Member Spotlight: Brenda Ternes, City of Newton, Kansas

GMIS member since 2008

Number of IT staff: 2

Population: 19,000

IT budget: $530,000

What has been a significant technology achievement for you or your organization?

Virtualization. This has allowed a two-person team to manage and continue growing business processes within city departments to utilize updated technology to assist citizens while staying within a reasonable budget.

What future initiatives are you hoping to accomplish in the next year?

Cloud/offsite data center, fiber connections between all city facilities, VoIP, paperless AP.

Best advice you could offer your fellow members is ...

One day at a time is all we can do. Hold your head high and give it 200 percent.

We all know GMIS membership is worth its weight in gold but what do you feel is the best benefit you get out of GMIS?

Collaborating with other members. Communicating their struggles and solutions to the same issues I face. Learning from those that have "been there, done that."