Project Background
In 2005, the BOCC authorized the acquisition and implementation of a Legislative Information Management System (LIMS) to consolidate and integrate all policy support functions in a single, comprehensive and enterprise-wide database application. The primary goals of the project were to:
- Provide comprehensive, timely, and effective management of information over its lifecycle so that responsible, legally-sound decisions could be made to govern the community;
- Integrate internal support processes and systems, eliminate legacy applications, and streamline operations through automation;
- Enhance the overall transparency of and accessibility to policy processes and information; and
- Establish a permanently accessible, fully searchable electronic portal to policy-related information.
In an effort to increase the benefits of this investment, the project scope was increased to include the governing bodies of the County’s five agencies (Airport Commission; Park & Recreation District Commission; Library Board of Directors; JCDS Board of Directors; and the Mental Health Center’s Board of Directors) as well as the Planning Commission and township zoning boards. As a result, all policy information will be able to be tracked through a single application across all agencies and departments in the County Government.
The LIMS provides all users—both internal and external to the organization—with quick, convenient access to all codes, policies, regulations, and other official records of the County Government. Among other system components, the LIMS has full-text search capability, similar to popular Internet search engines, to facilitate research and retrieval of information and documents.