Digitalizing Government Services

It was a great honor earlier this year when the Center for Digital Government named our city the first-place winner of the Government Experience Award for raising the bar for responsive government. We were especially gratified as Coral Gables—named ahead of much larger cities across the country-- has made engaging residents a top priority in how we govern. I believe the key to our success has been the strong partnership between our innovation and technology department and our communications office.

In a highly connected world where the marketplace provides same-day delivery and on-demand transportation can provide a ride in minutes, all with simple clicks on a mobile device, local governments can no longer expect its residents to deal with anything less than user-friendly portals with easy sign-on and simple navigation strategies to communicate how e-government works. Traditionally, the public sector has lagged behind private enterprise in this regard, but municipalities are now re-thinking their digital capabilities. I am happy to say Coral Gables is at the forefront of these efforts.

Last year, our IT department and communications staff (along with valuable input and support from the City Clerk’s Office) teamed up to re-create our website with a new search that can adapt to relevant results, one-click applications that focus on functionality and ease of use, and enhanced integration with IT's smart city data and third-party applications. Combining the right technology with a well-thought-out communications strategy, we vastly improved how we connect and engage our residents and the thousands who visit our city each year.

Here is where I believe we excel:

Accessing Services—Whether a large developer or a single homeowner, construction applications once meant lengthy paperwork and time-consuming, in-person submittals and reviews. Today, the process is online and maintained by our dedicated Development Services Center staff. Accessing services requires little more than one click' to submit building plans for review and approval. The same goes for scheduling inspections. There are no special hoops to jump through, no unexpected demands for information and no frustrating barriers that cause delays. This streamlined digital approach to service delivery now applies to other areas, from burglar alarm applications and parking permits to public records requests and code enforcement issues. With a single click on your mobile device, you can check out our free trolley schedule or the current wait time at the development services center. This ease of service access will continue and be further improved with the city’s upcoming mobile app.

"  We publish online budgets, policies and a wide range of city data on performance metrics "

Connections—In addition to having phone and email contacts for the city’s elected leaders, city administrators and other service providers, the website has more email distributions, ensuring a customer's needs will be met promptly. Live city commission meetings can be viewed via Zoom (with participation options), as can archive proceedings. To keep on top of what’s happening in our city, we offer E-NEWS, a weekly subscription with the latest news, events and important projects happening within the city. Those looking for information outside the parameters of city government no longer have to search multiple portals. Our website shares information from a multitude of links for federal, state and county services, including passports, driver's licenses, and library catalogs. We have a large presence on social media, including Facebook, X (formerly Twitter), Instagram, Linked-in and YouTube. The latest website upgraded its Community Calendar and News feature, allowing for a better interface to see photos, view more information, and, if available, select tickets.

Transparency- We publish online budgets, policies and a wide range of city data on performance metrics. To build trust, this is especially important during the decision-making process when residents are divided on issues. We offer easy access to city legal opinions, public records and information through the Freedom of Information Act. Construction development, from traffic calming to city projects to large private projects, is displayed with Geographic information systems (GIS) thanks to IT. The most recent addition of city projects is currently being updated for an easier visual breakdown of information.

Today, people interact with technology through ever more intelligent interfaces, providing engagement patterns that are giving local governments new and more seamless ways to interact with the public. I am proud of the progress Coral Gables has made and will continue to make in meeting the expectations of those who live, work and visit our city.