Maryland County Implements Computerized Asset Management System

Reprinted courtesy of Public Works Magazine, August 2000 issue

The Director of the Anne Arundel County, Maryland, Department of Public Works (AACDPW), John Brusnighan, decided his department had grown too large and diverse to be properly managed with old-fashioned paper records and labor-intensive filing systems. The system he envisioned would store all department records in an electronic database accessible by anyone in his department at any time from any place.

The public works department includes countywide bureaus for potable water, water distribution, wastewater collection, highway maintenance, solid waste management, engineering, finance, and administration. Each department had a filing system and database developed for its specific needs that included an abundance of data and applications not easily transferable. In 1996, the demand for uniformity thrust AACDPW into a new venture, with technology as its base, and RJN Group, Inc. was selected to design and implement CASS WORKS® as AACDPW's computerized information management system (CIMS).

The RJN technical team converted the historical data into a common format in CASS WORKS for department-wide use. Customized enhancements were added to the system so it would also include a wide array of other information (maps, photographs, “as-built” drawings, and various GIS data). "Very few of the firms we looked at had comprehensive highway management software," said Tony Silveira, Manager of Information Systems, AACDPW. "No one had anything to handle waste management, but RJN seemed most willing to work with us to develop the missing pieces we wanted."

Beginning the Work — A steering committee, representing every bureau within the department, was selected to work with RJN to design and implement the CIMS. The objectives were to modernize the department's existing computer systems by taking advantage of a graphical operating system, and to create a central database for managing all infrastructure assets.

The steering committee quickly realized each bureau had special needs, and that the needs of one bureau were not always in concert with those of another. "At times, it seemed impossible," said George Albright, Manager of Systems Evaluation and Rehabilitation, AACDPW. "Finding common ground was a difficult task because each of us had our own interests and motivation, but RJN had been through the process before and they were able to assure us that we could solve the problems, and that the result would be worth the effort."

Bringing up the System — RJN envisioned a step-by-step process of database conversion, testing, and then operational production. This progressive layering of applications permitted the department to phase in completion of the major bureaus, allowing deployment to be on-line over an extended period of time rather than a major turn-on, date specific effort. This permitted some existing databases to be converted and used quickly. Other "new" features like automation of emergency work orders also proceeded quickly, since little historical data were converted. Concurrently, complex data-rich modules required significant time to be placed on-line.

Adding Geographic Information — AACDPW's original contract stipulated that its infrastructure management system included the ability to be GIS compatible, combining both tabular and geographic information. So, in addition to accessing numbers and words, users of the new system would also be able to access maps and photographs. RJN contracted GIS developer, GeoNorth, Inc. to assist with this process. "This system puts information from a wide range of data sources onto users' desktops almost immediately," explained Lynne Hooker, Assistant Chief Engineer, AACDPW. "Our program, called County View, is very intuitive to use, which allows our personnel to gain access to GIS data and a whole host of other information with very little training."

The County View GIS Data Viewer gives users a "point-and-click" access to maps that identify such things as:

“We were lagging behind in the way we were running our business,” said Tony Silveira. “Now, we are on the leading edge of asset management technology. Without this technology, we would have continued to slide further behind. With it, we will be able to improve service and reduce cost through improved asset management.