Technology and mapping coming to city hall

Mark Mitchell, Nevada's chief information officer, told the city council Tuesday night that the city's information technology department has four main goals: to increase the efficiency of the city government, improve the citizens access to the city government, enhance economic development and to invest in infrastructure.

The first three of these goals do not have a specific cost attached to them, but there is time involved in bringing them about, Mitchell told the council.

Completing these three goals will also require a change in the culture at the city, to remove some of the mundane work from the Mitchell and to do like most large companies do -- outsource as much of that work as possible and to empower the individual employees and departments to do some of that work themselves.

Mitchell said that improving access will involve a better city Web site, with more information, as well as eventually having an app for smart phones so residents can easily tell the city where things like pot holes are located or ask a question.

Several of these goals hinge on the city changing the way it does mapping. Instead of asking Mitchell to produce a map, the plan is to provide other city employees with the capability to produce their own maps using available technology. Currently he is the only one able to do this.

The fourth goal will have a significant price, but it will increase the city governments broadband capability from the current six megabit to 20 megabits, which is needed for all of the city operations, including the use of mobile data terminals to allow the police to access the MULES network from their cars, he said.

"The city currently pays $1,600 per month for a six megabit Internet connection. For a couple hundred dollars more per month we can have 20 megabits," Mitchell said.

"Thirty thousand dollars will let me run fiber from our network to a main line," he said.

For the next year, however, Mitchell said that he plans to collect the data needed to make the changes in mapping possible and to draw up the policies and procedures to allow each department to develop mapping information for their department, such as where manholes, water lines, sewer lines and buildings are located so they can be placed on a computer generated map.

"The city will be taking a big step in 2012," City Manager JD Kehrman said.

In other business the council:

* Voted 4-0 to accept the low bid of $26,045 from Flynn Drilling Company for a new deep well pump for the city's number 1 deep well, as well as, a motor for the pump and 13 sections of 6 inch black iron pipe. The motor for the pump recently failed and the pump is locked. The cost to repair the 1991 vintage equipment would be about 70 percent of the cost of new equipment.

* Voted 5-0 to accept the purchase of SCADA equipment from the R.E. Pedrotti Co., for a cost not to exceed $14,000. This will allow remote control of three wastewater lift stations. Pedrotti is the same company that made the remote control equipment at the new wastewater treatment plant, which will ensure that this equipment will be compatible.

* Voted 4-0 to pass on first reading a special ordinance approving a two-year contract with the Missouri Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force for technical and investigative assistance in the apprehensive and prosecution of Internet sexual predators. The task force also participates in community education efforts to help prevent Internet crimes against children. This is a grant funded agency, with no cost to the city. The contract is renewable for two additional years.

* Voted 4-0 to pass on first reading a special ordinance relinquishing any city interest in a lot at 715 E. Ashland so the Nevada Habitat For Humanity can sell the property and use any proceeds for a different project. The lot is too small to construct a single family home. The city acquired the lot several years when the city had to demolish a dangerousbuilding on that lot and put a lien on the property for the cost of demolition.

* Voted 4-0 to adopt Resolution No. 1335 granting a package liquor license for the sale of malt liquor with up to 5 percent alcohol for Pilot Travel Center, formerly Fuelmart, 2424 E. Austin. The city code does not limit the number of these licenses.

* Voted 4-0 to pass on second reading a special ordinance accepting the right-of-way easement at 429 N. Ash for sidewalk improvement.

* Voted 4-0 to pass on second reading a special ordinance changing the zoning at 721 N. Ash, at the request of owners Chris Hendren and Wes Ogle, from R-1, single family, to R-3, apartment district. They wish to renovate the existing church-school building into studio apartments.

* Voted 4-0 to give final approval to a special ordinance accepting about $14,304 from a Community Oriented Policing Services grant to cover the cost of hiring an entry level police officer for three years, with the requirement that the city pay for a fourth year. The federal grant requires no matching funds.

* Voted 4-0 to pass on second reading a special ordinance approving a contract with the Council of Families in Crisis for a $15,991.68 emergency shelter grant. The grant, which helps pay for the operation of the Moss House, runs from Sept. 1, 2011 to March 31, 2012.