
Durham County Earns National "Digital Counties" Recognition
Durham County Government in July was named a Top 10 county for putting technology to work to enhance service delivery.
The National Association of Counties and the Center for Digital Government included Durham County in a list of counties with populations between 250,000 and 499,999 as part of the 2015 Digital Counties Survey, according to a news release.
“Information Services and Technology is always working on ways that allow the County to engage and serve our citizens

Open Data Partnership
An open data partnership is blooming in Durham.
The City and County, as a joint strategic partnership, are developing a shared approach to making public data more accessible online. With the growing power of the open data movement, the vision is for the community to use this data in a variety of ways, including building apps.
“This is a unique collaborative effort that demonstrates a regional commitment,” Durham County Manager Wendell Davis said in a news release. “There

County Releases State of the County Health Report
The Partnership for a Healthy Durham, which operates out of the Durham County Department of Public Health, recently issued its annual State of the County Health Report.
Read the 2015 State of the County Health Report here. It is full of performance measures and status updates for various partnership priorities.
Learn more about the Partnership for a Healthy Durham at its website. #AccountableGovernment #stateofcounty #health #report

County Wins PTI Award for Cybersecurity Awareness Efforts
Durham County's Information Services & Technology Department recently took home a 2016 Technology Solutions Award from the Public Technology Institute.
The organization honored recent steps by the department to educate employees and the public about cybersecurity, according to a story from the IS&T website.
Here is a look at the issue and the department's approach to cybersecurity by the numbers, according to IS&T’s story: 200,000: estimated number of emails on an average

County Continues Donating Surplus Computers
For nearly a decade, Durham County has worked with various community partners to provide surplus computers to those who need them locally.
A recent story by Chris Whittle on the Durham County Information Services & Technology website explains how these initiatives have evolved over the years.
Durham County recently provided 91 used laptops to North Carolina Central University students via a partnership with the nonprofit Kramden Institute, according to IS&T.
"Durham Cou

Case Study: IS&T, EMS Collaborate on Mobile Website
Almost two years ago, EMS reached out to IS&T to develop a mobile tool that would store emergency management protocols and practices. This shift from searching bulky paper documents to easily scanning information on smart phones was designed to be easier for employees.
As a recent case study states, this password-protected online tool prevented the need for an outside consultant by using internal staff. And the change also has saved $10,000 a year in production costs for th

City and County Share Resident Survey Results
Results of the first joint resident survey between the City of Durham and Durham County showed strong satisfaction of services in the community and also highlighted opportunities for improvement.
“The survey findings indicated that Durham is still headed in the right direction as a community,” County Manager Wendell Davis said in a City-County news release announcing the survey results. “Oftentimes, we as public servants see distinctive lines between City and County servic

Information Technology Website Receives National Attention
StateTech, a government technology trade publication, recently featured Durham County's Information Services & Technology website as one of "50 Must-Read State and Local IT Blogs."
"This blog is living proof that a strategic approach to IT can have an immediate and significant effect on citizens," author Jimmy Daly wrote in the piece. "Durham County is pushing open data and cybersecurity, among other important tech initiatives."
Daly encourages readers to "show this newly

IS&T Wins "Solutions" Award from Public Technology Institute
Durham County's Information Services & Technology Department recently won an award for its improvements in document management.
The County received the award from the Alexandria, Va.-based Public Technology Institute. PTI "actively supports local government executives and elected officials through research, education, executive-level consulting services, and national recognition programs," according to it's website.
For more information, check out this blog post from IS&T

Leadership Academy Class Heads Into Home Stretch
Weeks away from wrapping up with its second cohort, the Durham County Leadership Academy has continued its mission to strengthen employee leadership and professional development by creating an inclusive educational environment to cultivate leadership skills regardless of position.
“I have gained so much knowledge about my own strengths and weaknesses, insight on how to work effectively with others, and have improved the skills and tools I possess to do my job more productiv