The Georgia chapter of the Government Management Information Sciences (GMIS) has awarded Cobb County its prestigious ‘Government to Citizens’ (G2C) award. The competitive accolade recognizes the GMIS member agency whose informational technology (IT) project exhibits the best example of G2C in fulfilling its mission to collaborate and serve other entities.

To achieve smart city status, Cobb’s IT department identified a series of ‘digital stops’ where efficiencies for old workflows are enhanced, new services created, and opportunities for collaboration are sought out and implemented.

Examples implemented during the smart county journey include the county’s new web portal, an Emergency Locator Marker system, the continued enhancement of the Department of Transportation’s Intelligent Transportation System (ITS) and a new automated workflow for fire hydrant inspections.

“Cobb’s five-year digital strategy calls for us to continue our journey to become a smart county,” said Sharon Stanley, Director of the Information Services Department. “A smart community attracts smart businesses which brings in additional jobs for our citizens and increased revenue for our county.”

Cobb County departments and agencies such as Cobb’s Department of Transportation, Police and Fire, E911, Communications, Information Services, the Emergency Management Agency, and Community Development have worked together to share their business systems and data in new and imaginative ways. The county has also worked with state and federal organizations like the Georgia Department of Transportation and US Army Corps of Engineers to realize its Smart County strategy.

“Becoming a smart county will allow Cobb to better serve its citizens and improve the efficiency of the workforce,” said Ed Biggs, Division Director for Technical Operations. “This smart county journey does not end soon and the county is looking forward to implementing our next ‘digital stops.’”