InPrint 2013

Page 1

InPrint

Cityworks®

Fall 2013

Empowering GIS® for Asset Management, Permitting, Licensing, and more!

A

PLATFORM

FOR

SUCCESS

In This Issue: GIS-centric Platform for Public Asset Management Work Order API facilitates SCADA Integration Cityworks Approved for Automated FAA Reporting at General Mitchell International Airport



Cityworks®

InPrint Empowering GIS ® for Asset Management, Permitting, Licensing, and more! Advisory Board: Brian Haslam, President & CEO Carl Horton, Chief Technology Officer George Mastakas, Vice President of Enterprise Solutions Wayne Hill, Vice President of Client Relations Tom Palizzi, Vice President of Marketing and Sales Brent Wilson, Executive Director of Sales Steve Thomas, Executive Manager, Customer Support

InPrint Staff: Editor in Chief: Tom Palizzi Managing Editor: Kaye Ryser Associate Editor: Lindsay Ferguson Copy Editor: Reece Hanzon Graphic Design: Kent Hepworth Graphic Design: Rachel Haslam Advertising: Cindy Curletti

Subscription: To subscribe, change your address, or cancel your subscription: inprint@cityworks.com Contact Us: Tel: 801-523-2751 Email: info@cityworks.com Archives available at: www.cityworks.com

Editor’s Page

A

n old adage says, the only constant is change. It’s hard to argue, especially when talking about technology. Much is the case with Cityworks. Simply glancing at the covers of past Cityworks InPrint magazines tells a story of evolution. Evolution is the change in characteristics of a species over successive generations. Many elements combine to affect such changes, and technology tends to behave accordingly, impacted by a broad array of actions, activities, and developments. Moore’s Law, for example, observes that the number of transistors on integrated circuits doubles approximately every two years. This, in turn, doubles the speed at which computers can process information, thereby enhancing the capability of software applications. Education has also increased the knowledge, capability, and confidence of people, escalating the use of technology. This is especially visible in the growth of computer use in previously low-tech industries. The evolution of Cityworks is no exception. In the past 24 months, there have been substantial changes to Cityworks regarding its deployment or redeployment. Since 2011, 70% of Cityworks customers have migrated from their existing Cityworks Desktop environment to Cityworks Server. In that same period, 99% of new customers have licensed Cityworks Server. If the future isn’t now, it’s coming fast! This issue of InPrint illuminates that future. Cityworks is reaching a new level having evolved into a platform solution for asset management. From what is a GIS-centric Public Asset Management Platform to the technology that makes it happen, with an array of examples in between, this issue will help you visualize the way forward. Thanks for reading this issue of Cityworks InPrint!

Tom Palizzi InPrint Editor in Chief

Azteca Systems Inc. 11075 South State Street, Suite 24 Sandy, UT 84070 801-523-2751 www.cityworks.com

Copyright © Azteca Systems Inc. 2013 All rights reserved. Printed in the United States of America. The information contained in this document is the exclusive property of Azteca Systems Inc. The work is protected under United States copyright law and other international copyright treaties and conventions. No part of this work may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying and recording, or by any information storage or retrieval system, except as expressly permitted in writing by Azteca Systems Inc. All requests should be sent to Attention: Cityworks InPrint, Azteca Systems Inc., 11075 South State Street, #24, Sandy, UT 84070. The information contained in this document is subject to change without notice.

Azteca Systems, Cityworks, Cityworks SAM, and Powered by Esri are registered trademarks; Cityworks Desktop, Cityworks Anywhere, Cityworks Server, GIS Empowered by Cityworks, and Empowering GIS are trademarks of Azteca Systems Inc.; and www. mycityworks.com, www.gocityworks.com, www.cityworks.com, and @cityworks.com are service marks of Azteca Systems Inc. The names of other companies and products mentioned herein are trademarks or registered trademarks of their respective trademark owners.


Contents

Fall 2013

President’s Corner 7

GIS-centric Platform for Public Asset Management

10

Focus 8

20

Work Order API Facilitates SCADA Integration at Waterford Township, Michigan

10 Integration is the Key to Conserve Water and Save Money at St. Johns County, Florida

12 Elevating Citizen Engagement with Cityworks and SeeClickFix 13 Loveland, Colorado, Uses Cityworks to View CompassCom AVL 14 Freeance Mobile Integration Aids Jackson, Mississippi, in Times of Economic Hardships

16 Growing the Connected Utility: Sedarū Enables Real-time Communications, Operational Efficiencies

19 Cityworks Integrates with Advanced Water and Wastewater Analytics

Cityworks User Conference 26 2013 User Conference Recap 27 Cityworks 2013 Exemplary User Award Recipients

Spotlight 36 Washington State: A Model for Success in the Pacific Northwest 37 Des Moines, Washington

Te c h n o l o g y

Features 20 Newport News, Virginia, Reflects on Hurricane Sandy 22 Server PLL: Propelling Topeka to a Prosperous Tomorrow 24 Automated FAA Reporting Takes Off at General Mitchell International Airport: Cityworks Gains FAA Approval

38 Charts, Maps, and Graphs—Oh My!?: Asset Analytics vs. Cityworks Analytics

40 Local Government Templates for Cityworks Server PLL 42 Seven Steps to Enhance Functionality in the Server AMS/ PLL Silverlight Map

28 Cityworks Benefits from Sandy City’s Use of Cityworks

User Information

31 Longview, Texas: A City in the Cloud

45 Cityworks Help Desk Provides Foundation for Sustainable, High-quality Tech Support

32 Directing and Managing Operational Tasks in Greenville, South Carolina

34 West Valley City, Utah: Working Out Innovative Uses for Cityworks

Cityworks News 46 Cityworks Congratulates 2013 Esri SAG Award Winners 47 Cityworks Wraps up an Eventful Event Calendar

8

48 New Employees 49 Upcoming Events 50 FitKIDS Triathalon, Trichotillomania Silent Auction 51 Catching the LoToJa Spirit

4

InPrint Fall 2013 cityworks.com


COMMUNITY IS A GROUP OF PEOPLE WHO SHARE A COMMON INTEREST.

For us, it’s a commitment to keeping our communities clean, safe, and reliable. We know it’s you that makes the difference in your community and we know it’s you that makes Cityworks work. You are Cityworks and we want you to shine! Send us a picture of your Cityworks crew so people will know community makes a difference. We are Cityworks because you are Cityworks! Find the details at MyCityworks.com.

CITYWORKS PLL ADMINISTRATION TRAINING, SEPTEMBER 2013

CITYWORKS STAFF, 2013 CITYWORKS USER CONFERENCE, SALT LAKE CITY

CITY OF DES MOINES, WASHINGTON, SEPTEMBER 2013


“LIVE” ON-CAMPUS [Get those ROCK HARD CITYWORKS APPS you’ve been looking for.] Along the continuum from new guy to manager, your work demands more of you every day, and you certainly don’t need government statistics to know fitness is the key. Get in shape at the Cityworks Campus! Personalized, hands-on training led by expert staff in our state-of-the-art facilities will no doubt give you the edge

you need. Alongside people just like you from around the globe, trainers will guide you through the exercises that enlighten, strengthen, and deliver the burn. Don't waste another minute—enroll in a Cityworks Boot Camp today! You'll walk away recharged with better skills, fresh ideas, and, OK, maybe a few sore muscles.

EXERCISE all your training options at www.mycityworks.com/cityworkscampus (Select “Live” option for on-campus training.)


President’s Cor ner

GIS-centric Platform for Public Asset Management By Brian L. Haslam, President & CEO, Azteca Systems—Cityworks

E

nterprise authoritative systems have transitioned from the back office to the front office to the field, including Esri ArcGIS and Cityworks. This progression has been accelerated by the desire for anytime, anywhere access from any computer or device, optimized for a specific type of end user. In response, enterprise software systems have transformed to become platforms that can easily integrate diverse software packages in ways previously not possible. From the very beginning, the Cityworks GIS-centric approach for local government asset management has been a union of two software systems: Esri ArcGIS and Cityworks. With this approach, the GIS is the authoritative system for local government asset inventory. At the core, Esri ArcGIS provides the tools necessary to maintain the asset inventory and for using geography as a management tool. Cityworks provides tools for managing and tracking the work that regulates local government assets. The Cityworks GIS-centric approach leverages an organization’s investment in Esri GIS delivering immediate and tangible benefits, including simplifying the process to maintain an asset inventory and eliminating the need for data syncing interfaces and associated data normalization challenges. The Cityworks GIS-centric approach has broadened to become the GIS-centric Platform for local government or public asset management. The GIS-centric Platform helps geo-enable public works, utilities, and city and county organizations with asset management tools that scale from desktop browsers to tablets to mobile devices. This approach strongly resonates with local government organizations because leveraging their investment in Esri ArcGIS for asset management improves efficiencies and decision making. This in turn helps local government organizations achieve their sustainability goals.

In the Cityworks Partner community we are seeing a growing number of offerings that incorporate Cityworks and Esri ArcGIS to deliver a broad range of asset management tools. From highly customized use-case specific applications to unified, centrally integrated data retrieval, analysis, and modeling systems, local government organizations are meeting their asset management goals using the GIS-centric Platform. The trend is clear and will continue to rapidly grow as Cityworks Partners provide new and innovative solutions enhanced by the GIS-centric Platform to meet the needs of specific types of users. Central to incorporating the GIS-centric Platform as part of a thirdparty application are the APIs, or application programming interfaces. An API’s design concept is software built with various defined openings or services, allowing other software programs to connect and interact with the software. A good way to visualize an API is to think about how we use the UI or User Interface to interact with a software system. The API allows you to take a portion of the UI and plug it into another software system, including full functionality. The end result is a software system can begin to communicate beyond just sharing data. Functionality from one software system can be exposed and performed in another system. The Cityworks GIS-centric approach has always been the union of two software systems doing what they do well: Esri ArcGIS asset inventory and geography, and Cityworks asset maintenance management. The modern platform architecture and design has allowed the two unified systems to become the GIS-centric Platform for public asset management. APIs allow other software systems to access data and expose functionality, creating a composite of diverse software systems to provide customized solutions that improve operational efficiencies, prioritize actions, and improve planning.

cityworks.com Fall 2013 InPrint

7


Focus

Work Order API Facilitates

a t W a t e r f o r d To w n s h i p , M i c h i g a n By Frank Fisher, DPW Information Systems Administrator, Waterford Township, MI

I

n 2011, faced with losing a significant number of trained staff to re- other key applications, such as Cityworks, to produce a business process tirement, and wanting to better utilize available operational data, that leverages the strengths of both applications. Until recently, these Waterford Township, Michigan’s, Department of Public Works (DPW) integrations required considerable effort from developers. This tightly embarked on a journey to standardize work flow procedure, while simul- integrated approach, while effective, presented some major challenges— taneously integrating the department’s Supervisory Control and Data namely managing development costs and maintaining the connection Acquisition (SCADA) system with Citybetween applications during product The nature of the design allowed works. The solution involved transferupgrades. In this case, Waterford DPW’s the integration between Waterford ring knowledge from users with years of plan for integrating SCADA with CityDPW’s Workflow and Cityworks to experience into best practices that could works would be different from the norbe completed in a single week. ... be used to develop electronic standard mal integration process. This integration operating procedures (eSOP) that adwould be based on the new Cityworks Waterford DPW was the first Cityworks dress specific scenarios easily detected Work Order API. customer to use the Work Order API. by SCADA data analysis. A user would The Work Order API provides develreceive the procedures and corresponding work orders in Cityworks, as opers a set of web services to generate work orders in Cityworks. Using part of a workflow generated by condition based triggers from SCADA. Cityworks, data sent to the web service can automatically trigger both Waterford Township DPW has a long history of finding specialized ap- routine and emergency work orders. The web services use the JavaScript plications and working with developers to integrate their products with Object Notation (JSON) open standard. This allows the web services to

Waterford DPW building

8

InPrint Fall 2013 cityworks.com


Workflow screen shot

be language-independent and able to support requests generated from a variety of environments including .NET and Java. The Waterford project involved Waterford DPW’s SCADA system, GE Proficy iFix, passing real-time operational data to the DPW’s workflow application, GE Proficy Workflow (Workflow). Workflow acts as the logic engine by which the SCADA data is evaluated to see if it contains conditions that would generate maintenance work orders. If the defined conditions are detected, an eSOP and a Cityworks work order are generated to ensure that the event is corrected and documented. The Cityworks Work Order API is leveraged in the link between Workflow and Cityworks. Workflow sends Cityworks key information necessary to create a work order, such as feature information and the type of work order needed. This web services-based approach provides several key advantages. Primarily, it allows the application developer to quickly develop a component to create work orders in Cityworks without having to develop complicated methods to replicate the Cityworks work order creation process. The developer can quickly develop standards-based methods that call Cityworks processes to create and retrieve key work order information, saving both time and money in the integration process. The nature of the design allowed the integration between Waterford DPW’s Workflow and Cityworks to be completed in a single week. This accomplishment is significant not only because the development time was amazingly short, but also because Waterford DPW was the first Cityworks customer to use the Work Order API. This shows the flexibility and functionality that the Work Order API provides to developers. This web services approach allows more precious development resources to be spent creating workflow models that can power the analytics necessary to detect abnormalities within the data provided by SCADA. In the end, this method provides a more robust product to be implemented at Waterford Township DPW.

