City of Fredericksburg

AnnualReportFY2010

INFORMATIONTECHNOLOGYDEPARTMENT

FY2010

InformationTechnologyDepartment

Mission
ThemissionoftheInformationTechnologyDepartmentistoprovidesecure,efficientandeffective
informationtechnologysystems,andservicestosupportCitydepartmentsinaccomplishingtheir
missionsandgoals.

Tofulfillthismission,ourgoalsare:

Provide citizens, the business community, and City employees with timely, convenient
access to appropriate information and services through the use of technology.

Delivertimelyandeffectivetechnological
supporttoCitydepartments
Develop,enhance,andmanagetheCitys
enterprisenetworkstoprovideasecure,
responsive,transparent,andreliable
infrastructurefoundationonwhichto
conductCitybusinessoperationstodayand
inthefuture
WorkwithCitydepartmentstoimprove
businessoperationsthroughthecareful
analysisofbusinessneeds,andthe
appropriateapplicationandmanagementof
proveninformationtechnologysolutions
Providevision,leadershipandaframework
forevaluatingtechnologicalopportunities
Developandmaintaintechnicallyskilledstaff
Ensureeffectivetechnicalandfiscal
managementoftheDepartments
operations,resources,technologyprojects
andcontracts

OrganizationChart
ChiefInformation
Officer

Network Support

Specialist

PCTechnician

Roles&Responsibilities(SphereofInfluence)

Summary

TheInformationTechnology(IT)Departmentsupportsover300users,23servers,14networks(circuits),
34networkdevices,171printers,214workstationsandlaptops,18locations,and1.15terabytesof
data.

ITprovidesdailyoperationalsupporttomostCityoffices.PoliceandFirehaveseparatelydedicatedIT
resourcesintheirdepartments,SocialServicesandtheCourtsaresupportedbythestate;ITassists
thesegroupswheneverpossible.

ITmanages,securesandsupportstheCitysAS400(forallofficesandschools)whichharborstheCitys
centralfinancialsystems(Budget,RevenueAssessment,BillingandCollections,andAccountsPayable)
aswellasPersonnel,BuildingPermittingandInspections.

InformationTechnologyDepartment

FY2010

ITisalsoresponsibleforthemanagementoftheCityscellulartechnologycontracts,systemandfirewall
security,systemandnetworkadministration,wirelessandremoteaccess,virusandspamdetection
preventionandremoval,regulatorycompliance,emailandinternetaccess,policyandstandards
development,assetmanagement(inventory,acquisition,installationandtheappropriaterefreshand
disposalofagedtechnology),disasterrecovery,projectmanagement,strategicplanningandondemand
usertraining.

Accomplishments
InformationTechnologyisasmalldepartmentandyethasaccomplishedmuch:

AccomplishmentsFY08

ImprovementofphysicalandsystemsecuritytoprotectCitytechnologyanddata.
PolicyDevelopment(Password,EmailAcceptableUse,ITAcquisition&Use,CellPhone)
CityOfficeRelocations(PoliceDepartmentIT,Transit,CircuitCourt,Judge,CityAttorney)
InstallationofOutlookWebAccess(remoteemail)
Hiredstaff(NetworkSupportSpecialist&PCTechnician)
Setupmaintenanceagreementsforcoresystems
DMVSelectinstallation
Emergencyresponsetopoweroutages,systemsfailures,HVACfailures,andflooding
Completedinventoryofallhardwareandsoftwareforassetmanagement
Processimprovement(backups,procurement,usertraining,accessibilitytoapplications,ghost,
cellphones)
InstalledContentManagementSystemtoimprovewebcontentpostingprocessandtoprovide
uniformtemplatesforCitywebpages(ProgresstowardGoal8:Initiative8A,Redesignand
launcharevampedcitywebsitein2008)
InstalledGhostserverforefficientPCreplication
RelocatedandpopulatedEmailSystemwhichhadreachedcapacity
ReplacedfailingBlackBerryserver
Replaced4failingsnapservers(CA,EDT,PW,TN)
ReplacedfailingUPSbackuppowersupply
ReplacedBackupandSpamserverswhichwerepastendoflife
ReconfiguredAS400toimproveperformanceandinstalledadditionaldiskandtape
capacitytomeetcurrentstorageneeds
Cellphoneconsolidation(annuallyrecurringsavingsof$35,000)incooperationwithPW
Installedapproximately35newandreplacementcomputersandvariousperipheralsforCity
offices
Respondedtocallsforservice(38perweek)
ImplementedWSUS(windowsserverupdateservices)
ReworkedClusterServers
Developeddataremovalandequipmentsurplusprocedure
AssistedFireDepartmentwithinstallationofBlackberryServer
AssistedPoliceDepartmentwithrepairofBlackberryServer
ManagedEquipmentReplacementCIP
CompletedEthernetSiemensproject
ProxyServer/WebSecurityServer(URLblocking/tracking)
Approximately20othersmallerprojects

