HomeMy WebLinkAbout2023-06-08; Connected Carlsbad: An Inclusive City Innovation Roadmap (Districts - All); Rocha, LauraTo the members of the:
CITY COUNCIL ✓
Date ~(~\p, CA /CC_
CM_/A(M_i/na_oCM{3) ✓
June 8, 2023
To:
From:
Council Memorandum
Honorable Mayor Blackburn and Members of the City Council
Laura Rocha, Deputy City Manager, Administrative Services
David Graham, Chief Innovation Officer
Maria Callander, Information Technology Director
{city of
Carlsbad
Memo ID# 2023054
Via:
Re:
Geoff Patnoe, Assistant City Manager @ .
Connected Carlsbad: An Inclusive City Innovation Roadmap (Districts -All)
This memorandum provides information related to Connected Carlsbad: An Inclusive City
Innovation Roadmap and the city's connected community efforts.
Background
On January 14, 2020, the City Council adopted a resolution approving Connected Carlsbad: An
Inclusive City Innovation Roadmap . This roadmap served as a high-level, organized guide to the
principles that the city prioritizes in creating a more connected community. The term
"connected community" encapsulates terms like "smart cities," "digital transformation," and
"bridging the digital divide," while also emphasizing the importance of people and public
engagement in developing future-forward cities.
The roadmap and its associated action plan were based on City Council-approved projects,
existing city documents, previous Information Technology (IT) assessments, and interviews with
departments, all combined with a global scan of other cities and best practices emerging from
leading smart city thinkers. It also involved Carlsbad-specific community engagement including
surveying residents. The Chief Innovation Officer led this effort, developing the plan in-house
avoiding approximately $50,000 to $65,000 in consultant costs. At the time of its approval and
in the subsequent years, this vision for efficient and impactful innovation for the Carlsbad
community has been recognized nationally.
The roadmap is organized into five primary goal areas:
• Pursue Community-wide Digital Transformation focuses on the foundational elements,
including connectivity, up-to-date hardware and software, and a robust security strategy
while providing an aspirational vision for the future.
Administrative Services Branch
Innovation & Economic Development Department
1635 Faraday Avenue I Carlsbad, CA 92008 I 442-339-4620 t
Council Memo -Connected Carlsbad: An Inclusive City Innovation Roadmap (Districts -All)
June 8, 2023
Page 2
• Build Capacity for Data-Driven Government focuses on the policies, procedures and
staffing necessary for the city to fully capture the value of emerging models of data
analytics.
• Foster a Vibrant Civic Engagement Culture builds upon the first two goals with a
human-centered perspective that an engaged city that uses data and technology in a
way that respects people and their privacy will support a vibrant culture where
residents, organizations and businesses are invested in their community and its future.
• Enhance Accessibility and Transparency recognizes that open government and
approaching problem-solving from an accessibility perspective leads to better outcomes
for all.
• Promote Safety and Sustainability Through Connectivity leads to understanding the
interconnected nature of our communities that can achieve environmental, mobility and
sustainability goals when approached in a cross-departmental and community informed
manner.
These five goals enable the roadmap to serve as a general guide, uniting past and present
initiatives with future ideas, sparking collaboration, fostering innovation, and promoting
citywide sharing. The roadmap provided an assessment of the state of city innovation in 2020,
information to help the city understand and mitigate risks associated with connected
communities, the importance of a culture of continuous improvement, the future state of city
innovation, co-creation with the community, and a path to the future. The Connected Carlsbad
action plan was developed in tandem with the roadmap, setting a baseline for connected
community investment and innovation.
In 2022, Connected Carlsbad and the action plan became the basis for the development of the
first Strategic Digital Transformation Investment Program, or SDTIP, which the City Council
approved in the fiscal year 2022-23 budget. The IT Department led the program development
by engaging with departments citywide and collaborating with the Innovation & Economic
Development Department to implement the vision of Connected Carlsbad.
Discussion
During the annual budget process, City Council reviews, provides direction, and adopts the
SDTIP along with the Operating Budget and Capital Improvement Program. All 29 projects and
initiatives identified in the Connected Carlsbad action plan have either been completed or are
underway. The Connected Carlsbad roadmap and action plan have transformed into the SDTIP
which provides a strategic and transparent look at the city's investment in technology,
Council Memo -Connected Carlsbad: An Inclusive City Innovation Roadmap (Districts -All)
June 8, 2023
Page 3
connected communities, and data management. It also allows for the city to adapt to the
changing needs of the organization and community.
The vision the City Council approved in Connected Carlsbad is still being implemented today.
Here are a few examples based on the five foundational principles.
• Pursue Community-wide Digital Transformation: The city has been upgrading its digital
operations with new management systems, as guided by Administrative Order No. 89 which
was issued in 2021. This includes introducing an asset management system, project
management systems for general and construction specific projects, and combining core
systems to increase efficiency, security, and operations.
• Build Capacity for Data-Driven Government: The city approved Council Policy No. 93 to
better manage, govern, and use data for community impact. A new data analytics training
program was created to empower staff to use digital tools to discover operational insights.