This simple approach to how applications interact with Cityworks allows more effort to be focused on building integrations that harness the power of the applications interacting with Cityworks, instead of focusing on replicating processes needed to generate work orders. This API-based approach also creates an easier environment for maintaining the integration as either application is updated. The initial Waterford Township DPW project consisted of developing two workflow processes with corresponding eSOP workflows and triggering appropriate work orders. Waterford DPW quickly realized the benefits of this Work Order API-based approach, as the entire design, development, and implementation of the project was completed within two weeks. The straightforward design of the integration allows DPW staff to create new workflows internally, thus leveraging the ability to automatically generate eSOP and associated work orders without a developer. Waterford DPW continues to develop additional eSOP and workflow processes that leverage this powerful integration between these core business applications. After implementing the Work Order API at Waterford DPW, the API’s functionality has increased, which means that even more data can be shared between applications. This further empowers the functionality of any application that leverages this powerful method to embed the core work order functionality of Cityworks within itself. One of the core business principles for Waterford Township is to harness technology that will increase operational efficiency; the Cityworks Work Order API has filled a major role in providing additional efficiencies. Waterford Township DPW looks forward to continuing to leverage the Cityworks Work Order API in this integration as well as in future integrations wherever possible.

cityworks.com Fall 2013 InPrint

9


Focus

Integration is the Key to Conserve Water and Save Money at St. Johns County, Florida By Bill Millinor, MS, GISP, GIS Department Manager, Mark Nelson, PE, GISP, Senior Engineer, and Brett Goodman, PE, Senior Project Engineer, Jones Edmunds & Associates, Inc.

CITYWORKS S

t. Johns County, Florida, emerged from the recession as one of the fastest-growing counties in Florida and the nation. The St. Johns County Utility Department (SJCUD) serves most unincorporated portions of the county, where the majority of this growth is occurring. SJCUD serves potable drinking water to about 35,000 connections from eight water treatment plants. In the next 20 years, traditional groundwater supplies will not be able meet the projected customer demands. In 2008, SJCUD made a strategic decision to implement a comprehensive asset management program that included selecting Jones Edmunds & Associates, Inc. to implement a phased rollout of Cityworks. The original goals of the Cityworks implementation are as follows: • Eliminate the hard-copy work order process • Streamline tracking and reporting O&M activities • Improve warehouse efficiency • Standardize accounting and time sheet activities • Empower staff to increase efficiency accountability at all levels The first phase focused on lift stations and inventory. Phase two upgraded Cityworks Server AMS and implemented Cityworks for the lines distribution group. The third phase implemented Cityworks for water and wastewater plants. As the implementation moved forward, regional water supply planning efforts encouraged utilities to find alternative water supplies and implement conservation measures. With an increased emphasis on tracking water use and savings activities, SJCUD partnered with the local water management district to incorporate water conservation tracking and reporting into the Cityworks implementation. System integration is critical to implementing water conservation tracking and reporting; system integration streamlines work and data flows among SJCUD’s various enterprise software solutions: • Customer Information System (CIS) by Cogsdale • Advanced Metering Infrastructure (AMI) / Automatic Meter Reading (AMR) water use information by Sensus • Cityworks Server AMS by Azteca Systems–Cityworks • ArcGIS Suite from Esri

ENTERPRISE INTEGRATION Cogsdale SJCUD uses Cogsdale for its billing and customer service information, and the department needed to ensure the most accurate customer information was incorporated into the Cityworks customer information tables to reduce errors and data entry time. Cogsdale contains sensitive customer information, so Jones Edmunds developed a method to push data from Cogsdale to the appropriate Cityworks tables. Sensus AMI/AMR Before implementing a Sensus AMI/AMR metering system, SJCUD was notified of leaks and other water issues—such as off-schedule watering or high water use—within a 30-day window. The new AMI/AMR system stored water use reads every 15 minutes, but SJCUD could not access the information and the reads were purged after a few months. SJCUD wanted to access this information to quickly mitigate water use issues and build a long-term usage history for each client and meter.

Figure 1 courtesy of JEA.

10

InPrint Fall 2013 cityworks.com


DATA Jones Edmunds developed procedures to pull the 15-minute reads from an external MySQL database to SJCUD’s SQL Server platform. These data were normalized and tied to the customer information pulled from Cogsdale, tying water usage information to customers every 15 minutes—including addresses, specific meters, and parcel data. This information allows analysts to see the current usage for any Sensus-enabled meter in 15-minute increments and its usage history. Because it is also tied to SJCUD’s GIS data, the information is viewable within ArcGIS. Water Conservation Once SJCUD’s account-level consumption was combined with property characteristics to establish user categories within the residential customer classification, Jones Edmunds developed workflows for linking water use and consumption to conservation activities with Cityworks. Jones Edmunds developed five conservation-related workflows within Cityworks, two of which trigger automatic service requests based on the water usage and the linked customer information: • Excessive Usage—automatic service request if usage passes a specific threshold • Irrigation Ordinance Compliance—automatic service request to send a letter to a customer watering on the wrong day • Three workflows were developed to track water conservation programs at individual customer accounts: • Landscape modification programs • Soil moisture sensor installation • Water use letters By combining Cityworks with the other enterprise information, it is now possible to track SJCUD’s conservation efforts, along with the associated costs and water savings over time. The system integration and water conservation workflows are described in Figures 1 and 2.

Figure 2 courtesy of JEA.

By integrating and connecting multiple datasets, Jones Edmunds enabled SJCUD to realize their asset management and reporting capabilities. Data entry time and response time have been reduced, while data accuracy has increased. Based on data thresholds, as soon as a water use or runtime outlier is discovered, a service request is generated automatically using templates to assign them to the right personnel. SJCUD can then track the costs per water conservation measure and the water savings over time to show true costs and savings throughout the life of these measures.

cityworks.com Fall 2013 InPrint

11


Focus

Elevating Citizen Engagement with Cityworks and SeeClickFix By Ben Westermann-Clark, Director of Citizen Engagement, SeeClickFix

C

ityworks believes in staying actively involved with their clients, relying on their experience and expertise to help them know how best to improve their product. Just as Cityworks relies on its clients to give useful feedback, cities rely on their citizens to report problems and submit service requests to help them keep the city in good order. To facilitate these working relationships, Cityworks has partnered with SeeClickFix as one mobile app that allows citizens and governments to report, discuss, and fix non-emergency 311 issues. Graffiti, potholes, trash, code violations, and other concerns in the city can be documented with smartphones and tablets by citizens on-the-go. SeeClickFix gives the public the ability to record the location of an issue, take a photograph, share a comment, and submit the complaint to the city for resolution. Using the Cityworks Service Request API, municipalities have partnered with SeeClickFix to automatically push reports into their Cityworks database to create service requests. A Cityworks work order can then be generated from the service request. Integrating SeeClickFix directly into Cityworks allows cities to easily expand their ability to efficiently and transparently manage infrastructure issues. When a citizen reports an issue—such as a pothole or broken streetlight—GIS locations, real-time photos, and other detailed custom information is captured in a Cityworks service request. This seamless integration makes issue and asset management more efficient for cities, more precise for city workers, and more transparent for residents. John McCabe, systems administrator at City of Oakland, California, says the integration with Cityworks makes SeeClickFix infinitely more valuable to Oakland: “We’re always working to answer Oakland residents as effectively as possible, and syncing these two platforms saves us time.” Incidents that are not infrastructure issues—such as crime reports, fire hydrant concerns, and questions for the public library—are forwarded directly to their respective departments for resolution utilizing Cityworks. Incoming requests can be automatically routed to the appropriate department based not just on the type of service request being reported, but also the geographic location of the problem. This configuration allows for multiple agencies with overlapping service areas, all using Cityworks, to

SeeClickFix Dashboard

12

InPrint Fall 2013 cityworks.com

leverage SeeClickFix for residents. Additionally, these citizen reports provide an entire new facet of GIS data that was previously unavailable and make cities’ analytics and reports much more detailed and accurate. When a new report is submitted from the app, a service request is created in Cityworks, and the location is geocoded so it can be viewed in Esri ArcGIS for further evaluation. Geocoding is a critical step in the process because it allows the city to maintain its asset registry, so all public works activities can be associated with a feature (or asset) in the GIS database. The asset registry also preserves the history of infrastructure repairs and allows city managers to perform a variety of GIS analyses, such as evaluating areas with unusually high maintenance requirements, to determine possible causes and take preventative measures if appropriate. This allows the city to maintain the public assets it is responsible for in a cost-effective manner. Cityworks and SeeClickFix together create a powerful resource for communicating back to citizens as well. When a SeeClickFix-reported service request in Cityworks is closed, that status is reflected on SeeClickFix, effectively automating communication back to the citizen. With partners including Oakland, California; Richmond, Virginia; Hendersonville, North Carolina; Dunwoody, Georgia; and many more, Cityworks and SeeClickFix are helping cities across the United States make their service request systems as efficient and valuable as possible by connecting citizens, field workers, and municipal departments.


Loveland, Colorado, Uses

Cityworks to View CompassCom AVL By Brittney Clark, Project Manager, CompassCom

L

oveland, Colorado, a small city nestled in the heart of Northern Colorado, is one of many cities seeing vast improvements in quality of work in the Automatic Vehicle Location (AVL) sector thanks to CompassCom, a leader in the AVL industry and strong Cityworks partner. CompassCom offers agencies the ability to manage vehicles and mobile assets through real-time dispatch, which enhances accountability, efficiency, and safety in clients’ investment with Cityworks and Esri ArcGIS for Server. The City of Loveland is a long time CompassCom and Cityworks customer. By improving situational awareness, CompassCom saves fuel, time, and vehicle wear for Loveland, and also provides accurate mileage and driving pattern data for scheduled and event-driven maintenance. As a snowy city, Loveland benefits from CompassCom’s ability to measure and monitor material usage (salt, sand, magnesium chloride, herbicide, and pesticide) in vehicles such as sprayers, snowplows, and sweepers. Paying close attention to the material details reduces costs while protecting the environment. CompassCom serves as a measurable return on investment for Loveland. Integrating Technology in Loveland Cityworks users, like Loveland, who are looking for an AVL solution can depend on CompassCom for integrated real-time mobile asset and fleet management. The CompassCom AVL seamlessly integrates with the Esri ArcGIS for Server display used by Cityworks, providing dispatchers and managers a single, combined display to view their assets, reducing the number of applications needed to make real time decisions. CompassReports and the Cityworks application also offer the ability to do after-action and historical cost analysis.

Shannon Smith, City of Loveland Cityworks administrator, commented on the integration of Cityworks and CompassCom, saying, “The integration was seamless using Cityworks 2013, and having the vehicles available inside Cityworks Server AMS is a great tool.” And although Loveland is fairly new to the technology, Smith says that the combination of Cityworks and CompassCom is “very helpful in dispatching crews to trouble locations. It has also made it much easier to make work orders in Cityworks.” Offering Solutions Together CompassCom and Cityworks believe that many other customers will benefit from the integration of the two solutions. Managers can monitor public works, emergency response, or utility vehicles in real-time, noting

vehicle status easily, seamlessly, and directly within the Cityworks viewer. With CompassCom’s GPS-based fleet management, city managers can see detailed information on the status of vehicles and high-value assets such as generators and air compressors to view their performance, including data such as mileage, idle time, routes, and stops taken, or whether lights are flashing or a snowplow is down. Using a combination of wireless technology, hardware, and software, an AVL solution with CompassCom is an economically feasible solution to control costs and manage resources through real-time, accurate monitoring of every vehicle. To learn more visit www.compasscom.com.

