Montgomery County Executive Isiah Leggett’s continuing focus on improving services to residents and enhancing technology has again resulted in Montgomery County being named one of America’s top digital county governments by The Center for Digital Government and the National Association of Counties (NACo). Montgomery County received second place honors in the competition for jurisdictions with populations of 500,000 or greater.

“I am proud that, once again, Montgomery County has been named as one of America’s top digital counties,” said Leggett. “Using technology to reach out to our residents in an effort to better serve them is a valuable tool. We will continue to look for new and even better ways to stay connected through technology.”

Thousands of counties from across the nation competed with Montgomery County for the top award by participating in the 2009 Digital Counties Survey. County officials nationwide responded to a series of questions that included more than 100 measurements and data points about online service delivery, infrastructure, architecture and governance models.

“Montgomery County’s IT staff, in concert with all departments, continues to look at how to leverage new systems and strategies to deliver the best services to the County’s residents and businesses,” said E. Steven Emanuel, Montgomery County Chief Information Officer. “This past year has been no exception and we appreciate the recognition. Even with the County’s fiscal challenges, our team has found ways to incorporate new tools and innovations to improve information accessibility and online services.”

“Despite challenging economic circumstances, America’s counties are continuing to use new tools such as social media to engage and encourage citizen participation and feedback,” said Cathilea Robinett, executive director for the Center for Digital Government. “Additionally, counties are moving forward in very responsible ways by green and sustainability efforts, energy efficiency monitoring, e-waste recycling and government transparency.”

“As counties face the budgetary challenges of 2009 and beyond, they are finding information technology essential for effective and efficient government,” said NACo Executive Director Larry E. Naake. “Not only are county governments using technology to continue delivering services with fewer resources, they are using innovative technology to communicate more effectively with their citizens and businesses. The Digital Counties Survey illustrates the innovation and tenacity of counties across the country.”

The 2009 Digital Counties Survey is an annual study by the Center for Digital Technology and the National Association of Counties. The top digital counties were honored at a national awards ceremony which coincided with NACo’s national conference in Nashville, Tennessee July 25 – 28, 2009. The full list of 2009 winners can be viewed at www.Centerdigitalgov.com.

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Media Contact: Sue Tucker, 240-777-6507