Abstract

GIS, Cityworks and the Small Community
Track: Public Works
Authors: Jim Otis

The City of Butler, Indiana, a community of 2,700 people with 900 utility accounts, has found asset management on the Esri platform very achievable for a small community. Even in small communities it is difficult to track and maintain the information necessary to effectively manage assets. The City of Butler has successfully implemented Esri with Cityworks in the management of water and wastewater utility assets, and is expanding into all city departments. This study will show where the City was previously, how they came to implement these programs, how they accomplished it, where they are now, and what the future holds. Given that over 50% of current utility employees will no longer be working in 10 years, small communities cannot afford to ignore the benefits of GIS-based asset management. With the impending loss of manpower and institutional knowledge, small communities must take advantage of technological resources to manage their assets.