CHARTER

ROCK COUNTY INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY (ROCKIT) DEPARTMENT

2020

OBJECTIVES AND STANDARDS

1. General Information Technology

It is RockIT’s responsibility to deliver and support responsive, top-quality, secure, and cost-effective Information Technology (IT) services to meet the needs of all Rock County governmental operations. Our strategic goal is to align technology initiatives with the needs and missions of our Rock County partners. These initiatives include business process-related, computer-related, network-related, and telecommunications-related activities. RockIT manages multiple types of computers, operating systems, and application software, supporting over 1400 system users at multiple locations and multiple agencies. Additionally, RockIT support countywide public safety systems and the associated public safety agencies throughout the County that need to connect to and use County systems. RockIT strives to develop a close partnership with each county partner or agency in order to provide clear communications and assistance when information technology issues need to be addressed.

Our Mission:

RockIT develops innovative IT Services, IT Infrastructure, and Data Solutions for the data processing, hosting and management needs of our Rock County partners.

Our Vision:

We foster collaborative relationships with our Rock County partners to provide innovative technology services and solutions in support of Rock County operations.

Our Guiding Principles:

Culture of Respect
We cultivate an empathetic caring environment with honest communication that is respectful of others.

Commitment to Excellence
We are accessible, reliable, creative, and accountable for our actions through personal responsibility, integrity, and thoughtful resource stewardship.

Customer Focused
We meet our customers’ needs through engaged listening with an innovative focus to design and deliver shared, scalable, flexible IT services that enable our partners to innovate.

Empowerment
We encourage our staff to take initiative with our partners in a supportive and collaborative environment.

Continuous Improvement
We strive to review our strengths and weaknesses in an attempt to identify opportunities.

Security Focused
We acknowledge our role as stewards of data, applying industry best practices, appropriate controls, and resources.

Life & Work Balance
We take pride in our actions and find reward in both our personal and professional lives.

Professional Growth
We foster an environment of continuous learning.

 

The primary divisions of the IT Department include:

  • IT Service Team

    The IT Service Team provides first tier support for all County users who are confronted with problems that prevent the user from performing their system-related job duties. Such incidents range from password resets to general errors that may result from faulty software or hardware. The goal for the IT Services Team is to resolve 80 percent of the issues during the initial call. However, if needed, the IT Services Team directs the call to the most appropriate resource within the IT department, depending on the nature of the problem.

    Additional responsibilities of the IT Service Team include activities that directly help the County’s end users get the most value from investments in end-point devices. These end-point devices include desktop PCs, laptops, tablets, smartphones, printers, scanners, cameras, or other hardware peripherals. Furthermore, the IT Service Team is responsible for the entire life-cycle of such devices from the point of installation to the point of decommissioning and recycling.

    Moreover, the IT Service Team installs and updates desktop software that includes both enterprise-wide applications (such as Microsoft Office and email) and department-specific applications. Finally, the IT Service Team conducts IT orientation for all new employees and conducts appropriate training sessions designed to help County users get the most out of hardware and software investments.

    Lastly, the IT Service Team, in tandem with the IT Infrastructure Team, provides direct support for all systems and networks used by the County’s 911 Communications Center, the Sheriff’s Office, and the law enforcement, fire, and emergency medical service agencies that use essential systems and networks as shared services. Among the most notable countywide shared applications supported by this staff include the 911 Computer-aided Dispatch, Law Records, Mobile Data, and Mobile Network systems. Additionally, the team lends expertise whenever possible to support the public safety agencies in all the municipalities within Rock County. Furthermore, the team also provides dedicated on-site user and systems support for both the 911 Communications Center and the Sheriff’s Office.

  • IT Infrastructure Team

    The IT Infrastructure Team is responsible for managing both the wired and wireless network infrastructure at all County facilities for both data and voice communications. An essential duty performed by the IT Infrastructure Team is to administer security-related hardware and software components that are used to keep the County’s systems safe from malware, email spam, ransomware, data theft, and intrusion attempts.

    In addition to managing the County’s network cabling, routers, switches, leased communications circuits, and wireless access points, the IT Infrastructure Team manages the installation and configuration of the data center server, data storage, and backup systems.

    Moreover, The IT Infrastructure Team manages and administers the County’s extensive IP-based PBX phone system network and the telephone sets used by all County departments. Related duties include installing new and replacement telephone sets and working with the County’s telephone system support provider and the County’s phone-related telephone circuit providers, including long distance service. The IT Infrastructure Team works with departments to develop plans for transitioning from older legacy phones to the new IP phone environment. IT Infrastructure Team also work with their State of WI counterparts in order to make sure that the County’s call center functions well with State systems.

  • IT Data Services Team

    The IT Data Services Team is responsible for coordinating, implementing and in some cases developing applications that are used by County departments for conducting their respective business functions. Whenever possible and practicable, the County favors purchasing off-the-shelf application software. However, in cases where such software does not exist or does not meet the business requirements, the IT Data Services team develops software solutions.

    Additionally, the IT Data Services team develops integration solutions that bring together purchased component applications into one system and ensures the components function together as a whole. The team also performs the administration of major purchased software such as the County’s Financial, HR/Payroll, GIS, Document Imaging, Human Services, Nursing Home, and Mobility Transportation systems. Among the more visible duties of the team is the management and administration of the County’s public website and the County’s Employee Information Intranet.

  • IT Operations Support Team

    The IT Operations Support team provides strategic systems planning and prioritization help for all County departments, including aiding with the development of technology-related budget requests for County partners. The team acts as the systems procurement agent and manages technology vendor relationships. The staff also maintains department-wide records and coordinates projects that span the various disciplines that make up the respective domains of all IT departmental divisions.

    Furthermore, the IT Operations Support team provides project management and cyber security expertise to ongoing IT operations. The project manager leads and manages the portfolio of internal and external projects across the IT enterprise. Finally, the IT Cyber Security Officer leads the overall IT cyber security program for Rock County.