BROOKHAVEN — Town employees were recently honored for developing a new computer program that is not only saving workers time, but saving money.
Brookhaven was recently honored with a Best of New York award for Best Application Serving an Agency’s Business Needs. The Best of New York Awards program, conducted by the Center of Digital Government, honors New York state, local government and education information technology professionals and projects.
Town of Brookhaven White-Collar Unit member Matt Sabatello played a key role in developing the Investigator App, a computer program that integrates various computer programs being used in town hall into one mobile-friendly app.
By developing the app in-house instead of contracting the work out to a private company, Sabatello and other workers saved town officials money.
“If the town hired a private company to develop this app, it would cost around $4 million,” said Assistant Chief Investigator Paul Degen. “Everything was designed in-house. If something goes wrong, we don’t have to contact an outside vendor. The people who invented it are here and they can fix it.”
Sabatello worked closely with Degen and Investigator Steve Yalamas to discuss exactly what kind of information town
Law Department staff members need when they are out in the field. In addition to legal matters, the department oversees town building permits, code enforcement and related matters. Together, they decided what categories were necessary for the app, making the program easy to use for investigators.
“Because this program was developed with no third-party vendor, just with our existing programming abilities, we can change the program as needed,” said Sabatello. “When you buy software, generally you’re restricted and can’t customize it to fit the needs of the parties using it.”
The app has also improved efficiency. Before the app was developed, town Law Department investigators would use valuable time and resources traveling between town locations and Brookhaven Town Hall to investigate building codes and research reported violations.
Now, all the information is at their fingertips. Investigators have been provided with tablets with the Investigator App that they now use in the field, allowing them access to a host of information such as homes with violations, if there’s an existing permit or if there’s an existing renting license.
The town was also able to add civil service personnel in the Law Department because the department was being run more efficiently due to this program.
The success of Investigator App has been so apparent that other departments wanted a system of their own.
“When our Highway Department saw this, (Highway staff) said that they wanted something like the Investigator App to manage their work orders,” said Sabatello. “We used similar technology to build a separate work order management system so they can see, update and close work orders in the field. This program set the stage for programs other departments got down the road,”
A bonus to the success of the app is that CSEA members and other town employees have developed a greater sense of unity.
“I’ve built some strong relationships because of working on this project,” said Sabatello. “Our friendships has allowed my colleagues and I to work more effectively as a unit on other projects. I consider these people an extension of my family.”
— Wendi Bowie
