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Edited By Bob Monn and Dennis Jones
Web Services – One Step At A Time
Sheryl Hall, New IPMA Board Member
Other News | December 14, 2000 IPMA Board Meeting
--by Debbie Stewart, Application and Data Services Manager, Department of Ecology
Most of us in the IT community have heard comments in the past about "Wouldn't it be great if State IT staff collaborated more on projects across agencies to avoid making the same mistakes, particularly in the areas of new technology?" The DIS Web Academy has provided agencies with just that kind of experience. A Department of Ecology project team has been an active participant in the Academy since January 2000. During the E-Permits course we heard ideas, challenges, and concerns raised by the six participating State agencies. With the current E-Forms course, we are hearing from about twelve State agencies and the City of Bellevue.
During the E-Permits course, Ecology selected a project for creating a web-based E-Permit for Well Driller Start Cards. What's a Start Card? Well… before property owners can perform any type of well construction, whether it be constructing a drinking water well or decommissioning a well, either the well driller or property owner must submit a "Notice of Intent" aka "Start Card" to Ecology along with a fee payment, if required. This Start Card and payment must be received by Ecology within 72 hours before any construction activity on the well is performed.
Each year, Ecology receives about 12,000 Start Cards. Approximately 9,000 of those have a fee ranging from $40 to $200 each. Previously, the property owners or well drillers requested a paper form from Ecology, filled it out (being sure to include errors), and mailed the form to Ecology along with their fee payment. As part of the E-Permit course, the Ecology project team evaluated the feasibility of implementing an E-Permit that would allow for electronic submittal of the Start Card and payment. While the business team members were surveying well drillers and property owners on the level of interest in electronic submittal and payments, the IS team moved forward with Phase I - developing the electronic forms to allow for fill and print capabilities. The objective of this phase was to get the forms out to the public via the web and eliminate a lot of processing time correcting the mistakes made while filling out the forms. The forms were developed using ASP, Javascript, and the Web Academy's E-Permit Template. Time spent developing the forms, instructions, and business rules associated with the E-form was about six weeks. The forms are now available via the Internet.
Phase II, once approved, will enable electronic submittal of the form and integration of the form data with an existing system. We also will be looking at moving the forms into the Shana E-Forms software selected by the E-Forms Web Academy as the statewide E-forms product. Phase III will look at the cost/benefit of electronic payments for this application and implement if practical.
Overall, Ecology's experience with the DIS Web Academy and this project has been very positive. The templates developed by the Web Academy save time on projects and facilitate a consistent look and feel and positive experience by the public who are accessing services from one or more agencies. The collaboration that occurred among agencies during this project and others continues. The experience and knowledge gained regarding e-government is being applied on several Ecology projects as we move forward with implementing new services on the web.
(Editors' note: In December, Sheryl Hall, Department of Retirement Systems, was elected to the IPMA Board of Directors. The following is Sheryl's bio to help you get to know her a little better.)
I have been a Washington State employee since 1977 and the majority of this time has been in Information Services. I started as a clerk-typist 1 and my career goals eventually led me to management. Early on, I became interested in Mainframe application testing and training. I provided training and consultation to DSHS Research Analysts and assisted them in accessing medical data and information from the Unisys Mainframe.
Through the support of many wonderful mentors, I was exposed to testing and debugging Fortran and GRP system programs. This led me back to college to pursue a technical degree. While pursuing my degree, I worked for a business college in the evenings instructing students in business courses and basic programming methods and concepts. I graduated in 1985 with a double AA in Data Processing and Business. After my educational leave from state employment, I returned to DSHS and developed my Fortran and Pascal programming and systems analysis skills.
In 1986, I transitioned into the personal computer (PC) environment. The Department of Revenue hired me as a rookie in their newly established microcomputer section. For two years, I developed and delivered PC applications and systems to customers. My next transition was a shift from program analyst to IT consultant. This was a great opportunity for me to broaden my skills and to learn about the hardware that supported the software and applications. I spent several years developing and delivering PC courses and troubleshooting, configuring and installing hardware and software. This naturally led me to network administration with DSHS. I will never forget that my first server was located in the men's restroom on the 4th floor of OB2.
As a network administrator, some of my greatest years were spent supporting regional DSHS staff. I am proud to have been a part of the highly visible DSHS CAMIS and STARS project teams, transitioning legacy systems to newer technologies and supporting the end-users. In 1996, I became an IT operations manager at Fish and Wildlife and most recently I assumed similar responsibilities at the Department of Retirement Systems.