Managers can monitor public works, emergency response, or utility vehicles in real-time with the Cityworks plugin.

cityworks.com Fall 2013 InPrint

13


Focus

Freeance Mobile Integration Aids Jackson, Mississippi, in Times of Economic Hardships By Jen Coughlin, PMP Project Manager, IT & Management Consulting | Infrastructure Management, Woolpert

T

he City of Jackson, Mississippi, is the largest city in the state, and like many other cities throughout the nation, has experienced economic hardships over the past several years. Some of these hardships include budget cuts, staff reductions, and equipment degradation; however, the city has managed to stay positive and overcome their challenges by being innovative in their use of software and technology. The city has been using Cityworks Server AMS for more than three years to create and manage service requests, helping them become very familiar with the service request functionality of the Cityworks software. In the winter of 2011, the city expressed interest in expanding their use of Server AMS to include work orders, inspections, and a financially sound and productive mobile solution for Public Works Department employees. This interest led to a second phase of the city’s Server AMS implementation: work orders with mobile support. Previously, service requests were the only method used to capture information. Without access to work orders and inspections, the city could not capture data regarding labor, materials, or equipment costs associated with work orders or inspections. By expanding their Server AMS functionality, city staff will now be able to capture and record work data much more effectively. With the necessary functionality becoming available to the Public Works Department, the city also recognized the need for a mobile solution. After careful review, the Public Works Department decided to use mobile phones and the Freeance Mobile software feature for their mobile solution. This second phase began in March of 2013 and went live with work orders, inspections, and the Freeance Mobile software in fall of 2013. Because service requests were the department’s primary source for cap-

14

InPrint Fall 2013 cityworks.com

turing data, each of the divisions began adjusting their processes to take advantage of the new tools available. This second phase also included the following divisions that make up the Public Works Department: Paved Streets, Water Maintenance, Sewer Maintenance, Traffic Maintenance, Care and Maintenance, Solid Waste, and Bridge and Drainage. These divisions went through a series of business process review workshops with Woolpert to develop new processes or modify existing processes to incorporate the use of these new tools. After understanding the Public Works Department’s new or modified business processes, Woolpert worked with the city to configure Server AMS accordingly. In addition, Woolpert also worked with both Freeance and the city to configure the mobile software for field use. Once these milestones were complete, training was held for administrators and end users and was followed by the final go-live for the City of Jackson Public Works Department. Because there is a limited Public Works Department staff, employees have all welcomed the change, trying to learn and understand more efficient and effective ways to perform work within the city. By the end of 2013, they will be running Server AMS 2013 with mobile field support, providing an admirable example of how cities can rise above the worst of times, overcome hardships, and continue to strive for excellence.



Focus

Growing the Connected Utility: Sedarū® Enables Real-time Communications, Operational Efficiencies By Paul Hauffen, President – CEO, IDModeling, and Kevin Koshko, Sedarū Product Director, IDModeling, and Brian Macy, General Manager, Indio Water Authority, CA

Sedarū Dashboard

Setting the Stage for Sedarū erving approximately 21,300 accounts, the Indio Water Authority (IWA) in Indio, California, operates in the flat, arid desert of the Coachella Valley. Together with the common challenges to conserve and account for the precious resource it provides to its customers, IWA is faced with overcoming the limitations associated with little elevation difference in its service area. To this end, IWA has sought innovative ways to maximize its water resources, leverage its water infrastructure investment, and maximize operational efficiencies across its distribution network. Those efforts began when Luis Cardenas, PE, IWA senior water engineer, collaborated with Paul Hauffen, founder and CEO of IDModeling, to develop what would become Sedarū® (See Data Run) software.

S

16

InPrint Fall 2013 cityworks.com

“Upper management was simply not getting the information they needed to make well-informed decisions,” explains Cardenas. “It was all there, but they’d have to search for it. There was no smooth way to tie it all together.” IWA general manager, Brian Macy, PE, detailed the situation adding, “If we wanted to look at the SCADA system, we would log into SCADA, and if we wanted to direct valve maintenance, for example, we would turn to our Cityworks® Server AMS. If we wanted to detect leaks at certain meters, we would go to Neptune’s AMR (automatic meter reading) software.” According to Hauffen, the team aimed persistently to unlock and apply valuable information from IWA systems, systems that posed access challenges. He added that the need for planning drove the innovation: the where and why of pipe placement, along with the quantifying of needs and


benefits of a given project. This, in turn, would help set priorities for capital investment. See Data Run How could all these functions be brought together, allowing IWA to make better, more informed decisions? Macy and his team asked IDModeling for a solution: one that would enable real-time, interdepartmental communications among management, engineering, operations, maintenance, and customer service. The goal was clear: to assimilate the information maintained in IWA’s various data centers—Cityworks, Esri® GIS, SCADA, and AMR—and make it readily available in a comprehensive, easy-to-use, open, and configurable format. The goal also included making IWA’s data visible, giving drive analysis to more people and enhancing real-time communication to better run the organization. Enter Sedarū Sedarū’s ability to coordinate data, communications, and personnel proved itself right away. In the office, Sedarū’s incident alerts allow managers to see at a glance whether a valve is open or closed. With Sedarū’s real-time analytics and communications, IWA knows where staff and assets are located, where they are performing well or where they are in trouble and how they can efficiently respond. In the event of an emergency, such as a main break, the office team is notified from Cityworks, SCADA, or Neptune real-time alerts. A valve shutdown work order can be triggered by Cityworks, propagated through Sedarū for hydraulic model support, where work is then assigned to the appropriate field crew for immediate, connected, informed response. Sedarū and Cityworks have even helped rule out a main break. Cardenas recounted a situation where system operators observed SCADA alerting high flow rates at one of the booster stations. Using Sedarū to view alarms against the current maintenance activities in Cityworks, it showed that hydrant flushing operations in the vicinity were generating the high flow. Though the information was available before, Sedarū is able to combine such information and drive analytics to help managers quickly assess situations and make faster, more accurate decisions, saving valuable time and labor. Sedarū is a water utility management software designed for ease-of-use and has a main objective: to become the one location where people and data connect, communicate, anticipate water operations, understand impacts, and solve problems. Enhancing communications between the office and the field, Sedarū empowers proactive decision making across

Sedarū Mobile

departments. From engineering, to operations and maintenance, to customer service, realtime information is made available to support analytics and key performance indicators, driving efficiencies across the organization. With easy-to-use touchscreen Tile-Bars®, drag-anddrop startup implementation, and lightweight configuration, Sedarū can be setup for any user in minutes. In the office or in the field, its technology works seamlessly with Cityworks GIS-centric Asset Management System, and on today’s device of choice—including laptops, tablets, and smart phones. The Positive Impacts of Interoperability Hauffen calls Indio Water Authority (IWA) one of the most forward-thinking utilities in the country. And through its role in the development and implementation of Sedarū, IWA is making it possible for thousands of other water utilities to take the next step to achieve interoperability. “Information is more powerful when it’s current, shared, and acted upon,” says Hauffen. “Too often in the past, utilities would be limited to learning certain information after the fact, if at all. At IDModeling, we appreciate that having the latest, accurate data in-hand promotes better decisions, as they are needed. Sedarū and Cityworks are helping water utilities do just that and most importantly, ensure the health and safety of their customers.”

HIGHLIGHTS • To share data, plan pipe placement, and prioritize capital investment, IWA and IDM worked together to create Sedarū in December 2011. • Sedarū enables real-time, interdepartmental communications across the utility. • Sedarū brings SCADA, GIS, asset management, and AMR data together in one location. • Office personnel can see instantly on GIS map overlays system/asset conditions (e.g., valves turned on or off). • With real-time information, IWA can respond immediately, finding the closest field crew and quickly moving them to work areas. About Sedarū® Sedarū utility management software is powered by IDModeling, Inc. Sedarū connects water industry professionals to communicate, predict water operations, understand impacts, and solve problems across the utility—in the office or in the field—distributing current, relevant, and analyzed information in real-time, across laptops, tablets, and smartphones. Phone: (626) 244-0700 Email: info@idmodeling.com Website: www.idmodeling.com/sedaru

cityworks.com Fall 2013 InPrint

17


18

InPrint Fall 2013 cityworks.com


Cityworks Integrates with Advanced Water and Wastewater Analytics

Focus

By Adam Simonsen, Director of Marketing, Innovyze

R

ecently, Innovyze, a leading global innovator of intelligent business analytics software and technologies for wet infrastructure, announced advanced integration with Cityworks, further strengthening their partnership with Azteca Systems Inc. The Innovyze InfoMaster program is built atop Esri ArcGIS and gives utilities critical insight into all enterprise assets, their conditions, and their work processes, facilitating significantly better planning and control. The program gives users access to powerful business analytics and smart network modeling capabilities that drive higher productivity and quality, while managing costs and increasing operational flexibility. Armed with these capabilities, utilities can create well-engineered condition- and risk-based capital improvement plans, optimize infrastructures, and keep their assets operating well into the future. InfoMaster includes components to run on desktop, web, tablet, and smartphone environments. The program is also NASSCO PACP and MACP V6.0 certified. Innovyze is looking forward to strengthening their partnership with Cityworks, especially with advanced water and wastewater analytics. The data available in water and sewer networks continues to grow exponentially, whether CCTV video of sewer lines or hundreds of thousands of smart meter readings. InfoMaster is designed to help utilities review, organize, and analyze the information within their existing Esri ArcGIS architecture. Using sophisticated built-in tools, SQL query sets, or custom scripting, users can manage their infrastructure data in ways not previously achievable. Unlike many traditional business intelligence applications, InfoMaster comes preconfigured to understand water and sewer networks. InfoMaster knows that sewer pipes have upstream and downstream manholes, that a hydrant is connected to the distribution system with a lateral, how scoring of CCTV defects works, and dozens of other items specific to water networks. The database leverages the existing ArcGIS water and wastewater data models to store information about inci-

dents and tasks related to the network. Central to InfoMaster is its ability to exchange with other enterprise CMMS or ERP databases, enabling a true 360-degree view of the infrastructure. Utilities gain a new perspective on their capital and operational planning with InfoMaster. Armed with a clear view of their infrastructure condition, capital and recurring costs, likelihood of failure, consequence of failure, and historical incidents and maintenance, planners and managers can revamp capital and operational plans. Utilities can shift operational resources away from reactive and into proactive management. The rich ArcGIS results and presentation environment let users create thematic maps with flexible symbology and rich detail, really making the software customizable to the particular needs of a user. Its built-in report generator comes with dozens of standard reports and also allows users to quickly build custom reports and graphs against any piece of data stored in the system. In addition, management dashboards make it possible to effectively track level-of-service metrics and other key operational data, allowing at-a-glance assessments of the past, present, and future state of strategic assets. InfoMaster’s integration with Cityworks will allow Cityworks users to seamlessly view service requests, inspections, and work orders in InfoMaster. InfoMaster’s advanced analytics allow utilities to develop advanced risk profiles of their system and produce proactive capital and operational schedules. The integration is designed to minimize impact to the Cityworks set up. Users will utilize the same network logon for both programs, and using the Cityworks APIs (application program interfaces), the InfoMaster program communicates directly with Cityworks.(application program interfaces) If modifications, deletions, or assigned tasks are made to work orders in InfoMaster, they can be pushed directly back in to Cityworks. For more information about InfoMaster and Innovyze, visit www.innovyze.com.

CCTV Survey Wizard and Geocoded Defects and Video

19

cityworks.com Fall 2013 InPrint

19


Feature

Newport News, Virginia

Reflects on Hurricane Sandy By Kirstin Runberg Platt, GISP, Asset Management Administrator, Department of Public Works, City of Newport News, VA and Lindsay Ferguson, Communications Specialist, Azteca Systems—Cityworks

O

ctober marked one year since the landfall of Hurricane Sandy and its devastating aftermath. Superstorm Sandy, as it was called due to the severe and widespread damage the storm caused, became the largest Atlantic hurricane on record as measured by diameter with winds spanning 1,100 miles. In the United States, Hurricane Sandy affected 24 states and hundreds of communities along the eastern seaboard, from Florida to Maine, and west across the Appalachian Mountains to Michigan and Wisconsin. Included among the communities affected was the City of Newport News, Virginia, an exemplar and longtime Cityworks user. While Newport News didn’t suffer nearly as much damage as other locations along the east coast, the city’s use of Cityworks helped city staff prepare for the increased workload resulting from the hurricane. One year later, Newport News reflects on how their use of Cityworks before, during, and after the storm helped the city effectively manage the effects of Hurricane Sandy. Within Newport News’ Public Works Department, the majority of divisions use Cityworks Desktop, including Administration, Asset Management,

20

InPrint Fall 2013 cityworks.com

Building Services, Solid Waste, Stormwater, Street Maintenance, and Wastewater. The Traffic Engineering group, part of the Department of Engineering, also uses the software. In Public Works, Cityworks is used during emergency and major weather events to facilitate and track the department’s response to work caused by the events. Kirstin Runberg Platt, GISP, asset management administrator for Public Works at Newport News, explains how Cityworks helps the city respond to weather emergencies: “When a major weather event is forecasted in the City of Newport News or the surrounding region, a Cityworks project with the event name is created. This includes, but is not limited to, snowstorms, hurricanes, and nor’easters. Our Cityworks users attach the project to associated issues and work performed before, during, and after the event, including both service requests and work orders.” Having the project attached to associated work allows users to isolate damage caused by the event, as well as run a variety of reports so users can analyze the effects of that specific project. “The department had 102 service requests and 108 work orders associated with the Hurricane Sandy proj-


ect,” Platt continues. “We were able to quickly disseminate work to the proper parties, and reports were easily created because the department was utilizing Cityworks.” During Hurricane Sandy, the department faced a wide range of challenges, including containing or channeling flood water, keeping wastewater pump stations running, and clearing debris. Cityworks made it easy for staff to track work during and after the storm. And because the work items were tied to the Hurricane Sandy project within Cityworks, Newport News has been able to analyze the data and draw concrete information from it. “Cityworks reporting provided a very effective way to analyze work performed during and after Hurricane Sandy,” Platt remarks. “Cityworks work orders and service requests ensured we kept track of the work and that it was performed in a timely manner. The reporting capabilities Cityworks offers made it possible for us to better understand the overall effects of the event. Reporting is also especially important when seeking reimbursement from the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA).” Because FEMA requires agencies to provide specific details on damage caused by an emergency or major weather event, as well as the work required to respond to the issues, many organizations struggle to provide the details they need to get reimbursement. This is usually because, at the time an emergency strikes, the organization doesn’t have the time or the resources to properly record the work being performed. If the organization keeps paper records, they are often difficult to keep track of and organize during an emergency. By using Cityworks, Newport News’ records of damages and work that occurred during the emergency are stored electronically in the system, enabling the department to simply run a report in order to apply for reimbursement. “The Department of Public Works implemented Cityworks in June of 2004,” Platt explains. “Many weather events have occurred in Newport News since we implemented Cityworks, and we have used the software to facilitate our response to these events every time. The department and the city have realized both time and cost savings as a result.”

