2000 Information Technology Survey of Washington Cities and Towns
2000 Information Technology Survey of Washington Cities and Towns
See a detailed count below the summary
See summaries of the technology surveys from 1999,
1998 and 1997
Of Washington's 279 cities and towns, 230 (eighty-two percent) responded to
the 2000 (fifth annual) MRSC Information Technology Survey (68% responded in
1999). Of those responding, 30% of the cities are less than 1,000 in population,
36% between 1,000 and 5,000, 13% between 5,000 and 10,000, 10% between 10,000
and 25,000 and 11% more than 25,000 (compare to actual distribution of all cities:
31%, 33%, 13%, 11% and 12% in the respective categories from small to large).
Nearly all cities and towns (91%) now have some form of Internet access. This
compares to 82% in 1999, 64% in 1998 and 55% in 1997. Only 20 of the responding
cities in 2000 did not have access (19 of these are less than 1,000 in population).
Half of the cities now maintain a Web site, with an quarter hosting them on
a server maintained by the city. Thirteen percent of cities and towns plan to
implement a Web-based service within the next year. The most commonly planned
applications are permitting and licensing.
Eighty-nine cities (40% of those responding) use some type of permit processing
software, including Black Bear, Permit Track, Tidemark Permit Plan, Sierra,
and custom-programmed systems. Eight-one cities (38%) have GIS systems (up from
23% last year), most often running some version of AutoCAD, ArcView or ARC/INFO.
While 81% of cities and towns allow staff to attend software training classes,
30% limit this training to staff involved in supporting the city's computer
system.
2000 Information Technology Survey
(Total number of responding cities and towns = 230)
1. Which software product does your city or town primarily use for
each of the following functions?
a. Permit Processing Software (The percentages do not add up to 100%
due to the fact that some responses had more than one answer for this question.
The total number of responses for this question was 221.)
|
Software
|
Number
|
Percentage
|
| Black Bear |
11 |
5% |
| Permit Track |
3 |
1% |
| Sierra |
10 |
5% |
| Tidemark Permit Plan |
7 |
3% |
| Custom programmed system |
27 |
2% |
| None |
132 |
60% |
| Other |
31 |
14% |
|
b. Geographic Information Systems (The percentages do not add up to
100% due to the fact that some responses had more than one answer for this question.
The total number of responses for this question was 216.)
|
GIS Software
|
Number
|
Percentage
|
| ARC/Info |
15 |
7% |
| ArcView |
19 |
9% |
| AutoCad |
36 |
17% |
| Map-Info |
4 |
2% |
| Custom programmed system |
3 |
1% |
| None |
135 |
62% |
| Other |
4 |
2% |
|
c. Financial System (The percentages do not add up to 100% due to the
fact that some responses had more than one answer for this question. The total
number of responses for this question was 224.)
|
Financial System
|
Number
|
Percentage
|
| ASP (includes BIAS version) |
135 |
60% |
| Eden Systems Version |
33 |
15% |
| Custom programmed system |
10 |
4% |
| None |
16 |
7% |
| Other |
30 |
13% |
|
d. Human Resources Software. Does your city or town use software for human
resources functions? (The total number of responses for this question was
226.)
|
Answer
|
Number
|
Percentage
|
| Yes |
32 |
14% |
| No |
194 |
86% |
|
e. If yes, may staff access the system to look up information about themselves?
(The total number of responses for this question was 84.)
|
Answer
|
Number
|
Percentage
|
| Yes |
4 |
5% |
| No |
80 |
95% |
|
Training - Software and Systems
2. Does your city provide staff with an opportunity to obtain training
for software or systems? (The total number of responses for this question
was 222.)
|
Answer
|
Number
|
Percentage
|
| Yes |
179 |
81% |
| No |
43 |
19% |
|
3. Who provides the training?
|
Answer
|
Responses
|
Percent
|
| City or town staff |
30 |
17% |
| Outside classes |
118 |
66% |
| Online classes |
1 |
1% |
| All of the above |
30 |
17% |
|
4. Who is eligible for that training? (The percentages do not add up
to 100% due to the fact that some responses had more than one answer for this
question. The total number of responses for this question was 179.)
|
Answer
|
Number
|
Percentage
|
| Staff supporting computer systems only |
53 |
30% |
| All staff |
123 |
69% |
| Other |
3 |
2% |
|
Internet, Intranet, and Telecommunications
5. Does your city or town have access to the Internet? (The total number
of responses for this question was 227.)
|
Answer
|
Number
|
Percentage
|
| Yes |
207 |
91% |
| No |
20 |
9% |
|
6. If your city or town does have access to the Internet, is it available:
(The percentages do not add up to 100% due to the fact that some responses had
more than one answer for this question. The total number of responses for this
question was 200.)
|
Location
|
Number
|
Percentage
|
| Via the city's computer network |
91 |
46% |
| At more than one individual workstation |
55 |
28% |
| At one workstation only |
54 |
27% |
|
7. Does your city or town have a Web site? (The total number of responses
for this question was 224.)
|
Answer
|
Number
|
Percentage
|
| Yes |
107 |
48% |
| No |
117 |
52% |
|
8. If yes, where is your site hosted? (The total number of responses
for this question was 105.)
|
Server
|
Number
|
Percentage
|
| On a server maintained by the city |
27 |
26% |
| On a server of an Internet Service Provider |
78 |
74% |
|
10. Does your city maintain an Intranet (a Web site available to city or
town staff only containing such documents as personnel policies)?
|
Answer
|
Number
|
Percentage
|
| Yes |
20 |
9% |
| No |
203 |
91% |
|
11. In the next year, are you planning to implement any Web-based databases
for such functions as permitting, licensing, or procurement?
|
Answer
|
Number
|
Percentage
|
| Yes |
28 |
13% |
| No |
191 |
87% |
|
13. Has your city or town purchased products or services via the Internet?
|
Answer
|
Number
|
Percentage
|
| Yes |
106 |
48% |
| No |
117 |
52% |
|
14. Does your city or town require that new telecommunications facilities
be installed underground?
|
Answer
|
Number
|
Percentage
|
| Yes |
40 |
20% |
| No |
159 |
80% |
|
16. Population: (The total number of responses for this question was
228.)
|
Population
|
Number
|
Percentage
|
| Less than 1000 |
69 |
30% |
| 1,000-5,000 |
81 |
36% |
| 5,001-10,000 |
30 |
13% |
| 10,001-25,000 |
23 |
10% |
| Over 25,000 |
25 |
11% |
|
