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Let Google know Decatur wants Google Fiber

Posted in Technology, tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , on February 20, 2014 | 5 Comments »

A Google Fiber installation van (pictured in Kansas City) could be coming to Decatur, Ga.

A Google Fiber installation van (pictured in Kansas City) could be coming to Decatur, Ga.

Yesterday’s announcement of Decatur as one of 34 cities under consideration for the next round of Google Fiber expansion resulted in an outpouring of enthusiasm from residents, business owners and, well, just about everyone. City leaders and staff are busy taking the next steps in the joint planning process, and updates will be posted here as they become available.

Google wants to know that there is grassroots support for Google Fiber in Decatur. Here’s what you can do to help:

1)      Visit https://fiber.google.com/newcities/ and click on the “Get Updates” button. The more people who sign up for updates that live or work in Decatur the better, so be sure to use a City of Decatur address.

2)      On Twitter? Tweet your enthusiasm to @GoogleFiber and @Google using the hashtag #DecaturGA

3)      Express your support on the Google Facebook page in a comment that tags the Downtown Decatur Facebook page.

4)      Follow the Fiber Google+ page.

5)      Get creative! Google has a corporate culture that values forward thinking, so reaching out to the company in creative and innovative ways is encouraged. How would Google Fiber improve your life, your business or the entire Decatur community? Let Google know “Decatur wants Google Fiber!”

The city would like to hear how you creatively told Google “Decatur wants Google Fiber!” Share in the comments or email casie.yoder@decaturga.com

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Decatur heads to the cloud

Posted in Uncategorized, tagged , on January 16, 2013 | 1 Comment »

Monitor in VOA environment

Decatur is moving to the cloud! Our software applications will now be on servers at a secure offsite data center (rather than on computers at City Hall), and employees will access their information in the cloud through “thin clients” instead of traditional desktop computers.

We are moving department by department starting with Children & Youth Services in early January with others being phased in over the next two months.

The change enables employees to work from multiple locations, ensures data can be recovered more easily and quickly in the event of a disaster, and reduces the recurring costs of hardware replacement. Plus, there will be quicker software deployments and reduced energy consumption.

We expect internal kinks and bugs at first, but the transition should not interrupt any of the external technology services we provide to the community. Decatur WiFi, the City website, and services such as online job applications, online service requests (CRM), online tax information, online citation payments, registration for recreation and after-school programs, Open City Hall, streaming video of City Commission meetings, and GIS mapping should continue to function normally during the transition.

There are legal requirements for how public safety records should be maintained so for now, the police department will not join us in the cloud. However, the ultimate plan is to move them as well. We’ll keep you posted.

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