Newport News public works employees clean up storm debris.

Recently the city has changed the process for receiving and responding to citizen service requests. During a major weather event, citizen requests account for a large number of service requests that are created. In the past, the Public Works Call Center received calls and created the appropriate service request as a result. Division personnel would review the service request and, if needed, create a work order. But in March of 2013, the city opened its 311 Contact Center and Public Works closed its Call Center. Now, an interface between the 311 software and Cityworks automatically creates Public Works-related service requests. With a handful of exceptions, the service requests are the same as those created during a normal work day, and the Public Works Department responds accordingly. The comments made on service requests by Public Works personnel are returned to the 311 system using the same interface. This allows the 311 staff to view the status of the work. There are also items that come in through the city’s Emergency Operations Center (EOC). The Public Works Department Operation Center (DOC) is responsible for communicating the items assigned to Public Works to the respective division. The DOC staff enters a generic service request for the appropriate division. The assigned division reviews the item and refines the service request. This minimizes incorrect service request types being selected. The DOC staff then monitors Cityworks and enters updates to the EOC system as comments are added to the service requests. Newport News’ management of work caused by major weather events has been greatly enhanced by the use of Cityworks, both in response to Hurricane Sandy and over the course of their history using Cityworks. The city looks forward to the benefits it will reap as it continues to utilize the software, and takes comfort in the knowledge that, if and when emergency mode strikes, the city staff is prepared and ready to take action. About Newport News The City of Newport News is located in the Hampton Roads metropolitan area of Virginia at the southeastern end of the Virginia Peninsula and on the north shore of the James River. As of 2012 the city population was about 183,000, ranking it as the state’s fifth largest city by population. With many residents employed at U.S. military bases and suppliers located within the city, its economy is very connected to the military. Its location on the harbor and along the James River facilitates a large boating industry taking advantage of its many miles of waterfront.

Satellite image of Hurricane Sandy as it makes landfall north of Newport News, Virginia.

cityworks.com Fall 2013 InPrint

21


Feature

Server PLL: Propelling Topeka to a

Prosperous Tomorrow

By Fran Hug, Architect, Special Projects Manager in Development Services, City of Topeka, KS, David Lundry, Field Services Manager, City of Topeka, KS, and Lindsay Ferguson, Communications Specialist, Azteca Systems—Cityworks

T

opeka is the capital city of the state of Kansas with a population close to 130,000. The city’s Development Services Division is responsible for implementing services that will promote and protect the public’s health and general welfare related to the city’s built environment. On June 1, 2013, the division implemented Cityworks Server PLL to assist in that endeavor. “Cityworks Server PLL is proving to be a resource that is putting us ahead with our thinking and abilities, and allowing us to be more responsive to our expectations,” comments Fran Hug, special projects manager in the Development Services Division. Usage to Benefits Within Development Services, Server PLL is used to administer and manage a variety of services and activities. With Server PLL, users can create and track applications, reviews, and issuances of 76 different permit types and 57 license types. Users can also schedule inspection personnel, including inspections by other city departments, and track inspection statuses and results. Server PLL is further used for issuing occupancy certificates, and creating and tracking daily receipts and monthly billings. Hug also remarks, “Server PLL has streamlined the issuance of certain permits, which has resulted in reduced staff time being put toward permitting projects.” Workflows of the permitting process and the status of individual reviews are simpler and easier to view. “The configurability of workflows to meet specific needs,” Hug says, “has been very beneficial as is the reporting flexibility with the use of Crystal Reports to insert reports into the software for use by all users.” The system provides up-to-date information related to staff responsibilities and “to-do” tasks for individuals throughout the workday. Cityworks also offers a means to track valuable statistical data to benefit the city, the United States Department of Commerce, utility companies, building and trades associations, and Topeka’s home county, Shawnee County. The division has seen the benefits of implementing a program that is seamlessly integrated with GIS. By using Server PLL, division staff is able to take advantage of their GIS better than ever before: “The GIS-centric nature of Server PLL facilitates and expedites updates to property data

22

InPrint Fall 2013 cityworks.com

linked to our permits on the map,” says David Lundry, field services manager at the City of Topeka. “Many of the other divisions within the city need to know the ‘what and where’ of permits issued, and GIS is crucial to communicating both.” The Road to PLL Years ago, Topeka’s Development Services Division implemented a software system that assisted in managing and tracking work and activities related to processing building permits, inspections, and financial tasks. Unfortunately, the system’s lack of updates and weak technical support gave the division cause for worry almost from the very start. The division soon discovered the system was unreliable and no longer viable. “Customer service to our citizens and those that come to develop homes and businesses within our community is of utmost priority,” explains Hug. “Without a viable system responsive to providing efficient, effective, forward-thinking design solutions including public access, we found we were quickly lagging behind when trying to respond to the public’s expectations of and access to the services we are to provide.” Over time the city phased out of their old system and discovered Server PLL. Eventually they were able to implement the system they had been searching for, which has provided a way to effectively manage their work and facilitate the high level of customer service they intend. During the PLL implementation, the division lost nearly half of its personnel responsible for permit processing, office administration, inspection scheduling, and contractor licensing. The change in staff resulted in additional responsibilities “of not only providing the same level of services we did before,” Lundry states, “but doing so and more with fewer people.” Lundry goes on to say that their “use of PLL has influenced our success in making this adjustment. The expectation is that we maintain our permit review and processing turn-around times as well as next-day inspection scheduling, while keeping our contractor licensing program current. We have been able to do this with great success using Server PLL.” Another responsibility for the Development Services Division is to provide archival information in response to record requests that are related to building permits, inspections, and construction activity. With a three-way partnership between Woolpert, Cityworks, and Topeka, the city has access


Electrical inspection personnel reviewing electrical permit site locations. Left to right: Craig Johnson, Ed Alford, Leo Martinez, and Dave Lundry.

cedures, enforce zoning regulations, and manage code enforcement cases. The Topeka Fire Department is anticipating an integration of PLL and GIS for locating, tracking, and planning responses to emergency events. Acting on their commitment to enhance services to their citizens, the city plans to implement the PLL Online Access feature in the near future, providing citizens access to the city’s permitting process through the city website. “We anticipate that property owners, contractors, developers, business associations, governmental departments and agencies, and others will utilize Online Access,” said Hug. “Companies that hold franchise agreements with the city and need permits for installation of utilities and utility improvements, the use of the public right-of-way, and others will be able to submit the required permit application themselves—saving time and work for city personnel.” The city is also planning to create an updated and improved asset database to facilitate the best possible decision-making process relative to services provided and managed by the city. Although Topeka has been using Server PLL for a relatively short time, the benefits the city has already seen are significant. Topeka’s plan to expand their use of Server PLL, in conjunction with Server AMS, exhibits the progression of a stellar enterprise system.

to retrieve record information from its previous system, an advantage that was not available with other programs. A Growing Enterprise In the future, Topeka has much more in store for Cityworks. Several other divisions, including Engineering, Planning, and Utilities, are already using Server PLL to enhance their performance. The Water Division is now using Cityworks Server AMS to issue right-of-way permits by creating special work orders in Server AMS. “Taking advantage of integration of Cityworks asset management and permitting modules greatly reduces paperwork and staff time needed to accomplish tasks, which we intend to take full advantage of,” states Lundry. The city is planning an expansion of the use of Server PLL and AMS for comprehensive project development. The plan is for all project participants to coordinate their processes, using Cityworks, before the “shovel’s digging up the dirt.” Several divisions plan to coordinate an all-inclusive review and approval process for building and development projects through Cityworks. Development Services will have in-field access to Cityworks for locating and reporting inspection activities. The city clerk’s office will utilize Cityworks to manage licenses and process permits. Within the Planning Department, the software will be used to facilitate zoning and platting pro-

Laurie Valdivia, office assistant, schedules inspections. cityworks.com Fall 2013 InPrint

23


Feature

Automated FAA Reporting Takes Off at General Mitchell International Airport Cityworks Gains FAA Approval By Timothy Pearson, GIS coordinator, General Mitchell International Airport, and Becky Tamashasky, Industry Practices Manager, Azteca Systems—Cityworks

G

eneral Mitchell International Airport (MKE) has just revolutionized its Part 139 Inspection process through an FAA approval of using Cityworks. MKE is the nation’s only airport to currently be certified for an automated self-inspection process through Cityworks, thereby completely eliminating paper from their Part 139 reporting process. MKE hosted the FAA for their annual certification inspection last month and during that time there were several key components of the program reviewed. The primary items assessed were the system security, tracking of historical activity, the Part 139 inspection process, the Airfield Inspection certification and Notice to Airmen (NOTAM) reporting. The FAA inspectors evaluated the way these critical items were handled through the airport’s Cityworks system and determined that MKE’s configurations met all their requirements. This accomplishment is essentially the cherry on top of a project in which MKE not only upgraded their asset management system with Cityworks but, in turn, also changed their operational and maintenance business processes. By eliminating virtually all paperwork from their

General Mitchell International Airport

24

InPrint Fall 2013 cityworks.com

Operations Control Center “Cityworks is becoming by replacing their antiquated logbook with a digital the hub around which logbook, MKE is able to we build our Airport integrate their map-centric Management System, work order system with and we feel we have only the logbook, trigger autoscratched the surface matic email notifications, thus far with what we provide mobile access to believe this system can the system, and, as a redo for us.” sult, greatly improve their workflows and reporting functions. With these improvements, MKE has created an environment where an airfield coordinator, who once spent much of his or her day traveling back and forth between the airfield and office, can now enter key log items and work orders solely on the airfield. A laptop in their vehicle allows them to manage work activity from one central location instead of finding a balancing act of traveling between airfield and office. Control center operators, who once had to enter incidents into a paper log, fill out a corresponding form for dissemination, and then call other departments as a notification; now operators only need to place a single entry into Cityworks. The data is then distributed by Cityworks with notifications pushed out to the appropriate departments, saving the control center valuable time. While this seems like an ideal resting point for MKE, their list of improvements and integrations continues to grow. MKE plans to incorporate new items on their agenda, including the integration of Cityworks with their emergency notification system, the development of PLL for their tenant improvement program, and the


addition of tasks like vehicle tracking, airspace analysis, and 7460 (Notice of Proposed Construction or Alteration) reporting. Terry Blue, deputy director of operations and maintenance at MKE, says, ”Cityworks was originally planned to be a replacement for our less robust work order system. It has since grown into a replacement for multiple systems as it has streamlined and improved many of our business processes. Cityworks is becoming the hub around which we build our Airport Management System, and we feel we have only scratched the surface thus far with what we believe this system can do for us.” For more information about the MKE Cityworks implementation or their Part 139 Inspection reporting process, please contact: Timothy Pearson, GIS coordinator, General Mitchell International Airport, at tpearson@mitchellairport.com or (414) 747-4579.

Airfield Inspection Report

We Know State & Local Government Do you know us? At GISi we have enjoyed over 20 years of working with State and Local Government organizations to leverage the power of location technology. As a Cityworks Implementation Partner and Esri Platinum Partner, we have over 150 dedicated employees focused on GIS-centric solutions. Everything from facilitating effective asset management to building maps and apps tailored to your organization's specific needs.

