UPPER MARLBORO, MD – The National Association of Counties and the Center for Digital Government placed the Prince George’s County Government in the top 10 of the “Digital Counties Survey” for providing residents greater accessibility to county services through the use of technology.

The Center for Digital Government award recognizes Prince George’s County Government as 9th place among the top 10 counties nationally in the 2008 Digital Counties Survey for the outstanding use of technology in the category of counties with 500,000 or more in population. Prince George’s County has been judged by the center during the last four years. This is first year the county has been placed in the top 10.

Tanya Gott, director of the county’s Office of Information Technology and Communications, said that the award recognizes the commitment of County Executive Jack Johnson to improving technical services by “Going Digital” and providing residents with the best technology.

“We are dedicated to aligning technology efforts to support the business goals of the county,” Gott said. “OITC provides leadership, expertise, and resources in the development and deployment of innovative technologies to improve government efficiency and citizen access to government information and services.”

Johnson said he remains committed to improving technology services to all county departments to improve the delivery of services to all residents.

“Prince George's County Government continuously reviews and considers technology alternatives to support the missions and initiatives of the agencies and branches of Prince George’s County Government,” Johnson said. “We are pleased to be acknowledged in the top tier among digital governments.”

In April, thousands of U.S. counties were invited to participate in the 2008 Digital Counties Survey. County officials responded to questions that included more than 100 measurements and data points about online service delivery, infrastructure, architecture, and governance models.

"We are seeing county governments utilizing the efficiencies of technology to deliver services to Americans," said NACo Executive Director Larry E. Naake. "Across a broad spectrum of service delivery needs and budgetary challenges, counties continue to develop improved service delivery options made possible by technology."

The Center for Digital Government considered the multiple web-based technology services provided by OITC including: Internet And/Or Automated Telephone Related Services; Legislative Information System (LIS) for County Council activity and information; all Hazard Alerts; Webcasts; Data Mapping Utilities and Geographical Information Systems; building permit information, status, and inspection scheduling; public procurement document and information; Parks and Recreation services access; applications for various licenses and information; county records information and request; court services information; library services information;  tax-related information and services; ticket, citation, and impounded vehicles information and services; citizens request and complaints information; voting related information; refuge and recycling information and services; intranet expansion; emergency preparedness information and planning;
law enforcement alerts, bulletins and useful information; employee electronic timesheets and guest and visitors’ internet access

The Center for Digital Government also considered OITC’s accomplishments in internal operations in setting the award. Those accomplishments include: strategy planning; establishing the Technology Coordinating Council; Information Technology Project Management Growth; Website Content Management Improvements; IT Architecture Development Expansion; IT Infrastructure Development including broadband and Going Green Initiatives; IT Contracting and Outsourcing Management; IT Asset Management and Inventory Tracking Improvements; IT Budgeting and Expenditure Cost Saving Efforts and
IT Customer Support Efforts Optimization.

The Center for Digital Government is a national research and advisory institute on information technology policies and best practices in state and local government. For more than two decades, the Center and its sister divisions ' Government Technology magazine, GTCs and Center for Digital Education ' have been providing public- and private-sector leaders with decision support, knowledge and opportunities to help them succeed in 21st century government.

The award information and the Center for Digital Government can be reached through the following link:
http://www.centerdigitalgov.com/surveys.php?survey=counties

2008's winners are:
500,000 or more population:

1st: San Diego County, California
2nd: Anne Arundel County, Maryland (tie)
2nd: Oakland County, Michigan (tie)
3rd: Fairfax County, Virginia
4th: Westchester County, New York
5th: King County, Washington (tie)
5th: Orange County, Florida (tie)
6th: Sacramento County, California
7th: Tulsa County, Oklahoma
8th: Montgomery County, Maryland (tie)
8th: Wake County, North Carolina (tie)
9th: Prince George’s County, Maryland
10th: Orange County, California