall 2003 Conference
September 22rd-24th, 2003
The Prince George Civic Centre
Prince George, BC

 

Archives

Issue 2

[MORE]

Sponsors


 

Free Download - RFP Template

"Expectations make the difference between success and failure
 of a local government's Customer Information System implementation."

Greg Galluzzi - CIS and utility industry expert

Read our interview with Greg

For a free RFP template, click here


 

What Is Your Best Advice?

This Issue's Dilemma:

How does your municipality use technology to help eliminate spam?

“As an Operations Manager, I get more and more complaints from my staff about their e-mail boxes being filled with spam. On the flip side, one of my employees was waiting for an email from a vendor. When it didn’t come, she contacted the vendor and had him resend it. When the second message didn't arrive, she contacted our IT Director. He said our spam filter blocks “good” e-mail messages occasionally.  

I vaguely understand what the filter really does. All this is confusing and unproductive to me. Would you ask your readers how they address this ever-increasing problem? Could you please respond in layman’s terms, as I am not a technical wizard? Thank you.”

- David R., Operations Manager
 

What Is Your Best Advice?

Share your knowledge and you could win a color Palm Pilot.


Last Issue's Dilemma:

How do I get my employees involved?

"In what ways does your organization involve employees in the planning, implementation and administration of new technology?"

"In regards to new technology, it's always important to review what other governments and private industries are doing to become more efficient at providing services. At the City of Huntington Beach, like in other local governments, our resources are continuing to shrink. How then, do you find ways to continue to utilize current technology, train employees, and get them to buy into new technology such as new software, without having a huge budget?"

"Do your readers have any suggestions for involving employees in the various stages of an implementation and post-implementation of new software or technology?"

- Shari Freidenrich, City Treasurer, Huntington Beach, CA

[ Read what advice you gave to Shari ]

 

Service Efforts And Accomplishments (SEA)

Measuring Key Performance Indicators (KPI)

311 Program Wins Government Oscar

Sets standards for innovation
from The Council for Excellence in Government

 

Online Talent Competition

Exploiting the Web to drive human capital
by Ron Levine, Internet World

 

Municipal News

Latest city and county news and views

Searching for Confidentiality Balance

Pleasing constituents while offering security
by John Soat, Information Week

 

Integration and Frustration of Sharing GIS Data

Obstacles include cost, inertia, standards, and access
by Mike Langberg, Government West

 

Technical Innovation

Streamline processes and improve services

Free Wireless Available in Cities

On the road to future revenue
by Greg Davy, American City & County

 

Piloting Online Payment for Traffic Tickets

Convenient system for road troublemakers
from Government Technology

 


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