IT Committee
(2001/2002)
The Information Technology (IT) Committee was created in the early 1990’s to offer guidance, provide resources, and develop strategies and vision for East Longmeadow’s IT director and our computer system. The Board of Selectmen appoints the committee members annually. The committee wishes to acknowledge the work and express our thanks to our recently retired members, Shirley Herrick and Donald St. Georges. Both individuals have been members of the committee since its inception. Their ideas, balanced by fiscal restraint, were important contributions in ensuring our Town system grew to what it is today, one of the most advanced enterprise networks for a municipality.
The committee is currently exploring the costs and scope of implementing a geographic information system (GIS). The development, maintenance and management of a Town-wide GIS are complex, will span several years and is expensive. The committee is interviewing computer-consulting firms to conduct a Needs Assessment and Implementation Plan for this new technology. You may be asking yourself “Why do we need GIS?” This system is a new, improved way to generate accurate information. The information can be shared through departments or with townspeople. For example, instant answers can be obtained to identify adjoining property owners, town-owned land, open space, what roads were re-surfaced last year, what food service establishments need reinspection, what area was treated with mosquito larvicide, where are all the fire hydrants are located, what intersections experience the most accidents, etc. Yes, some of these questions can be answered by contacting certain Town employees who have the knowledge in their heads; however, some of the answers would require extensive research or is simply not available. The committee welcomes comments or questions as they research this new information technology. When citizens participate, the better our Town services!
Respectfully submitted,
Kim Wiezbicki, Chairman
Sandra Choquette
Dr. Ed Costa
John Maybury
Donald Plourde
John Somsen
Information Systems
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