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A Technology-Enabled Vision of the Future….
Gene
Obis
Information Technology Manager
“As
technology moves beyond the information age to one of digitally available data
and services, the vision of a richer technological environment for our citizens
and employees is always before us.”
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Public Safety Radio Coverage
Requirements for Developers
The City of Tempe
is a unique urban center that is committed to creating a dynamic live, work and
play environment, which appeals to all generations. Within the City itself there
are eighteen departments, each with its own unique technology needs. If it were
not for having central vision already in place, City departments would be placed
in the position of creating costly and redundant applications on incompatible
systems.
The Information Technology
Department was created in May of 2001 by the City Manager in order to
coordinate all of the City’s information and telecommunications systems,
and to ensure that the City receives the maximum benefit from its nearly
$13 million annual investment in these technologies. The Department is
structured into three functional areas: Administration, Application
Services, and Technical Services. The Chief Information Officer
oversees the Department and reports to the office of the City Manager.
The CIO and the
Department’s personnel are responsible for developing city-wide strategies and
plans for investing in, and operating, Tempe’s technological resources. The
purpose of citywide guidance is to reduce the cost of government, enhance
service to our citizens, and make government services more accessible to the
public we serve. The centralization of technology management helps Departments
to move towards a common goal. Collaboration and partnerships are essential to
increase the efficiency and effectiveness of the City’s daily business
operations.ITD’s technology-enabled
vision for the future includes....
- Organizations, comprised of private and public collaborative interests, will be
commonplace and be able to provide services and information to all Tempeans,
regardless of economic status.
- Individuals, groups, and agencies will communicate with one another in a
paperless environment, primarily via electronic means.
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Individuals will have access to public information, with appropriate
electronic security and privacy measures in place, from a variety of
locations – schools, libraries, municipal offices, and the University – to
make informed decisions about where to live, work, and play.
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GENE OBIS,
Manager of the Information Technology Department, began his career with
the City of Tempe over 27 years ago in our Police Department after
having worked for a private sector financial services organization.
Some of his major achievements include managing the implementation of
E-911 service in Tempe, computer aided dispatching / e-records and 800
MHz mobile digital communications systems within the Police Department,
as well as managing a staff of highly-talented professionals who provide
what has been described as “best in class” IT services. After managing
the city’s Customer Service Division, Gene was selected to become the
CIO in April of 2001. He is a native Arizonan who attended Arizona State
University and graduated with a Bachelor’s Degree in Business
Administration. Gene later earned a Master’s Degree in Business
Administration (MBA) and has completed over 12 hours of graduate studies
in Public Administration, in addition to completing the Customer Service
Program at the Graduate School of Business at the University of Texas at
Austin. Some of his professional associations have included the
National Management Association, the International Customer Service
Association, the American Water Works Association, the International
Association of Chiefs of Police, the American Society for Training and
Development, Phi Beta Lambda, DPMA, a consultant for the United States
Small Business Administration, a Budget & Finance Commissioner for a
neighboring municipality, and Board Member for the Arizona Executive
Leadership Forum.
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- More and
more individuals will have the option to telecommute to their jobs. Individuals
will either work from their homes or from “telework centers” located near major
city centers.
- Video and audio conferencing will provide a common format for meetings.
Attendees will no longer need to travel to central meeting sites.

- Tempe businesses will experience exceptional growth due to the increased
demand for and use of broadband services, in addition to the availability of a
highly skilled Tempe workforce.
- Tempe businesses, regardless of size, will compete in the global marketplace
through a suite of electronic commerce tools, including high-performance
transaction processing on the World Wide Web, electronic messaging, digital
signatures, and electronic certification and authentication.
- City services will be available on-line. Services will be available when and
where businesses and individuals need them.
- Large volume mailings of government forms to Tempe residents and businesses
will be supplemented by electronic delivery, electronic response, and electronic
remittance processing.
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