InformationTechnologyDepartment

FY2010

AccomplishmentsFY09asof12/5/2008
9
9
9
9
9
9
9
9
9
9
9
9
9
9
9
9
9
9

DevelopmentofInternetUsagepolicy
TrainstaffonAS400,andBAIfinancialapplication
DevelopedPerformance/WorkloadMeasures
CircuitCourtAnnexrelocation
Installftpserver(allowssharingoflargefilesoutsideofthenetwork)
Rackcleanupforserverroom
OutlookBusinessContactDatabaseforEDT
BroughtSoftwareLicensingcurrent
Completedinventoryofallprinters,networkdevices,andcircuits
OutsourceSPAMmanagement(facilitatesselfhelp,savesbandwidth)
ImplementedNetmotionandnewcircuitforthePoliceDepartment
ImplementedGhostServerforthePoliceDepartment
Configuration/InstallationofreplacementMailArchiverServer,expansionofharddrives
Configuration/InstallationofreplacementWebServer
Configuration/Installationof11replacementrouters
InstalledAS400printtopdf
Installed44newcomputers
GreenInitiatives:purchasingEnergyStarcompliantequipmentandbeganmovingtonetwork
printersforenergyandcostsavings

ProgressReportsonMajorFY09Initiatives:
9 Website
9 AV
9 GeographicInformationSystem(GIS)
9 CopierLeaseConsolidation
9 InternetBandwidth
9 PC/ServerReplacementProgram
9 ITConsolidation
9 AutochalkInterface

OnGoingProjectManagement
WebsiteRedesign RedesigntheCityofFredericksburgswebsite.Thecurrentwebsitehasnotbeen
updatedsinceJuly2004.Duetoitsageandthefailuretoremovedatedmaterialfromthesitewhenits
ofnofurtheruse,theCityswebsitehasbecomehighlytextualinnatureanddifficulttonavigate.Anew
lookandfeelisdesirableasisimprovedaccesstoinformationthroughreorganizationandrenavigation
ofpertinentmaterial.Itisdifficultfordepartmentstoposttheirowninformationtothewebsiteunder
thecurrentstructureasthereisnoContentManagementSysteminplace.Departmentsmustsubmit
theirmaterialtoalibraryemployeewhoservesasavolunteerwebmaster(theITDepartmentdoesnt
havetheresourcestosupportthisongoingeffortnordoesithaveaWebmasterposition).TheLibrary
resourceshaveservedFredericksburgwellovertheyearswithfastandcourteousresponsetorequests
forthepostingofmaterialstothewebsite;howeverthereisalackofsecondaryCityoversightinthe
process.Toalleviatetheseissues,aContentManagementSystemwasplannedandpurchasedthrough
theavailabilityofnomatchgrantfundingfromthePoliceDepartment.TheCMSsoftwarewillenable

InformationTechnologyDepartment

FY2010

theCitytostreamlinethedepartmentalpostingprocessviatheimplementationofaworkflowand
approvalprocess;trackchangesinthewebsiteandallowfortheautomaticandscheduledexpirationof
datedmaterial.Italsoprovidescalendarandnotificationfeatures,aswellastheabilitytocreatea
templateforthewebsitedesignthatisstoredandalteredindependentlyfromthecontent.This
structurewillallowgreaterflexibilityandsignificanttimesavingsinanyfutureredesigneffort.Forthis
project,eachpagemustbeeditedandmoveoverindependentlytothenewsite.

