Top digital cities: Ann Arbor ranks No. 5 in the nation for cities its size
The city of Ann Arbor has been ranked No. 5 in a list of the Top 10 Digital Cities in the United States with population between 75,000 and 124,999.
The rankings, done by e.Republic’s Center for Digital Government and Digital Communities magazine, recognize cities that use technology and online resources to connect with citizens.
Ann Arbor's Web site helped the city rank No. 5 on the list of Top 10 Digital Cities in the country for cities its size.
Ann Arbor’s Web site, www.a2gov.org, features a variety of online resources that helped the city earn the No. 5 ranking, including the following:
• Citizen Request System: An online resource for submitting non-emergency service requests to the city, for parks maintenance, pothole and street light repair and water system issues, to name just a few.
• GIS Resources: The city offers a variety of digital maps, including zoning, voting districts, historic districts, subdivisions, city parks and details of park capital improvement projects.
• GovDelivery E-mail Notifications: The city offers Web visitors the opportunity to subscribe to more than 40 pages within the city’s Web site, including road or lane closures, news and more. Subscribers then receive e-mail notifications when new information is available.
• My Property Information: Validates if an address is within the city limits of Ann Arbor and provides mailing, voting, solid waste pickup and water consumption information related to the address. This application also provides information on the property’s solar energy potential and maps the property’s impervious areas for storm water management.
• eTRAKiT: A new online permitting and development review and inspection website which allows 24/7 access to inspection results, the ability to look up permits online, check registration with the city or schedule inspections.
Here's the complete list of the Top 10 Digital Cities for the 75,000-124,999 population category:
1. Santa Monica, Calif.
2. Arvada, Colo.
3. Roanoke, Va.
4. Richardson, Texas
4. West Palm Beach, Fla.
5. Ann Arbor, Mich.
5. Independence, Mo.
6. Lee's Summit, Mo.
6. Pueblo, Colo.
7. Westminster, Colo.
8. Lawrence, Kan.
8. Ogden, Utah
9. Boulder, Colo.
10. Schaumburg, Ill.
Ryan J. Stanton covers government for AnnArbor.com. Reach him at ryanstanton@annarbor.com or 734-623-2529.
Comments
a2grateful
Wed, Nov 11, 2009 : 5:28 p.m.
Dalouie and Tru2Blu76 critiquing the critics, complaining about the complainers, whatever. It's grand comedy.. Too bad the infrastructure crumbles, the leaves do not get picked up, and the snow is being unplowed at a greater rate.. In these scenarios, we can take solace that the City has a top rated website. Glad to see our tax dollars put to such great use.
a2grateful
Wed, Nov 11, 2009 : 3:35 p.m.
Yeah, here they call those "retirement packages." Remember the mass exodus of employees with the former City administrator Neal Berlin? He helped write some sweet deals, and then helped himself to the booty, retiring himself.
logo
Wed, Nov 11, 2009 : 3:23 p.m.
Yes, that must be it, overrated. The clever people in Ann Arbor just fool all different agencies that give them awards for a dozen different quality of life measures. Do you deny climate change too? Are you holding out against evolution? BTW XMO, it looks like Ann Arbor does run a better government at reduced cost. Take a look at what is happening in Grand Rapids, Troy and Kalamazoo. BIG LAYOFFS AND CUT BACKS.
louisa
Wed, Nov 11, 2009 : 11:56 a.m.
Ann Arbor is over rated and always has been! I'm not impressed.
Dalouie
Wed, Nov 11, 2009 : 11:04 a.m.
Once again we hear from the professional gripers who dominate this site. A2 has won 2 awards in just the last day. But never good enough. Things are bad in Michigan for all governments (people too!). If you look around this state you see that Ann Arbor is doing better than anywhere in Michigan, lowest unemployment, a solid budget compared other cities, (look at Grand Rapids or Kalamazoo if you want to see problems not to mention Lansing or Ypsi, etc.) and the the millage rate has not gone up in 10 years. Get over it.
Ryan J. Stanton
Wed, Nov 11, 2009 : 10:46 a.m.
The Ann Arbor IT department also won three of the seven statewide "Excellence in Technology" awards at the Michigan Digital Government Summit in October http://www.govtech.com/gt/731590
a2grateful
Wed, Nov 11, 2009 : 8:50 a.m.
Many citizens have been using certain single-digit hand gestures to rate a2 City government performance of late.... One is a downward-pointing thumb... the other is.... Oh well!
xmo
Wed, Nov 11, 2009 : 8:29 a.m.
Why doesn't this translate into running a better city government for reduced cost? Machines cost less than people and do not need sick time, vacations, etc. Maybe we are not all that digital yet!