Wednesday, July 29, 2009

Solano County among top digital counties

Solano County among top digital counties

Solano County is one of the top technologically advanced county governments in the United States, receiving a top 10 ranking in its population category in a national survey conducted by the Center for Digital Government and National Association of Counties.

The award comes only a year after the County launched a redesigned website – www.solanocounty.com – designed to make it easier for residents to access the hundreds of pages of useful information about County services and programs.

"This award recognizes how we are using technology to make it easier for residents to access the information they need, to improve services online and to make the business of government even more transparent," said Ira Rosenthal, Solano County Chief Information Officer.

The 2009 Digital Counties Survey found that Solano County uses information technology in increasingly innovative ways to deliver service to the county's residents. Thousands of U.S. counties were invited to participate in the survey. Officials responded to questions that included more than 100 measurements and data points about online service delivery, infrastructure, architecture and governance models.

“As counties face the budgetary challenges of 2009 and beyond, they are finding Information Technology essential for effective and efficient government,” said NACo Executive Director Larry E. Naake. “Not only are county governments using technology to continue delivering services with fewer resources, they are using innovative technology to communicate more effectively with their citizens and businesses. The Digital Counties Survey illustrates the innovation and tenacity of counties across the country.”

Solano County provides many services through its website, including a comprehensive database of land parcels, webcasts of Board of Supervisors meetings, online tax payments, photos of pets available for adoption, online Library catalog, and dozens of online forms from registering to vote by mail to starting a child support case.

About 1 million users visit the Solano County website annually, viewing more than 3.4 million pages.

More information about the 2009 Digital Counties Survey and the Center for Digital Government is available online at www.centerdigitalgov.com.

Below are some of the services available online at www.solanocounty.com.

Assessor Parcel Maps


iCare - Online Jail Commissary

Assessor Filed Maps


Library Catalog

Bad Check Restitution Program


Official Records Index

Board of Supervisors Agendas


Online Property Information

Board of Supervisors Meetings (webcast)


Polling Place Lookup

Building Permits


Recorder Official Documents

Child Support Payments


Solano County Maps

Child Support Services Application


Solano County Recycling Guide

Child Support Services - Case Status


Surplus Items for Sale

Child Support Services - Preguntas Sobre Su Caso


Tax Information and Payments

Dog Licensing Renewal


Vote By Mail Application

Employment Opportunities


Vote By Mail Status

Environmental Health Complaints


Voting District Lookup

Food Facility Inspection Reports


Whistleblower Reporting