Progresstodate:Thewebsiteredesignteamhasacquired,installedandconfiguredtheCMSsoftware.
ThreeconceptdesignsforthewebsiteweredevelopedinhousebytheGraphicsCoordinator,andthe
favoritewasselectedandapprovedbydepartmentheadsandcitymanagement.Furtherdesignwork
wascompletedtofitthedesignintotheCMSproductandtoensureSection508compliance.Thebase
templatehasbeencreatedashavetheshelldepartmentaltemplatepages.Thewebsiteredesignteam
metwithCitydepartmentstodiscussrequirements,andpotentialupdatestotheirpages.Departments
weregivenassignmentstocollect/createnewmaterialasagreeduponforthesiterelevanttotheirarea.
Newnavigationpathsarebeingbuiltintothewebsitewiththehelpofthevolunteerwebmaster.The
tediousworkofsiftingthrough,strippingoutandmovingoverexisting,germanecontentiscurrently
underway.
BudgetAppropriated:$1,000.00EstimatedTimeline:Spring2009

AVSystemUpgrade TheexistingaudiosysteminCouncilChambersisapproximately30yearsold.
Thesoundqualityhasbeenpoorduetotheagedequipmentandwiringthathasbeenexposedto
repeatedfloodingovertheyears.Thevisualsystemisalsoinneedofupgradeasthecamerashavebeen
borrowedfromaconsultantwhomanagestheproductionofthemeetings.Theprojector,laptopand
camerasaresetupbeforeandtakendownforsecurestorageaftereachmeeting.Thereexistsaneed
formultiplestafftooperatethethreemobilecamerassetupforeachmeeting.Ifthecameraswere
motorizedandmountedinafixedlocationaccessiblefromtheAVroom,fewerpeoplewouldbe
requiredtoruntheequipmentforthemeetings,andtheroomwouldbelessclutteredwithequipment
andwiringonthefloorprovidingimprovedsafety.Asuspendedprojectorisplannedfortheroomto
provideandaffordablewaytoimprovevisualquality,andeasierpermanentaccesstothispopular
equipmentduringmeetings,whileagainremovingthewiringalongthefloorandtheclutterfromthe
room.
Progresstodate:SitevisitstoStafford,andPrinceWilliamCounties.Initialquoteshavebeenobtained
fromstatecontractwithTheWhitlockGroup.Newmicrophoneshavebeenorderedandinstalledin
advanceoftherestoftheprojectsincetheseitemsrepresentedthehighestpriorityneedandwere
easilyinstalledinadvance.Asmallteamhasbeenassembledtomakerecommendationsonremainder
ofpriorityitemsforPhaseIofPEG(Public,EducationalandGovernmentAccess)Funding.The
presentationportionoftheprojecthasbeenpostponeduntiladditionalfundingcanbeobtained.The
audioandvisualportionsoftheprojectdescribedinthefirstparagraphremaininPhaseIatthetimeof
thiswriting.
BudgetAppropriatedforPhaseI:$75,000EstimatedTimeline:Summer2009

GeographicInformationSystem(GIS) LocalgovernmentsuseGIStoidentifyandanalyzedata
graphicallyaboututilities(stormandsanitarysewers,pumpstations,waterlines,hydrantsandlighting),
stormwateroutfalls,districtandsubdivisionboundaries,streets,parcels,streams/rivers,wetlands,
hazardousmaterialsites,routes,building/businesstypes,crimes,fires,soil,zoning,landuse,andmany
otherfeatures.Thedatacanbequeried,displayed,spatiallyanalyzed,edited/overlaid,andlinkedto
otherdatabasesforthepurposesofcitizenresponse,planning,preservation,andpublicsafety
initiatives.GIShasbeenlistedasaTopPriorityintheSeptember25,2007AdoptedComprehensive

