Santa Monica : Computer System Studied

The city wants to know whether residents would like to do business with City Hall--via computer.

Officials this week mailed out 1,000 surveys to randomly selected residents asking just that question. They are also asking whether residents own or have access to personal computers.

The surveys are part of a feasibility study to see whether the city should give residents computer access to a wide range of information and city documents, such as City Council meeting agendas and minutes, library and park time schedules, city staff reports and listings of services for senior citizens.

The system also would enable Santa Monicans to send their complaints or comments to City Hall by computer.

And they could gain computer access to public library catalogues to see what books are available without having to go down to the library, said Elizabeth Nunez, survey coordinator for the city’s department of Information Services.

The system could also be used to pay city water bills electronically, she said.

Much of the information that would be available to Santa Monicans is already computerized, Nunez said.

“We want to know what kind of interest they have in conducting business via computers, be it at their homes or at a public place like the library,” she said.

“If enough interest (is shown), we would make (the computerized information) easily accessible to citizens and then train people on how to access data.”