2016 ushers in the 45th anniversary of GMIS International! Quoting from the GMIS History Book, volume one, chapter one, page one, paragraph one, first sentence: "In the late 1960’s and early 1970’s Cincinnati, Ohio, and Hamilton County, Ohio, joined together to establish a Regional Computer Center (RCC). This was one of the early, if not the first, endeavors between a City and a County to cooperate in a joint venture of this magnitude. When one thinks of the state of the art of data processing in local government during this period, it is immediately recognized that this was a revolutionary concept of major proportions and one that generated considerable interest in the local government community around the country."

By Marc Pfeiffer

Like most of today’s organizations, technology is playing are larger and larger role in local government. GMIS members know its use is increasing, in part because the public has come to assume that their local governments will provide services in the same manner in which they receive them from the private sector. The public expects to get what they want, when they want it, and that the delivery process should be easy. To the extent that government agencies do not meet their expectations, the public’s confidence in government to do its job declines. However, the use of technology presents risks. These risks often become apparent only after a new technology is adopted, or when the routine use of certain technologies makes government so dependent upon them that new risks emerge. Government technology managers are often faced with the challenge of mitigating and managing these risks.

If your organization has not already completed the entry of data into the GMIS Data Dive Platform, you’re missing a great opportunity to have access to great data which can be used to make timely, data-based decisions based on information from comparable organizations. Don’t delay – enter your organization’s information into the Data Dive today and start taking advantage of this great information!

The Cybersecurity Information Sharing Act was included in the 2,242-page appropriations act passed in late December. (Government Technology)

Starting in the early 2000s, technology was slowly introduced into the engagement process – now local governments are embracing social media, mobile and desktop applications, and transparency portals. (Government Technology)

Local and state governments running SQL 2005 must comply with appropriate laws and regulations. (State Tech)

If there is one attribute that sets apart really excellent managers from more ordinary ones, it’s this: the willingness and insight to take the time to bring out latent abilities in employees and help them develop talents they sometimes didn’t even know they had. (Forbes)

IT and cybersecurity specialists ranked the lowest among mission-critical occupations in this year's "Best Places to Work in the Federal Government" rankings. Experts blame failures in leadership. (Fed Scoop)

A round-up of some of the best news, analysis and opinion sources of 2015, for state and local tech leaders to follow into the new year. (State Tech)

Here's your annual one-stop roundup of what security experts are telling us will happen next. (Government Technology)

Every year, the entire personal technology industry assembles at the Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas to show off the results of their collective efforts. Wired staffers cruised the show floor all week to compile the most impressive products and best-designed gadgets. (Wired)

After a tumultuous 2015 in tech, 2016 promises to be much the same. (Info World)

The amount of personal data created is going to skyrocket as the Internet of Things becomes more pervasive. Experts at CES shared ideas for how companies should protect that data from being abused. (Fed Scoop)