This policy and data community of practice have been instrumental in improving data
quality and insights for decision-making including heatmaps and trend analysis for the Safer
Streets efforts. The city also stood up the Economic Insights and Intelligence program using
in-house expertise which provides a quarterly economic scan to the City Council and saves
the city between $85,000 and $110,000 in consultant costs.
• Foster a Vibrant Civic Engagement Culture: The city connected with residents during and
after the pandemic using on line tools and data-informed messaging. A multi-channel public
input approach was developed for the 5-year strategic plan outreach including digital and
in-person tools which generated over 4,000 unique connections and more than 1,600
participants. The city also created the CIP dashboard to provide interactive geo-located
information about projects occurring in city neighborhoods.
• Enhance Accessibility and Transparency: The city deployed GovQA for digital tracking and
response to public records and council inquiry requests, launched Carlsbad Connects, a
robust on line and mobile platform for reporting and resolving city issues, and upgraded the
city's digital recordkeeping system while continuing to digitize a significant number of
records.
• Promote Safety and Sustainability Through Connectivity: The city created the digital
information network that delivers high-speed internet to city sites and infrastructure,
deployed the Fire Operations Intelligence System that generates real-time operational
awareness from the regional computer aided dispatch system, upgraded the traffic signal
network and connected it to city owned fiber, and are upgrading the Police Department
computer aided dispatch system.
Council Memo -Connected Carlsbad: An Inclusive City Innovation Roadmap (Districts -All}
June 8, 2023
Page 4
Because of these efforts, the city has made operations better, saved money, increased staff
capacity, and improved service to the public. Notably, they've made a lot of progress on the
Connected Carlsbad plan and even expanded it in just over three years, despite having to deal
with a global pandemic.
The city's innovative and strategic approach to technology and connected communities has
been recognized by numerous awards including:
• 2020-Digital Cities Survey top 10 cities with a population of 75,000 -124,999
• 2021-Smart Cities Connect Smart 50 Award
• 2021-Digital Cities Survey top 10 cities with a population of 75,000 -124,999
• 2021-IDC Smart Cities North America Award -Finalist
• 2022 -Digital Cities Survey top 10 cities with a population of 75,000 -124,999
City staff are often asked to share their knowledge with both public and private sectors, which
includes participation in webinars, city-to-city meetings, speaking at conferences, podcasting,
and other media interviews. These activities provide professional development, networking,
city reputation enhancement, talent recruitment, policy influence, knowledge exchange, and
inspiration. By sharing knowledge and best practices, the city gains knowledge and develops
partnerships with other organizations. Recognition and engagement with organizations in the
technology and smart cities industries portray the city as innovative which attracts companies
and fosters economic development.
Efficiencies are also created in procurement, allowing the city to engage with vendors and
network with other cities that have procured solutions from these vendors. The city also
benefits from learning from leading thinkers and those who have successfully implemented
impactful policies and programs. Thanks to Carlsbad's reputation as an innovative leader in the
United States, the city has access to organizations and resources at little or no cost, resources
that would otherwise be cost-prohibitive to access.
The Smart Cities Connect conference is a recent example of the value the city receives as a
leader in innovation. City staff were asked to participate and speak in several sessions to deliver
valuable insights to other municipal governments while gaining knowledge at the same time. In
addition to receiving complimentary access to the entire conference, which included sessions
on digital transformation, urban operations, smart mobility, urban infrastructure, community
engagement, and smart city startup company pitch sessions, city staff were involved in the
following:
Council Memo -Connected Carlsbad: An Inclusive City Innovation Roadmap (Districts -All)
June 8, 2023
Page 5
• Participated in an invite-only session on sensors and data with leading experts and
companies
• Spoke on a panel about performance monitoring and data related to climate action
plans
• Spoke on a panel led by the wireless industry's trade organization about a no-cost tool
the city used to assess smart city connectivity saving tens of thousands of dollars
• Judged a smart cities startup challenge that provided awareness about new data and
insights products being developed for cities
The valuable learning experience for city staff will bolster Carlsbad's reputation as a leader in
innovation and inform ongoing process improvement and cost-effective approaches to
delivering high-quality services to city residents.
Next Steps
On May 23, 2023, the City Council heard the fiscal year 2023-24 Preliminary Operating Budget,
Strategic Digital Transformation Investment Program and Capital Improvement Program . The
adoption of the budget package will next be heard on June 13, 2023. Upon adoption, the city
will provide its desired level of investment in connected community services and technology for
the benefit of the residents, businesses, and visitors in Carlsbad which will contribute to the city
reputation as an innovation leader.
Fiscal Impact
Connected Carlsbad and its action plan have been transformed into the SDTIP which the City
Council will consider during the fiscal year 2023-24 budget process. There is no additional fiscal
impact.
cc: Scott Chadwick, City Manager
Cindie McMahon, City Attorney
Zach Korach, Finance Director
Kristina Ray, Communications and Engagement Director
David Van Gilluwe, Business Intelligence and Analytics Manager
Matt Sanford, Economic Development Manager
Rachel Maltz, Senior Program Manager