With that in mind, in the summer of 2020, the city began to right the ship. With pandemic-related funding available from the federal government, Kaiser and Fairfax IT Director Mark Perry turned to Granicus, a Denver-based company that specializes in digital civic engagement products.
“They had everything down pat, ready to go,” Perry says. “We told them what we thought we needed, and then it was on to integration and implementation.”
Fairfax is doing exactly what every local government should make a priority, says Sam Higgins, a principal analyst with Forrester.
Pandemic-driven digital transformation has led to a shift in expectations when it comes to the bedrock of democratic society, Higgins says. “It is absolutely time for policymakers and public servants to consider new modes of civic engagement.”