In 2002, Cleveland CTO Dr. Melodie Mayberry-Stewart spoke to the Greater Cleveland PC Users Group and had some alarming statistics to share with the group.

For example, the spending on IT as a percentage of total city revenue was at .004% back then - well below the national average. Now it is .013% - still below average but significantly higher.

Internet access by employee has risen from a dismal 4.4% to 32%. Not great but a sign of progress. And in 2002 only about 1 in 20 employees even had a PC.

Cleveland CTO Dr. Melodie Mayberry-Stewart
and GCPCUG President Bert Boyd

The City has also worked on Digital Divide issues with the CLIMB program.

Some less IT sounding projects fall under Dr Mayberry-Stewart as well such as the 311 Citizen Interaction System, the mobile data computers for police officers, plans to map the city using GPS technology acquired for the International Children's Game and more.

The reverse 911 WARN (Wide Area Rapid Notification) System was also acquired for the games and allows the City to target a street, neighborhood or entire City and dispense information. It was used last year to alert seniors what to do during a heat wave and this year to advise them on Medicare choices.

Hopefully when Dr Mayberry-Stewart visits the group again there will be continued progress toward the goal of making Cleveland an "IT savvy government."