Ventura, CA – The County of Ventura has ranked eighth among digital counties nationwide by the Center for Digital Government (CDG) and the National Association of Counties (NACo). Ventura County’s Information Technology Services (ITS) Department was awarded in the 20th annual Digital Counties Survey for being an information technology leader amongst counties with populations of 500,000 – 999,999, after Gwinnett County, Georgia, followed by Polk County, Florida, and County of Chester, Pennsylvania.
“We are proud that our County continues to be a leader in technology and innovation and are grateful for this special recognition,” said Interim County Executive Officer Dr. Sevet Johnson. “It reflects the dedication of our ITS Department and entire county team in finding new and efficient ways to serve our community. Looking ahead, we remain committed to leveraging technology and key collaborations to help close the digital divide so that all community members have equitable access to digital services.”
The survey, developed in partnership with NACo, and conducted by CDG, honors counties across the nation for implementing emerging technologies in innovative ways, creating stronger digital equity initiatives, and improving cybersecurity measures. This year, the winning counties were acknowledged for using the challenges created by the COVID-19 pandemic as opportunities to learn, invest, and collaborate.
“It is an honor to be recognized once again as one of the top ten counties in the nation, and we thank the CDG and NACo for this prestigious award,” said County Chief Information Officer Terry Theobald. “We are focused on building a culture of innovation and improving our operational competencies so that we remain on the cutting edge in our approach to providing services to our community.”
In collaboration with local jurisdictions and community partners, the County is pursuing state and federal grants to facilitate investment in a fiber-optic Middle Mile Broadband Network spanning the Ventura County region to ensure robust broadband is available to close the digital divide, support government innovation, and enhance economic development throughout the County. In addition, the County, working with the Southern California Association of Governments (SCAG), is also pursuing improved broadband adoption through Federal subsidy programs and leading efforts for residents to access subsidies and learn about digital services.
The County of Ventura’s ITS Department has a budget of $68 million and a team of 170 staff members providing service to over 50 local, state, and federal agencies in addition to county departments in the areas of cyber security, data storage, desktop support and assistance, enterprise business applications, GIS systems, and County maintained websites.
For more information about the Digital Counties Survey, visit https://www.govtech.com/dc/digital-counties.