Want to get to know us? Give Sean Savage a call today! 205-941-0442 x 179 www.gisinc.com @gisincorporated cityworks.com Fall 2013 InPrint

25


2013 User Conference Recap M

ore than 600 people from around the world attended the 2013 Cityworks User Conference at the Salt Palace Convention Center in downtown Salt Lake City, Utah, May 22–24. Hosted by Azteca Systems–Cityworks, attendees shared a wealth of experience and exchanged useful information and knowledge while networking with Cityworks users, business partners, and staff. The move to Salt Lake City’s Salt Palace Convention Center symbolized the company’s growth with attendance close to 20% higher than 2012. The Cityworks Expo was an especially exciting addition to the conference where Cityworks users, business partners, exhibitors, and staff gathered daily to share knowledge, ideas, and conversation. The Cityworks Showcase, a new feature within the expo, included solution, demo, and support stations as well as a demo theater. Cityworks staff were readily available to discuss solutions. “The Cityworks User Conference was an excellent event held in a great and beautiful city,” said Gary Chrysler, IT manager at Skagit County Public Utility District, Washington. “The conference and training were packed with valuable information, more than my brain could hold! Cityworks is a first class product and Azteca Systems is a first class team. I felt the conference was very beneficial and enjoyed myself while there. I look forward to attending Cityworks User Conferences in the future.” The conference began Wednesday morning with the plenary session, in which president Brian Haslam offered his insights of trends affecting Cityworks users. Presentations from the Cityworks development team followed, showcasing new functionality in mobile technology and Cloud environments, as well as exciting enhancements in Cityworks Server AMS and PLL. Informative breakout sessions hosted by Cityworks users, business partners, and staff continued Wednesday through Friday. Conference attendees were treated to the Cityworks Expo Social Wednesday for an evening of food and entertainment.

26

InPrint Fall 2013 cityworks.com


Cityworks 2013

Exemplary User Award Recipients

City of Bozeman, Montana

City of Longview, Texas

City of St. Cloud, Florida

City of Surrey, British Columbia, Canada

Washington, DC GIS

cityworks.com Fall 2013 InPrint

27


Feature

Cityworks Benefits from Sandy City’s Use of Cityworks By Lindsay Ferguson, Communications Specialist, Azteca Systems—Cityworks

L

ooking outside the windows at Azteca Systems–Cityworks headquarters in Sandy City, Utah, city workers dig a long, deep hole into the parking lot pavement to replace a water main. Workers maneuver dump trucks and a backhoe and wave hello to Cityworks staff who are on their way in to work. In this case, Cityworks essentially helped Cityworks a little closer to home. Sandy City workers used analysis of Cityworks data to determine the need to replace the main and work orders to track the replacement of the water main located in the center of our own parking lot. Of course, using Cityworks to identify and replace an aging water pipe servicing the Cityworks offices is not all that Sandy City does to assist its community. With a population close to 100,000 and boasting a strong commercial and business hub on the southeast side of the Salt Lake Valley, Sandy City uses Cityworks Server AMS, with the additions of Cityworks Storeroom and mobile technology, to increase cost benefits and outputs for a mid-tier sized city growing at a fast rate. The Relationship Between Sandy City and Cityworks Much like the long process of repairing water lines, Sandy City and Cityworks staff have worked together over the years to learn how to fully take advantage of technology. As one of the earliest Cityworks clients, Sandy City has experienced a few growing pains along the way, but remains a stalwart Cityworks client. Scott Ellis, assistant director of public utilities, explains that it has all been worth it: “We’ve grown into [Cityworks], taken it bit by bit, step by step . . . at a natural pace. As our ability and competence in using the program has increased, we’ve seen more and more value in Cityworks’ customer service and customer support.”

28

InPrint Fall 2013 cityworks.com

Sandy Public Utilities credits the Cityworks’ customer support team for much of their success in getting Server AMS running, and the success they have experienced since switching to Server AMS. Since their switch to Server AMS over the past year, Sandy Public Utilities has grown from six users to more than 36. The switch from Desktop to Server AMS was “one of the biggest improvements in the last year,” says Matt Eskesen, GIS coordinator and Cityworks administrator at Sandy City. Eskesen has worked with Cityworks users, such as meter technicians, to customize work orders and service requests using the XML files. He mastered the customization of work activities by attending a breakout session at the Cityworks 2012 User Conference. Since then, Eskesen says he has “experienced the benefits of a system that is flexible and customizable.” Ellis stated that Server AMS “has made it easier to see what is happening around the city on a daily basis.” Customizability and the Fire Department As a flexible and customizable platform, Cityworks helps the Sandy City Fire Department (SCFD) use flow test inspections and create event layers for out of service fire hydrants. Whenever a work order is issued in the Public Utilities Department for a fire hydrant, a symbol appears on the fire department map to show the fire hydrant is out of service. Once the fire hydrant is repaired, the symbol changes color, and will remain green for 30 days before the symbol disappears. Prior to the city’s deployment of Cityworks, any fire hydrants out of service “wouldn’t be known for weeks and were never easily accessible,” says Eskesen. He also states that, by looking at the map, the SCFD knows “exactly what fire hydrants are in working order and which ones are not.” Customized fire hydrant symbols on the map enable the SCFD to efficient-


ly track and maintain essential fire hydrants for the safety and well-being of Sandy City residents and businesses. The Addition of Cityworks Storeroom In addition to customizing event layers for fire hydrant maintenance with Server AMS, Sandy City also utilizes Cityworks Storeroom to take inventory of construction and maintenance materials. The city keeps a sizeable inventory stockpiled at all times in case of emergencies. The city also uses Storeroom to keep track of materials and parts lent to other cities—something that happens from time to time because of Sandy’s prolific stockpile. A tracked inventory in Storeroom “prevents [the city] from purchasing a lot of unnecessary materials,” says Ellis. “Before Cityworks, if we needed a material and weren’t exactly sure if we had it or not . . . we would simply purchase it. Now that is all gone away. We know in an instant what we have.” Scott Arnold, Storeroom manager at Sandy City, used a Microsoft Excel spreadsheet for a number of years before making the move to Storeroom. Although apprehensive to make the change at first, Arnold found the switch from Excel to Cityworks Storeroom seamless: “I picked up Cityworks quickly, and information is easy to pull up on Storeroom. With a little adaptation, it was easy to begin using Storeroom.” Server AMS in the Field Easy transitions are another factor that inspired Sandy City to utilize Server AMS on laptops in mid-August of this year for streetlight management. Water Distribution and Operations and Maintenance will be testing Server AMS in the field on Android and iOS devices in the upcoming months. Before integrating mobile solutions, Sandy City

Public Utilities used DataPump to work in the field, but the mobile capabilities of Server AMS have now replaced the need for the legacy product. Completing tasks in the field and entering them into the system for a supervisor or manager to instantly see “at any time and know the status in real time is a huge time saver,” Larry Bowler, former operations manager at Sandy City Public Utilities, says. “On the flip side, field personnel can access service requests while in the field, saving even more time and effort by being able to access and input the information much easier and at any time.” In Conclusion Proud to call Sandy City home, Cityworks staff benefited from the city’s use of Cityworks to manage the replacement of a water main serving our offices, and we are pleased with how Sandy City continues to be a leader in smart and sustainable growth.

About Sandy City Located at the base of the Wasatch Mountains thirteen miles south of Salt Lake City, Sandy City is a suburban community of Salt Lake City. Its population of close to 90,000 makes it the sixth-largest city in the state. Sandy is home to many companies and businesses and is a shopping, dining, and entertainment hub within the Salt Lake valley. Both the expansive South Towne Expo Center and the soccerspecific Rio Tinto Stadium, which hosts Real Salt Lake home games, are located within the city.

Sandy City crew replaces a water main outside Cityworks’ offices.

cityworks.com Fall 2013 InPrint

29


PLANNING. IMPLEMENTATION. INTEGRATION.

At Timmons Group, we focus on proven, cost-effective solutions for our clients. Using Cityworks®, we provide innovative solutions and customized user training to maximize your software investment. This includes the use of newer capabilities in mobile computing to bring the office to the field, utilization of Cityworks Server PLL to efficiently manage engineering design projects, and the integration of third-party systems and Cityworks Server AMS to create seamless workflows without paper and duplicated data entry.

UPCOMING WEBINARS: ` The Future of Mobile Computing – what Cityworks users need to know ` Create Your Destiny – Top 10 elements to creating your Asset Management RoadMAP ` Streamline, Streamline, Streamline – Optimize workflows with Cityworks Server PLL for engineering ` Integrate or Duplicate, It’s Your Choice – Eliminate redundant data and keystrokes through improved system integration

Register today at webinars.timmonsgis.com to attend our free educational webinar series, covering everything from planning for new development projects to managing your existing infrastructure. For more information, please contact us at eam@timmons.com.

30

InPrint Fall 2013 cityworks.com


Feature

Longview, Texas:

A City in the Cloud By Lindsay Ferguson, Communications Specialist, Azteca Systems—Cityworks

A

fter receiving the distinguished Cityworks Exemplary User Award during this year’s Cityworks User Conference, the City of Longview, Texas, a major commercial hub in East Texas, continues to improve its efforts addressing the critical needs of its aging infrastructure and more than 80,000 citizens. Longview utilizes Cityworks Server AMS and PLL through the cloud, which provides tremendous benefits in managing work performed on critical assets and property, as well as the lifecycle of the assets. The cloud offers multiple benefits and substantial returns which include reduced costs, increased scalability and flexibility, quicker response times, and new remoteaccess and disaster-relief capabilities. Incorporating the Cloud Longview uses Server AMS to manage assets within Longview’s Public Works, Parks and Recreation, and Development Service Departments. They use Server PLL to manage building permits and inspections, and will soon incorporate planning, zoning, and code enforcement tasks as well. Longview is taking the ease of running the cloud a step further through employing NTB Associates (NTBA)—a technical services provider and Cityworks partner—to fully manage and host the solution to simplify, organize, and sharpen the work performed in the city. In a 2012 meeting with NTBA, Longview mentioned its concern with an aging server that was vulnerable to major power outages. If the server were to crash, Cityworks and Esri ArcGIS would be inaccessible which could cause an onslaught of problems throughout the city. NTBA explained how hosting software and applications via the cloud could combat server issues and concerns. Longview expressed interest and almost immediately began making the switch. By September 2012, Longview was up and running in the cloud. “Longview has been using cloud technologies for a year now,” notes Justin Cure, information services manager at City of Longview. “We have moved our email to Google Apps, and Cityworks and our web applications are

Heat map depicting the geographic clustering of highly concentrated areas with open work orders, providing a way to visualize locations with patterns of higher-than-average repairs and replacements.

on ArcGIS Server in the cloud.” In just a short year, Longview has fully experienced the immense benefits of utilizing the cloud for a more secure work environment. Cure adds that one benefit of computing with the cloud is that it “gives more mobility than ever before. We no longer need to access the city network to access our data. We can check email, enter Cityworks work orders, and modify applications from anywhere with an Internet connection.” As a reliable form of technology, the cloud provides a central location for all work management activities. If the server fails, the system automatically switches the information to another server, minimizing downtime. Another benefit of cloud computing is that it gives Longview “the opportunity to increase server performance if needed. For example, if we notice our server used for ArcGIS Server applications is not performing because of increased usage, we can quickly modify specifications and improve its capabilities,” Cure says. Although NTBA fully manages and supports Longview’s cloud, there’s a small group of users at the City of Longview with cloud access to make customizations to templates and other items. Users can also run changes through a test environment, and, if they like the changes, move them over to the live environment. Longview recently added some additional web-based applications to the cloud, making their entire organization a cloud-hosted site.

“Longview has been very pleased with using the cloud to host Cityworks and their GIS-centric solutions,” states Laura Carr, associate and GIS project manager at NTBA. “Aside from all the saved resources it has provided, the cloud has given Longview a dual environment to use as a training site and a live site, where they can test adding new GIS layers or changing the database. Immediately putting the cloud into production reduces time for fixes, lowers maintenance, and lessens environment changes. We manage the setup, software upgrades, and security, which has provided Longview a great deal of time and resource savings.” Many agencies running Cityworks Server AMS and PLL are experiencing benefits of using cloud-hosted environments to deploy their city’s work activities. The GIS industry is moving in the direction of the cloud, and the computing community can look forward to the benefits and enhancements it provides as more organizations gravitate to this new technology. About Longview The City of Longview, Texas, situated in mid-eastern Texas, has a population of about 80,500, and is considered a major commercial hub in the region. Appealing to a wide range of residents, Longview was awarded the “Certified Retirement Community” designation and was also included in the “Top 100 Best Cities for Young People” in 2007. cityworks.com Fall 2013 InPrint

31


Feature

Directing and Managing Operational Tasks in Greenville, South Carolina By Mark Depenning, GIS Administrator, City of Greenville, SC

(The following are excerpts from the city’s in-house Asset Manager newsletter and have been reproduced by permission.)

