Dutchess County Government was recently ranked second in the nation for midsize county government’s use of technology. The government received this accreditation from the 2020 Digital Counties Survey, which is conducted by the Center of Digital Government (CDG) and the National Association of Counties (NACo).

Every year for more than a decade, the Dutchess County Office of Central and Information Services (OCIS) has been recognized by the NACo and CDG for their work implementing technology advancements in the county.

The OCIS is being recognized this year for its successful information distribution during the global pandemic. The OCIS developed an application to meet data and reporting needs for the Department of Behavioral and Community Health (DBCH) in Dutchess County. The office built the Dutchess County COVID-19 Data Dashboard, providing residents information such as confirmed cases, active cases, recovered individuals and deaths, along with an interactive map of Dutchess County.

In addition to the dashboard, OCIS is being acknowledged for its work interacting with citizens during the pandemic. The county actively provided information for residents on its Facebook, Twitter and Youtube platforms. The County Executive hosted over 30 virtual town halls announcing updates and answering citizens’ questions, which were all posted to Youtube. OCIS also supported the Coronavirus Hotline, Restarting Dutchess and created Dutchess Responds.

Glen Marchi, the commissioner of the Dutchess OCIS, said Dutchess Responds connected citizens to food, medications and household essentials. “This involved developing an internal geographic information systems (GIS) tool to help call-takers find the nearest food distribution center based on the client’s location,” Marchi said. The website also connected citizens, “who wanted to offer help through monetary donations, collecting or donating goods, and volunteering.”

“Our Central Services Division provided logistical support by procuring Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) and supplies for frontline workers, including hospitals, assisted living and residential facilities, and others,” Marchi said. “Our courier service also delivered COVID-19 test samples from the Nuvance COVID-19 Test Site to Vassar Brothers Medical Center and delivered hand-sanitizer and other supplies to departments.”

At the start of the pandemic in March, OCIS also assisted county employees in the transition from in-person work to remote work, while still serving the public. OCIS helped facilitate daily operations for essential employees, in addition to hosting virtual meetings with schools, partners and community leaders.

Marchi said, “It was necessary for counties to have an advanced IT office long before the COVID-19 pandemic. Dutchess County has successfully created the infrastructure, policies, processes and protocols for employees to safely work remotely and we were able to quickly adapt to the pandemic situation, support the County’s response, and continue government operations.”

Along with its work during the pandemic, OCIS is constantly working on implementing new projects in Dutchess County. It recently launched the ThinkDIFFERENTLY website, and redesigned the Parks Reservations service and county website for better accessibility and citizen engagement.

The OCIS is an essential office in the county, partnering with all 26 county departments. It helps provide a strong internet network, advanced data center and cloud-based services to ensure security and access for employees to work remotely throughout all departments.

Currently the office is also working on enhancing public safety with the Town of Poughkeepsie Police. “Dutchess County entered a Public Safety Shared Service multi-jurisdictional, inter-municipal agreement to host the Town of Poughkeepsie Police Department in 2018 on the County’s Public Safety platform,” Marchi said.

The advanced platform improves safety for citizens and officers through integration, data sharing and interoperability. It also enhances geographic information systems (GIS) mapping with an advanced interface and streamlines reporting. Additionally,OCIS upgraded and consolidated the town’s dispatch system with the newest technology.

“This agreement has resulted in an estimated $500,000 in taxpayer savings, with an estimated $70,000 savings in annual maintenance costs for the Town. This year, we entered a similar agreement with the Town of Hyde Park Police Department,” Marchi said.

Dutchess County Nationally Ranked for its Leading Technology

MARIST CIRCLE