InformationTechnologyDepartment

FY2010

Plan(PublicFacilities&ServicesInitiatives).Todate,theCityhasinvestedinthedevelopmentofaweb
basedGISservicethatprovidesorthophotography,roadcenterlines,CityandHistoricDistrictboundary,
zoning,andbusroutestothepublic.Datastorageandmaintenanceaswellasthewebsitehostingis
currentlyoutsourcedforanannualfee.Thisdataisoflimitedusetocityemployees,andisnotwidely
usedbythepublic.InOctoberof2008,thePoliceDepartmentappliedforaVirginiaE911Wireless
ServicesBoardgrantintheamountof$149,514tofundtheserver,software,baseparcelconversionand
structureaddressdevelopmentnecessarytodevelopaGISfortheCityofFredericksburg.TheCityhas
receivedpreliminaryapprovalandwillhaveconfirmationinMarchof2009.Inanticipationthatthe
grantwillbeawarded,RFPdevelopmentworkwillresumeinJanuary.GIStrainingisrequiredto
implementthenewGISsystem.ThegrantfundingcannotbeallocatedtotrainingandtheCityhas
committedtoprovidingthistrainingintheeventthegrantisawarded.
BudgetNeeds:$155,000($5,680CityFundingforGISTraining)EstimatedTimeline:2010

CopierLeaseConsolidation Afterthesuccessofthecellphoneconsolidationproject,ITis
pursuingacopierleaseconsolidationproject.Citydepartmentsarecurrentlyengagedin28separate
copiercontractstotalingapproximately$250,000.Manyare5yearleaseagreementswithXeroxand
Ocebutwithvaryingcostsandcopyfees.Statecontractsofferopportunitiesfor30daycancellations
unlikethecurrentcontractswhichcantbeterminatedearly.IThasinventoriedtheCityscopiersand
willnotifydepartmentsastheirleasesapproachexpirationinordertoavoidtheautomaticrenewaland
refitthedepartmentwithacopierfromthestatecontractforcostsavingsandcontractflexibility.
Budget:None,potentialforcostsavingsEstimatedTimeline:Ongoingthroughcontractlease
obligations.

UpgradeInternetBandwidth TheCityhasbeenexperiencingsignificantintermittentlatency
(slowresponsetime)initsinternetpipe.Afterevaluationofcurrentcapacity,IThasdetermined
appropriatelevelstoovercomethelatency.Theseupgradeswillincreasebandwidthby300%,andby
utilizingCoxfibertoreplacetheVerizoncommunicationline,ITwasabletosave$2,446overFY09
estimates.Thisisanannuallyrecurringsavings.
BudgetAppropriated:$6,910Projectisunderbudgetat$4,464EstimatedTimeline:December,2008

PC/ServerReplacementProgram InresponsetoarequestfromIT,theCityprovided
supplementalfundingintheformofaCIP(CapitalImprovementProject)forthepurposesofreplacing
equipmentwhichhadreachedendoflife.AfterITexecutedacomprehensiveinventory,over90
computers,serversandrouterswereidentifiedasneedingimmediatereplacement.TheCitywasalsoin
needofadditionalsoftwarelicensestobecomecurrentwithusage.ThisprojectwasaconsolidatedIT
effortbetweenthethreeITentitiesintheCity.PoliceandFirehavetheirownITresources;however
thisprojectrepresentsoneofmanycollaborativeeffortsthisyear.Thenextsectiondescribes
additionalprojectswhereIThelpedthePoliceandFireDepartmentstoaccomplishtechnological
objectives.66computers,nine(9)servers,nine(9)networkdevices,five(5)mobilelaptopdevices
(PublicSafety),andvarioussoftwarelicenseswerepurchasedandinstalled.Seven(7)morecomputers
willbeinstalledinFY09,foratotalof95technologicaldevicesreplacedwiththisproject.Thissignificant
programwascompletedinhousewithoutthebenefitofadditionalstaffresources.Regularhelpcall
responsetimesweredelayedtwodaysaweekinordertoaccomplishthiswork.
Budget:$300,000EstimatedTimeline:December2009

CitywideITConsolidation IThasbegundraftingareporttoexaminetheopportunities,benefits
andchallengestoacentralizedITdepartmentfortheCityofFredericksburg.