T

he City of Greenville, South Carolina, faces an array of challenges managing the ins and outs of the city every day. The sheer number of tasks to be done, like managing public utilities, construction inspections, parking facilities, and customer call centers—not to mention the city’s constantly fluctuating stock of construction materials and equipment—is enough to daunt anyone. Fortunately, Cityworks is being used by nearly every operational department in the city to help manage their assets. The scalability and flexibility of Cityworks, along with the organizing power of Cityworks Storeroom, allow city employees to work together, coordinating their time and effort to accomplish their daily tasks. Stormwater Division Greenville, South Carolina’s Stormwater Division uses Cityworks to manage their day-to-day workload. The ability to see work orders and service requests on the Cityworks map quickly provides a visual snapshot of projects clustered throughout the city. Wayne Owens, superintendent of the Stormwater Division, says, “As a manager, I use Cityworks to measure the productivity of my crews by tracking the number of serviced storm assets, along with the length of pipe or ditch cleaned.” The ability to quickly calculate the labor, material, and equipment used on a job is useful for establishing baselines for future project plans and budgeting. One of the division’s objectives is to respond to citizen requests within 24 hours. Because division supervisors have instant access to Cityworks in the field, they are able to constantly monitor incoming requests in real time and respond accordingly. “As a result, I often receive compliments from citizens who can’t believe we are out in the field look-

32

InPrint Fall 2013 cityworks.com

ing into their requests so “Cityworks has played a quickly.” Owens says. significant role in increasing “Cityworks is such a our work output by 400% vital part of our day to from 2010 to 2012.” day operation,” Owens Matthey Maxey, asst. city states, “and we are excited about the upgrade engineer, Wastewater Division to Cityworks Server AMS later this year. Our future plans include moving our Supply Service Operation away from the antiquated system we currently have in place into Cityworks Storeroom.” Utility Program Coordination Cityworks is very important in tracking Greenville’s Weather the Storm program, an on-going effort to subsidize the conversion from overhead power lines to underground lines in residential areas. Cityworks helps keep the project organized with past and present applicants. Since coordinators can log notes for each caller, they have no problem staying informed of their situations. “I like being able to reference projects from past years,” says Brittany Keller, Weather the Storm coordinator. “Often callers will have applied in the past, and I can see why they chose not to proceed or any issues they faced in the process.” Construction Inspection The Engineering Division’s Construction Inspection (CI) team has utilized Cityworks for all major permit functions since 2008. It saves inspector and clerical time by automating the task of generating and printing letters and inspection reports. The fact that everyone in CI can access all the information stored in the system makes researching questions or responding to complaints more efficient and timely for customers.


John Brogdon, construction inspection manager, uses Cityworks to ensure his team’s work processes are both efficient and effective. He said, “What I like most is the flexibility of the system. We create custom procedures based on how we do business. And if our processes need to change in the future, it can easily modify and adapt to meet our needs.” Since it is configured and managed in-house, Greenville’s system support staff helps CI get the most out of the software capabilities without having to expend additional funds. At any time, they can create or modify their processes in the system to automate specific tasks, which helps get the job done quickly and easily. “In this day and age of doing more with less, Construction Inspection could not operate without Cityworks. It is essential to our function, and it allows us to be very productive and cover more territory without having to add more inspectors,” Brogdon explains. Parking Bureau Greenville’s Parking Bureau oversees the operation of all city garages and parking lots, including ten structures, two lots, and on-street spaces, totaling more than 7,000 parking spaces. The bureau initially began using Cityworks to log its customer calls when the city first opened its call center in 2010. Since then, the bureau has begun to use Cityworks more to track facility damages, tailgating, needed repairs, and validation sales. “What I like most about Cityworks is that it is easy to learn and use,” says Penny Jones, Parking Bureau manager. “It allows us to have well-defined process workflows, and allows us to track all kinds of activity.” Cityworks also helps the bureau identify customers who never have enough money to exit the facility. Tracking in Cityworks allows the bureau to put a stop to habitual abusers. Greenville Cares Greenville Cares, the city’s office for taking and routing citizens’ service requests, uses Cityworks all day, every day, sending citizen requests to every department in the city. “When citizens call checking on the status of their requests, we can give immediate updates, rather than checking with the department and calling them back,” says Kristie Anderson, Greenville Cares coordinator. “This saves time and improves citizen satisfaction.” Prior to Cityworks, Greenville Cares spent too much time researching old requests that often had been neglected and forgotten. With Cityworks, the staff can enter service requests using custom problem codes that lead them through a series of questions to make sure they obtain the information needed the first time. Based on the answers, the system routes the request to the appropriate city staff. The entire history of the call is tracked from beginning to end.

Scalability in Action Scalability is what makes Cityworks such a powerful software solution for Greenville. For example, last year Greenville configured Cityworks to support their Ice and Snow Emergency Operations, creating a timestamped log of sand and salt distribution or plowing. As a result they are better protected from civil liabilities which can arise from accidents. Conclusion The staff of Greenville’s Public Works Department, no matter which division, have their work cut out for them. Under other circumstances, the sheer volume of work to be done might be staggering. But city staff members at Greenville have Cityworks to help manage their work and materials and track projects in progress, enabling them to work together efficiently to accomplish work processes.

Inventory Management Like many other departments in Greenville, the Solid Waste Department uses Cityworks to input and track public requests, and from there develop a plan of action to respond to those requests in the most efficient manner. The Solid Waste Department was the first to implement Cityworks Storeroom to inventory, track, and manage a “just in time” approach to restocking materials and supplies. Cityworks Storeroom is an add-on software package for material inventory, which is included in enterprise licenses. It directly interfaces with work management to track the issue of materials to accounts, employees, or work orders. Geographic comparison of total length of linear assets maintained in Cityworks. cityworks.com Fall 2013 InPrint

33


Feature

West Valley City, Utah:

Working Out Innovative Uses for Cityworks By David Hansen, Sr. Project Manager, Azteca Systems—Cityworks

M

any cities across North America have recreation centers or fitness centers and West Valley City, Utah, is no exception. But what is different is that this city of nearly 130,000 people is using Cityworks Server AMS to manage their maintenance activities at the Family Fitness Center, which sees roughly 438,000 visitors a year. Because of their success in using Cityworks Server PLL for permitting, West Valley City decided that they wanted to use the Server AMS side of the program to get a handle on the work they perform at the center. Before the introduction of Server AMS, maintenance activities were tracked on paper. The facility kept records of materials used and time spent but there was not a central location that pulled all of this information together. Now, with Server AMS, a work order is created whenever there is an issue with a piece of equipment. If the materials required to complete a repair are on hand, the work is completed and the work order is closed. If the materials need to be ordered, the work order is left open until they arrive. Richard Juricic, maintenance worker, explains how Server AMS helps them to better handle repairs with this method: “It’s hard to remember everything so I can create a work order and leave it open until the work is done.” Then, once the repair is completed, the work order is closed. West Valley City Family Fitness Center’s use of Server AMS to maintain their facility is innovative and cost effective. To track the work activities, the city’s GIS staff created a polygon in the GIS that appears on the map and has several types of related assets for the Family Fitness Center. Using an Esri ArcGIS relationship class, they have 96 related pieces of cardio

Cardio equipment attribute information

34

InPrint Fall 2013 cityworks.com

equipment, 64 pieces of weight equipment, 4 pieces of miscellaneous sound equipment, and 24 general areas used to track items that aren’t in the GIS yet. These general areas are used to track work on items such as sinks, toilets, and door knobs. Juricic says “It’s easy. I use it for everything rather than just one thing. I like how I can put where the work is.” In addition to having a list of current work activities and historical records, the center can see how much each type of equipment has cost them since they are tracking costs and tying them into the GIS. Together with the type, manufacturer, and model, the center will have the information required to make better purchasing decisions when equipment needs to be replaced: Which manufacturers and models required the least amount of repairs? What was the total overall cost of these repairs? This information will be very important when making future purchases. As time moves on, the Family Fitness Center plans to increase their use of Server AMS. They want to add service requests into the mix to track problems reported at the front desk. They also plan to expand their use of Server AMS to their aquatic area to track work performed on the equipment related to that part of the facility. West Valley City’s use of Server AMS for tracking their work at the Family Fitness Center is unique, and the move has allowed them to streamline their work processes. They are able to better track their maintenance activities and have a better idea of the associated costs of that work. This information will help them make better purchasing decisions in the future. There is no doubt that West Valley City will see similar benefits as they expand their use of Server AMS into other areas of the Family Fitness Center.


ARE YOU GETTING THE MOST FROM YOUR DATA? With the help of POWER Engineers’ utility analytics capabilities, you can organize your data from multiple sources and transform it into meaningful information for your operation. Insights gained help you: Manage projects efficiently

Cityworks Partners Imple me n tati o n Pa rtne r s PLATINUM • CH2M Hill, Inc. • POWER Engineers • Woolpert

GOLD • Burns & McDonnell • NTB Associates

Make more informed decisions Determine trends Identify potential risks Develop accurate forecasts

SILVER • EA Engineering • GeoEngineers • Jones Edmunds & Associates • North Arrow Technologies • RJN Group • SEH Technology Solutions • Timmons Group

REALIZE THE FULL POTENTIAL OF CITYWORKS® WITH POWER ENGINEERS, REGIONAL USER GROUP PREMIER SPONSOR

For a complete list of Implementation Member Partners, see www.cityworks.com.

bart.koenig@powereng.com jana.constant@powereng.com www.powereng.com

Inte rna ti o n al Distribu ti o n Pa rtner s • Esri Canada • Esri India (NIIT GIS Limited) • Esri S-GROUP Sverige AB, Sweden • InfoGraph, Jordan

cityworks.com Fall 2013 InPrint

35


spotlight Washington State:

A Model for Success in the Pacific Northwest By Lindsay Ferguson, Communications Specialist, Azteca Systems—Cityworks

T

©iStock.com/kjschoen

he State of Washington, familiarly known as the Evergreen State, has a strong representation of Cityworks users. Some Cityworks sites have used the platform for a number of years while others are newer to the system. From small to large cities, counties, and utility providers, the state is home to a broad range of Cityworks users. As diverse a group as it is, Cityworks sites throughout Washington all have one thing in common—success using the platform tailored to their unique needs. The following section highlights a handful of sites in Washington, illustrating the variety of Cityworks users across the state.

Mt. Rainier, Washington

36

InPrint Fall 2013 cityworks.com

C it y o f Spoka ne Located on the mideastern edge of the state, Spokane is the second largest city in Washington with a population of nearly 210,000. Since 2011, Spokane has used Cityworks Server AMS and Cityworks Storeroom in the City of Spokane Water Department. The department has close to 200 users that access Server AMS, including office staff, crew foremen, payroll and clerical staff, supervisors, and technical staff. The department relies heavily on Storeroom for track-

ing almost 2,000 different items stored in several locations. The city’s Wastewater Management Department is currently preparing to go online with Server AMS in the beginning of 2014, which will add 75 additional staff actively using the system. The Water Department is utilizing SQL Server Reporting Services (SSRS) for their reporting needs, as will the Wastewater Management Department once they are up and running with Cityworks. Spokane is beginning to test Cityworks Field Mode for their field crews, using iPads for the Water Department and laptops for the Wastewater Department, and hope to be up and running in the field in the near future.


spotlight Coal C re e k U ti l i t y D is t r ic t Coal Creek Utility District is a utility provider located in the City of Newcastle, serving portions of Newcastle, the City of Renton, and a small portion of King County. The district first implemented Desktop for water and wastewater management in 2008 and made the upgrade to Server AMS in 2012. There are three Cityworks users who run the software in the office and on iPads in the field.

City o f Bu ri e n Burien is a suburban city within King County located south of Seattle with a population of about 33,000. Burien first implemented Cityworks in 2008, deploying the solution in its Public Works Department to manage stormwater assets and maintenance and to meet NPDES permit requirements. Cityworks quickly helped Burien attain more accurate and efficient stormwater management practices well within mandated time constraints. In early 2011, the city upgraded to Cityworks Server AMS, used by six users that enabled more staff in the office and in the field. Fernando Llamas Jr., GIS analyst at the City of Burien, discovered that “centralizing work activities and integrating them with GIS has allowed Burien to produce more accurate, timely, and up-to-date information on stormwater assets.” Llamas continues to state that Burien has reduced duplication with Cityworks and the city is “able to better utilize maintenance crews, getting work done much more efficiently.” Burien also takes advantage of performing data analysis that delivers standardized and reliable results.

Clall a m C o u n t y Publ i c U ti l i ty D i s t r i c t Clallam County Public Utility District (PUD) provides utility services to residents of Clallam County, including 30,000 electric customers, 4,500 water and sewer customers, and thousands of telecommunications customers. Currently in the process of implementing Server PLL—assisted by Cityworks business partner POWER Engineers—Clallam County PUD’s Engineering Department will be up and running with Server PLL within the next two months. Once live, Server PLL will generate permits and custom workflows for the district. The district will use an interface with ArcFM to pass along the data inventory during the workflow, which will be passed back to Cityworks to continue the workflow to completion. Initially Clallam County will have about 10–15 users with plans to expand in the future.