While continuing my career in state government, I returned to school and in 1988, graduated from The Evergreen State College with my undergraduate degree with a major in computer science and a minor in business. Again in 1992, I returned to college to pursue my MBA and achieved it in 1995.
I feel extremely fortunate to have had additional opportunities that have fueled my adventurous side. In 1991, I had the chance to work for the National Science Foundation (NSF) in McMurdo, Antarctica. I was the systems analyst and project manager overseeing a global Waste Management IS project. After this I became an adjunct faculty member for City University and developed content for online Internet courses. I also went to Trencin, Slovakia to teach a master's level MIS course. I expanded this trip and traveled extensively through Eastern Europe. Most recently, as a member of the Association for Women in Computing for over 12 years, I participated in the 1998 Women in Technology Exchange hosted and sponsored by the Chinese Women in Technology. Finally, I stay very involved in professional organizations such as Webgrrls, Women in Technology Institute (WITI), and I am currently the National Representative for the Association for Women in Computing, Puget Sound Chapter. One of my primary roles in these organizations is to speak to young children, teenagers and adults and mentor them with career path decisions and planning. Of course, I try to encourage and influence them towards the IT discipline.
On a personal level, I have been married for eight years to my best friend from the seventh grade. We have two children, one very needy Golden Retriever and one very hyper Black Labrador. All four of us enjoy numerous outdoor activities throughout the great Northwest!
-- compiled by Bob Monn
A case study presented in the current issue of Civic.Com magazine profiles a six-part executive training program in Oregon to educate agency business executives about IT. See complete story and the sidebar description of the six sessions. Also see the Cascade Center for Public Service (UW) for information on similar training opportunities in Washington.
Members Present: Jim Albert, Mary Ellen Bradley, Phil Grigg, Dennis Laine, Mike McVicker, Bob Monn, Doug Tanabe and Shelagh Taylor
Shelagh Taylor, IPMA Chair, opened the December 14, 2000 meeting of the IPMA Board of Directors at 7:40 a.m.
Reports
Secretary/Treasurer: The minutes from the November Board meeting were approved.
Doug Tanabe presented the corrected October 2000 financial activities report. The Board approved the report. Doug then presented the November 2000 financial status and activities reports. The Board approved those reports.
Doug asked the board for guidance regarding prepaying GES, the firm that does Forum facilities setup, up to $10,000 since we won't know if the request for tax exempt status is approved until after the end of the year. The board directed Jim Albert to see if Jim Andersen can get a contract worked out with GES prior to the end of the year. If that can be accomplished, Doug is directed to see that the prepayment is made.
Business Planning: Mary Ellen Bradley reported that a notification from the IRS had been received. It indicated that the approval process generally takes about 120 days. That would mean that a determination should be received in late February 2001.
Executive Seminar: Phil Grigg reported that the current effort is being directed toward scheduling speakers for the 2001 event.
Forum: Jim Albert reported that Sam Reed, the newly elected Secretary of State is going to be the Executive Lunch speaker. They are having some difficulty getting the first day keynote speaker lined up. The committee is busy getting breakout session speakers scheduled.
Jim indicated that the committee would like to work with IPMA's webmaster, Bob Monn, to explore using the web site to survey subscribers interest in breakout track proposals.
Jim reported that the committee is making progress on the design of the notebook that celebrates the three consecutive Digital State Awards which will be a gift to everyone who attends the Executive Lunch or registers at the Forum. They hope to get one of the Corporate Sponsors to underwrite the cost of this promotional gift, but if that can't be arranged, the IPMA will have to cover the cost which could be up to $2,000.
Professional Development: No Report.
Communications: Bob Monn reported that the December issue of IPMA News will be published before the end of the week.
New Business
Board Election: Phil Grigg reported that Shelagh Taylor, Dennis Jones and Darrel Riffe were re-elected to the board. Sheryl Hall of the Department of Retirement Systems is the newly elected board member.
Annual Planning Retreat: The retreat will take place February 1-2, 2001, at Quinault Ocean Shores Resort. Doug Tanabe will make the appropriate arrangements.
New Market Skills Center: Phil Grigg reported that Chris Bradshaw from New Market Skill Center asked if several members of the board would be willing to speak to the class about careers in Information Technology. Four board members volunteered. Phil will coordinate the details with Chris.
The meeting was adjourned at 8:30 a.m.
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