InformationTechnologyDepartment

FY2010

CollaborativeEffortsPolice&Fire
FY08

Completed
(FD)BlackberryServerITperformedtheinstallationofBlackberryEnterpriseforFireDepartmentand
setupinitialconfigurationontheirphones.ITtrainedFDITResourceonsystemadministration.

(PD)BlackberryServerITrepairedthePoliceDepartmentsBlackberryServer.

(PD)GhostServerITperformedtheInstallationofGhostServerforPoliceDepartment.ITtrainedPD
ITresourcehowtomakebootdiscs,createimages,andpushimagestomachines.

(PD)ServerRoomRelocationtonewCowanOfficeITperformedprojectmanagement,planningand
onsiteassistanceforrelocationofPoliceDepartmentsserverroomtoCowanBoulevard.
FY09

Completed
(PD)NetmotionITperformedfullsystemevaluation,acquisition,installation,configuration,and
testingforthePoliceDepartment.ITstoodupservertoincludesoftwareinstallationandresearched
affordablecommunicationsoptions.ITorderedandinstalledCoxlineagainstextraFortigate60
firewall.ITestimatesapproximately100manhourswerededicatedtothisproject.ITtrainedPDIT
resourcetoconfigureclientsandITcontinuestooffersupportfortroubleshootingthesystem.ITgained
knowledgeaboutthesystemthroughselfeducationwithoutthebenefitofformaltraining.

(PD)CircuitinventoryITresearchedanddocumentedthecircuitsbeingutilizedbythePolice
Department.

InProgress
(PD)BackupExecProjectIThasbeenrequestedtoperforminstallationofBackupExecsoftwareandto
assistinthetestingandverificationofnightlybackupsforthePoliceDepartment.ITwilltrainPDIT
resourceonhowtoadministerthesoftwareandverifybackups.

(PD)TapeLibraryinstallationIThasbeenrequestedtoassistwithinstallationandconfigurationofa
tapelibrary(utilizedtorotatetapessotheydonthavetobemanuallychangeddaily)afterthenew
backupprocessisestablished.

(PD)MessageSwitchInstallationIThasbeenrequestedtoassistwithrouting/configurationproblems
relatedtothisinstallation.ITwilltroubleshoottheseissuesforthePD.

(PD)AutochalkInterfacetotheAS400Acomprehensiveescalatingfeeschedulewasadoptedwiththe
newAutochalksystemalongwiththedoublingofunpaidparkingticketfinesafter30days.Thisisan
effectivedeterrentfortherepeatoffender,escalatingthefineasmoreticketsareaccumulatedand
doublingthefineifleftunpaid.Thisfeeschedule,whileeffective,doesrequireacomplicatedinterface
totheAS400forthevoidingofticketsdeemedtobeunenforceableafterbeingissued.Forexample,if
thesecondticketinanescalationstreamistobevoidedbuthasalreadybeendoubled,(perhapsthe
otherticketsinthestreamhavebeenpaidontimeornot)therearemultipleiterationsofpartialvoids

InformationTechnologyDepartment

FY2010

forallticketsfurtherupintheescalationstreamofvaryingamountsandvoidsofthedoublefinesif
appliedorportionsthereofwhereapplicable.
Progresstodate:IThasprovidedprojectmanagementforthiseffort.Thishasrequiredprogramming
onboththeAutochalksystemandtheAS400aswellascomprehensiverepetitivetestingtomakethe
interfacesuccessful.Newreportsandmenuoptionshavebeenaddedtofacilitatetheprocessingof
thesevoids.Onelastissueremainsoutstanding.WeareawaitingafixfromBAIforanAS400program.

(FD)RoamSecureIThasbeenrequestedtoprovideprojectmanagementforthisproject.Roam
SecureisaCitizenAlertSystemforwhichtheFireDepartmenthassuccessfullybeenawarded$40,000in
grantmoney.