Other Wa s h i n g t o n C i t y w o r k s Us er s There are other organizations that are an important part of the Cityworks User community throughout Washington including King County, Spokane County, Skagit County PUD, City of SeaTac, City of Port Angeles, Lake Haven Utility, Midway Sewer District, City of Shoreline, and Valley View Sewer District.

Des Moines, Washington By Steve Schunzel, GIS Administrator, City of Des Moines

T

he City of Des Moines, Washington, is a small- to medium-sized city located about 10 miles south of Seattle with a population of roughly 30,000. After completing stormwater and traffic asset inventories, the city purchased Cityworks Server AMS in February 2012 to actively manage assets. Cityworks went live in August of that year with six logins shared by three divisions within the city’s Public Works Department, including the divisions of Surface Water Management, Street Maintenance, and Transportation Engineering. Our Cityworks implementation yielded benefits immediately, thanks to the interactive map and the ability to log and track service requests and work orders. However, the development of a standardized intake system was priceless. In the past, our work requests were entirely reactive, simply responding to calls for service from the public. Internally, there was no standardized method of tracking the work that had been assigned or completed. Taking notes of service requests and work orders on post-it notes was common, causing obvious problems. Considering that the city had never had a Computerized Maintenance Management Systems (CMMS) before, the best part of Cityworks is that it has a simple interface and is so customizable that we could simplify it even further if we wanted to. There was a bit of a learning curve for the Operations leads, but it was very helpful that we could tailor the forms within the program to include only the items we wanted to track. A customized inbox greets each user with essentially a filtered to-do list, so each employee can see who is responsible for what work, and the Public Works superintendent can see who completed what. After the city suffered significant storm damage during December 2012, the City of Des Moines experienced an immediate positive impact thanks to Cityworks. Historically, the city had trouble tracking equipment, labor, and materials for events of this type; however, using the Projects functionality within Cityworks, our staff was able to group all storm cleanuprelated work and then submit the information for FEMA reimbursement. Though we’re in production now, our Cityworks journey is far from over. The city is starting to use the reporting functionality to produce metrics for management on work performed. Implementing the inspection functionality is also on our to-do list, using it to record semi-annual sign inspections, record regular stormwater facility inspections, and report information for the National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES). As the system matures further, both Parks and Facilities Divisions will be added to our Cityworks implementation as well.

cityworks.com Fall 2013 InPrint

37


Technology

Charts, Maps, and Graphs—Oh My!? Asset Analytics vs. Cityworks Analytics By Becky Tamashasky, Industry Practices Manager, Azteca Systems—Cityworks

W

hat is the difference between Cityworks Analytics and Asset Analytics? These terms are used to describe the analytical toolsets now available with Server AMS/PLL. While both assist organizations with analysis of their Cityworks data, they are different products, and there are several key distinctions between them. Cityworks Analytics Cityworks Analytics is a set of templates designed to help organizations better measure their work activities, expenses, and key performance indicators (KPIs). These templates are accessed through Microsoft Excel with PowerPivot, and the information in Cityworks is provided through an ODBC connection. A sampling of the types of templates includes the following: • Comparison of call time in an organization based on department, time of day, day of week, and call priority. • Summary of the number and type of service requests closed per year, per quarter, or per month within each department. • Review of work order costs per year with the ability to organize costs into department costs; fiscal quarter costs; and individual labor, material, and equipment costs. • Evaluation of material usage and cost per department, time of year, and asset type.

38

InPrint Fall 2013 cityworks.com

A review of work order costs per year with the ability to organize costs.

FEATURE COMPARISON Cityworks Analytics Licensing Separately licensed Application Accessed through Platform MS Excel/PowerPivot

Asset Analytics Core functionality Toolset available through CW AMS

Login Requires organizational licensing, Requires CW login Requirement but not user login to access User Type Management Focus Identify organizational metrics & APIs View Data Templates to measure work activities, expenses, and KPIs

Managers & Planners Determine asset conditions and lifecycle costs Heat Map Manager tool – identify hot spots Asset Analytics tool – pulls condition and maintenance scoring and activity history into one view


view, which also provides additional details such as asset attribute data and lifecycle costs. Assets can be selected through the map or by performing an asset search. The Asset Summary displays the information for each asset and provides tools for creating either work orders or inspections for the selected assets. In Conclusion The assessment provided by Cityworks Analytics and Asset Analytics gives Cityworks clients a much more detailed and accurate assessment of the health of their infrastructure. Rather than relying solely on asset age, information from both analytics tools is combined to take into account activity levels, costs, KPIs, and field-based assessments to deliver a status. Using this data as the basis, decision-makers can make more informed long-term plans and ongoing maintenance decisions.

Heat Map Manager provides a spatial view of the density of activities or assets.

• Identification of goals in relation to proactive and reactive service requests and work order KPIs. The purpose of these templates is to provide a simple means for Cityworks’ users to delve deeper into their data. In conjunction with Microsoft Excel, Cityworks’ simple and versatile templates accomplish that goal. For more information about Cityworks Analytics, please contact the Cityworks CRR for your organization. Asset Analytics Asset Analytics, by comparison, is a collection of the condition and maintenance scoring tools, Heat Map Manager tool, and the Asset Analytics tool. These items are accessed through Cityworks Server, either as map tools or through the menu bar. The condition and maintenance scoring tools allow users to view the scores associated with field inspections and work orders respectively. Heat Map Manager provides a spatial view of the density of activities or assets. Any saved search in Cityworks—whether related to water quality service requests, regulatory work orders, or aging infrastructure—can be viewed on the map via the Heat Map Manager to easily identify “hot spots” or clusters. The Asset Analytics tool pulls together information from the condition scoring, maintenance scoring, and activity history into one The Asset Summary displays the information for each asset and provides tools for creating either work orders or inspections for the selected assets.

cityworks.com Fall 2013 InPrint

39


Technology

Local Government Templates for Cityworks Server PLL By Lindsay Ferguson, Communications Specialist, Azteca Systems—Cityworks

E

asy, fast, and affordable are the goals of Cityworks Local Government Templates (LGT). Although the Cityworks Server AMS LGT model has been available for over a year, the addition of Cityworks Server PLL templates to Cityworks LGT is an exciting new option for deploying Server PLL. LGT provides a quick, easy, and inexpensive way to deploy the proven and genuine GIS-centric permitting, licensing, and land management solution. “We are constantly asked for advice and guidance on how to efficiently manage and run Server PLL processes,” says Sheldon Bagley, head software developer of Server PLL at Azteca Systems–Cityworks. “To meet that demand we are incorporating PLL activities and templates into the LGT model. We are excited to see how our customers react and will continue to add and enhance PLL elements and items into LGT going forward.” LGT for Server PLL includes templates for common permitting, code enforcement, and planning activities, as well as lists of common tasks that are associated with these areas, making the solution a way for an organization to easily get up and running with Server PLL. “Cityworks staff has worked with current PLL clients as well as business partners to compile lists of templates for common planning, permitting, and regulatory processes of local government,” said Matt Harman, Cityworks regional sales manager. “Cityworks LGT is designed specifically to help Cityworks customers simplify deployment and configuration of the system. In addition, it’s more efficient to draw from the Cityworks community as a whole and standardize many processes, rather than ‘reinvent the wheel’ for each project.” With Cityworks LGT, which is designed specifically to align with Esri’s Local Government Information Model, most clients are able to post the initial configuration for review and refinement in just a few weeks. The review process involves tweaking the models instead of coming up with entirely new templates from scratch. While Cityworks LGT can work in conjunction with Esri Local Govern-

40

InPrint Fall 2013 cityworks.com

Templates are available for several application categories.

Template Setup allows a user to choose from an array of application types.


Common tasks and inspections can be organized into workflows.

ment (data) Model (LGM), it will also work with any independent data model. LGT is also available to any size organization. A main focus of the Cityworks platform is on public asset management within the Cityworks community. Brian Haslam, president and CEO of Azteca Systems–Cityworks, states that “adding standard templates for permitting, development, and regulatory functions of local government provides agencies a true enterprise solution.” When coupled with Esri GIS, Haslam adds that “Cityworks LGT provides standard work activities that allow organizations to easily share data and work more efficiently as a group.”

cityworks.com Fall 2013 InPrint

41


Technology

STEPS

to Enhance Functionality in the Server AMS/PLL Silverlight Map By Bryan A. Chadwick, GISP, MCDBA, Oracle DB 11g Certified Implementation Specialist | GIS Integration Specialist, Azteca Systems—Cityworks

O

ne of the most advantageous traits of the map in Cityworks Server AMS and PLL is the added functionality of the Silverlight Sandbox, a tool that allows you to test plug-ins before dispensing them into an environment. Silverlight Sandbox makes writing plug-ins easier with a Visual Studio solution that has sample code, which includes the relevant Cityworks assemblies, and does not require a database connection. The extensibility of the Silverlight map allows custom plug-ins to be easily created and quickly leveraged as map tools to support site-specific workflows. The Silverlight Sandbox helps facilitate the process through an additional method of testing before initiating the plug-in. Follow the seven steps below to install the Silverlight Sandbox to use in your own projects:

Step 1: Install the Esri ArcGIS API for Silverlight. Silverlight Sandbox works in conjunction with Esri’s ArcGIS API for Silverlight. The ArcGIS API for Silverlight must be installed before using Silverlight Sandbox. First, log into webaccounts.esri.com or create an Esri Global Account. Then navigate to the ArcGIS Resource Center to download and install the appropriate version of ArcGIS API for Silverlight (ArcGIS Resources > Communities > Web APIs > Silverlight). Once the ArcGIS API has downloaded, run the .exe file and follow the basic installation steps.

Step 2: Download the Silverlight Sandbox. Any user with a MyCityworks.com account can download the Silverlight Sandbox. Log into the site and navigate to Resource & Download Center > Utilities and Samples > Samples. Select the Cityworks Silverlight Sandbox sample version that corresponds with your version of Cityworks Server AMS or PLL.

Step 3: Extract the Silverlight Sandbox .zip File. After downloading the Silverlight Sandbox version, extract the .zip file, and you will see a Visual Basic 2010 solution named SilverlightSandbox.sln. This solution can be opened using Visual Basic 2010 Express. Once the solution has loaded, you will see two projects: Cityworks.SilverlightSandbox and Cityworks.SilverlightSample.

42

InPrint Fall 2013 cityworks.com


Step 4: Load the Cityworks Client. Highlight the Cityworks.SilverlightSandbox project in the panel on the right and click on the green arrow icon towards the top left of the screen. The project will build and display its output while loading the Cityworks Client, which is a simplified version of the user experience in the map page panel that is hard-wired to bring up an ArcGIS.com tiled map service. Notice the tools present on the Tools panel. The Sample Code tool feeds from the Cityworks. SilverlightSample project and provides a number of basic references.

Step 5: Add Your Own Project. When you add your own project, the project will also display in the Cityworks Client. The Silverlight Sandbox can be truly invaluable for testing a custom plug-in before deployment into an environment. The Where Am I tool comes from the Cityworks SilverlightSandbox project.

cityworks.com Fall 2013 InPrint

43


Step 6: Deploy the Silverlight Plug-In. Silverlight produces a .xap file. Copy the .xap file into the ClientBin folder (Computer > Local Disk (C:) > inetpub > wwwroot > cityworks2013 > WebSite > ClientBin) for the desired Cityworks website.

Step 7: Create a custom ClientMap.xml file for Cityworks to register and use the plugin. To register a plug-in, copy one of the sample general XMLs from the Default folder ([site_alias] > WebSite > ClientBin > XML > Default) and rename it for modification purposes.

Make sure that the ClientMap.xml file is located in the Default folder, unless the Server layout setting has been set for users. In that case, copy the file to the defined directory location(s).

44

InPrint Fall 2013 cityworks.com


User Information Log into the corresponding Cityworks website and open the map panel. Click on the Tools drop-down list to see and add the plug-in defined earlier to begin using it. Conclusion The Cityworks Silverlight Sandbox is a solution that benefits each project through testing plug-ins before introducing them to the crafted environment. With Silverlight Sandbox, writing plug-ins is easier, and Silverlight Sandbox works in conjunction with Esri’s ArcGIS API for Silverlight.

Cases by Representative June 2013

Rep 6 - cases

Rep 5 - cases

Rep 4 - cases

Rep 6 - cases

Rep 5 - cases

Rep 4 - cases

Rep 3 - cases

Rep 2 - cases

Rep 1 - cases

n July 2, 2013, Azteca Systems–Cityworks activated the Cityworks Help Desk. The purpose is to provide a foundation for a high-quality, sustainable technical support as the number of licensed organizations and users increases. Software sales tend to fluctuate across regions, requiring frequent adjustments to regional support assignments. The Help Desk elim-

Rep 3 - cases

O

Rep 2 - cases

By Steve Thomas, Executive Director | Customer Support, Azteca Systems—Cityworks

inates that problem and allows the support staff to balance their case loads, leading to more efficient responses to the clients. It also allows support staff to specialize in specific software components and for reported issues to be assigned to the representative that can best troubleshoot the issue. Over the last few months, Help Desk has met the objectives of the company admirably. While there has been one report of a delayed response to a request for assistance, the company and clients have seen the benefits of the Help Desk in real terms. The balance between representatives has improved, and the charts illustrate this improvement. The difference between the representatives with the lowest and highest number of cases was 61 in June and fell to only 34 in August. The standard deviation in June, prior to instituting the Help Desk, was twice that recorded in August. The variance we still see occurring in August is partly due to vacation time taken by the individual representative.

Rep 1 - cases

Cityworks Help Desk Provides Foundation for Sustainable, High-quality Tech Support

Cases by Representative August 2013 cityworks.com Fall 2013 InPrint

45


Cityworks News

Cityworks Congratulates 2013 Esri SAG Award Winners

M

ultiple Cityworks clients were recently honored by Esri, each receiving the prestigious Special Achievement in GIS (SAG) Award at the 2013 Esri International User Conference in San Diego, California. Azteca Systems congratulates these agencies for their achievements in utilizing Esri ArcGIS, Cityworks, and other GIS-centric applications and solutions. Selected for outstanding work in GIS, the following Cityworks client sites were selected to receive the SAG Award from over 100,000 user sites worldwide: • City of Charlotte, North Carolina • Douglas County, Nebraska/City of Omaha, Nebraska • Horry County GIS, South Carolina

City of Charlotte, NC Katie Templeton, GISP, GIS Analyst, Dept of Transportation (CDOT), and Rob Bailey, GIS Coordinator, Charlotte Mecklenburg Utilities Department

These Cityworks users were presented the SAG Award by Jack Dangermond, president of Esri. At the event, Mr. Dangermond shared his appreciation for the innovative work in GIS being performed around the world, honoring the SAG Award winners for making outstanding contributions and advancements. “Cityworks congratulates City of Charlotte, Douglas County/City of Omaha, and Horry County, along with the other SAG Award recipients, for their outstanding work with GIS,” stated Brian Haslam, president and CEO, Azteca Systems–Cityworks. “We share Esri’s opinion of these exemplary clients and their commitment to GIS. Year after year, many of those recognized by Esri are Cityworks customers. As the first and genuine GIScentric asset/work management and permitting solution, Cityworks takes full advantage of GIS, leveraging and building upon its inherent benefits. Once again, our congratulations to these esteemed clients.”

Douglas County/City of Omaha, NE Jerry Lawson, GIS Analyst & Michael Schonlau, GIS Coordinator

Horry County Government, SC Timothy Oliver, GIO-Assistant, CIO

Esri 2013 UC – Thank you to those who stopped by our booth!

46

InPrint Fall 2013 cityworks.com


Cityworks Wraps up an Eventful Event Calendar

C

ityworks kept a busy calendar this year, holding a representation in over 25 shows and events—including hosting a successful User Conference in Salt Lake City—and sponsoring several community events. At four of the larger shows of the year—Ace13 AWWA, Denver, CO; Esri, San Diego, CA; APWA, Chicago, IL; and WEFTEC, Chicago, IL—Cityworks held a large presence. Cityworks also held a great presence in a recent international event in Munich, Germany for EMEAUC.

cityworks.com Fall 2013 InPrint

47


Cityworks News Mike Meyerson is a strategic partner manager. He attended Brigham Young University and graduated from California State University, Fullerton with a BA in sociology. Mike has also worked in IT, systems development, and business development. Holly Smart works in the Customer Support Department as a help desk technician. She graduated from Weber State University with a BS in geography. After graduating, she worked for NAVTEQ for five years as a geographic analyst, updating road geometry and points of interest for navigational systems and online maps. Before joining Azteca Systems, Holly worked as an intern updating existing city maps in ArcMap for the GIS/IT Department at Sandy City, one of our clients. Tom Kissane is a customer support intern at our West Bend, Wisconsin, office. He is studying at the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee. Upon completion of his internship, he will graduate with a BA in geography with an emphasis in GIS. Fred Warzwick is a technical sales associate working in our Dallas, Texas, office. Fred earned his BA in geography with a specialization in GIS from The University of Texas at Austin. He previously worked as a GIS intern at the City of Highland Village, Texas, one of our clients. Audrey Blake, originally from Texas, recently joined our Documentation Department as a technical writer. She graduated from Brigham Young University with a BA in English and a minor in editing. While in school, she volunteered as the director of a program for cognitively and intellectually disabled adults. She also worked as a government and public affairs assistant in Washington, DC.

48

InPrint Fall 2013 cityworks.com

Andrew Hendrix is the newest member of our IT team. He is currently studying computer science at the University of Utah. He and his wife, Katie, celebrated one year of marriage in October.

Zach Litz is our newest software developer. He graduated with a BS in electrical engineering from the University of Utah and an MS in electrical engineering (MSE) from Arizona State University, where he specialized in signal processing and communication systems. Prior to working at Azteca Systems, Zach spent more than 4 years developing medical instrumentation for measuring human performance. During this time he also worked as a contractor developing EEG equipment. Dawn Fletcher officially joined our team as a client relations representative on June 24th, but she is not new to Cityworks. Previously Dawn worked for the White House Utility District in White House, Tennessee, for almost 13 years as a special projects coordinator and was part of the Cityworks implementation team. Dawn graduated from Trevecca Nazarene University in Nashville, Tennessee, in October 2004 with a BA in management and human resources.

Chris Mounteer joined our team in August as a software tester. He moved to Utah from Phoenix, Arizona, with his wife, Mandy, and their eightyear-old daughter, Daphne. He completed a BA degree in English writing at Arizona State University.


Upcoming Events Conference

| City

| State

| Country

| Date

Esri Southwest User Conference

Salt Lake City

Utah

USA

Nov. 13-15, 2013

SHRUG GIS Workshop

Tallahassee

Florida

USA

Nov. 19-22, 2013

Esri Pacific User Meeting

Redlands

California

USA

Nov. 21, 2013

Esri Mid-Atlantic User Conference

Baltimore

Maryland

USA

Dec. 10-11, 2013

APA National Planning Conference

Atlanta

Georgia

USA

Apr. 26-30, 2014

MAGIC

Kansas City

Missouri

USA

Apr. 27-May 1, 2014

Cityworks 2014 User Conference

Salt Lake City

Utah

USA

May 21-23, 2014

DOES TRANSMAP

Open-Source System Integration Legacy Data, CMMS (Cityworks), Pavement Management System (MicroPAVER)

MicroPAVER Training

Certified trainers conducting on-site 2-5 day classes

Transmap/Cityworks Partners

facebook.com/transmap twitter: @transmap

FOR MORE INFORMATION on the most efficient way to populate your Cityworks database Contact Craig Schorling, GISP - Vice President Email: cschorling@transmap.com Phone: 614.481.6799 Mobile: 614.537.6297

Integration

3366 Riverside Drive, Suite 103 Upper Arlington, Ohio 43221 Phone: 614.481.6799 Fax: 614.481.4017 transmap.com

City of Durham, NC - City of Schertz, TX - City of Killeen, TX City of El Paso, TX - Manatee County, FL - City of Alexandria, VA Allegheny County, PA - City of Dublin, OH - City of Newport News, VA Putnam County, FL - City of Richmond, VA

Roadway Inventory

DO?

GIS Services

Design, Development and Implementation, ArcGIS.com, ArcGIS, ArcSDE, ArcGIS Server, Google APIs, Database Development, GIS Integration, Linear Reference System, Web GIS Services

Pavement Management

WHAT

Pavement & Asset Management Needs Assessment to Full Implementation - LiDAR-based Mobile Mapping - Sign Inventory - MUTCD Compliance Roadway Asset Inventory - ASTM Pavement Condition Survey

cityworks.com Fall 2013 InPrint

49


Cityworks InAction

FitKIDS Triathalon

C

ityworks was a proud sponsor of the FitKIDS Champions Triathlon for children ages 4–14 on July 20, 2013, in Herriman, Utah. Cityworks staff were on hand directing

and cheering the young athletes as they swam, biked, and ran their way to the finish line. The FitKIDS Triathlon Series is made up of three different races that are focused on KIDS

and for KIDS only! Created to get kids excited about exercising and loving the triathlon fitness lifestyle, a race just for kids helps motivate them in a fun way.

Trichotillomania Silent Auction fundraiser and shared her story with those at the event. Mrs. Sanctis, who has suffered with Trichotillomania since she was in fourth grade, said, “I would like to raise awareness about Trichotillomania specifically in educating doctors, clinicians, teachers, schools, parents, and children about the disorder.”

R

eturning to the Cityworks User Conference this year was the silent auction and fundraiser benefiting the Trichotillomania Learning Center (TLC). With items donated from Azteca Systems and Cityworks business partners, the auction collected $4,200 to donate to TLC. The silent auction began Wednesday after the plenary session and closed that evening during the expo social, where the highest bidders collected their items and one lucky winner received a Microsoft Surface Pro in the grand prize drawing. Special guest Josie Sanctis, Mrs. North Carolina 2013, was the spokesperson for the

50

InPrint Fall 2013 cityworks.com

All funds raised at the silent auction were donated to TLC, whose mission is to end the suffering caused by hair pulling disorder, skin picking disorder, and related Body-Focused Repetitive Behavior (BFRB). Founded in 1991, TLC provides education, outreach, and support of research into the cause and treatment of BFRB disorders. For more information, visit www.trich.org.


Brian Haslam, President & CEO, Azteca Systems—Cityworks, far right, poses with other LoToJa participants.

Catching the LoToJa Spirit By Audrey E. Blake, Technical Writer, Azteca Systems—Cityworks

O

n September 7, with determined faces, hearts of stamina, and eyes on the finish line, more than 1,700 cyclists hit the road to face the difficult one-day bike race known as the LoToJa Classic from Logan, Utah, to Jackson, Wyoming. As the longest one-day USAC-sanctioned bicycle race in the country, LoToJa boasts 206 miles of road that crosses three mountain ranges in Utah, Idaho, and Wyoming, finishing below the rugged Tetons at the base of the Jackson Hole Mountain Resort. Positioned in Alpine, Wyoming, at the Alpine feed zone for racers, Cityworks volunteers aided cyclists and ensured the safety of support crews, crowds, volunteers, and riders. As a premier sponsor of the race, Cityworks also sponsored the Alpine feed zone as crew assisted the racers with words of encouragement, praise, and a cold drink or snack to make the last 47 miles a little more bearable. Appreciative riders and support crews mentioned that the Alpine feed zone was excellent, quite a compliment since this was the first time Cityworks volunteers had organized a feed zone. Under the direction of John Jarnagin, educational services manager, Ryan Harris, project manager, and Kaye Ryser, marketing and administra-

Cityworks flags at the LoToJa finish line.

Cityworks volunteers set up the Alpine feed zone.

tive assistant, the Alpine feed zone Cityworks crew consisted of 25 employees and spouses. They assisted throughout the fast-paced day. “By mid-day there were hundreds of people along the highway. Trying to control the crowd—to ensure safety for riders and the crowd—was a challenge,” says Jarnagin. “Our feed zone crew went above and beyond to meet the needs of the riders.” Ryan Miller, senior project manager, and his wife, Jen, gave one unsupported LoToJa racer a ride from Alpine to Jackson after the rider realized he could not finish the race. At the end of an exhausting day, Jarnagin said, “It was all worth it to see the LoToJa riders give their all and accomplish their goals. It was gratifying to see their drive, their focus, and their human side as they struggled through challenges and tried to motivate themselves and other racers around them.” Apart from filling in the ranks as volunteers, some LoToJa riders were Cityworks staff, family, and friends, and donned Cityworks jerseys. We look forward to providing service to the communities where we live, and we hope for many more years with LoToJa, catching its intrepid spirit of determination, service, and human accomplishment. cityworks.com Fall 2013 InPrint

51


11075 S. State Street, Ste. 24 Sandy, UT 84070

If you have received this newsletter in error, please call 801-523-2751 or email inprint@cityworks.com.

From the ground up, Cityworks and Esri ArcGIS provide the ideal platform for managing public assets. A collection of WEB SERVICES enables everything from

DOCUMENT MANAGEMENT to CCTV inspections, extending

the inherent capabilities of the world’s leading GIS-centric solution. Cityworks is lifting public agencies to the top, Empowering GISŽ for Asset Management, Permitting, Licensing & More.


Turn static files into dynamic content formats.

Create a flipbook
Issuu converts static files into: digital portfolios, online yearbooks, online catalogs, digital photo albums and more. Sign up and create your flipbook.