City Awarded Grant Money To Upgrade Technology System
BALTIMORE (WJZ) -- There are some upgrades in technology coming to the city to save money. It's the goal of nearly $1 million awarded to city agencies Tuesday.
Andrea Fujii explains how it promises to make our lives easier.
The Baltimore City Health Department conducts nearly 12,000 restaurant inspections every year.
They rely on paper files now, but a new city grant will pay for handheld devices that will speed up inspection results.
"Our inspections will be streamlined, maximizing the number of inspections we complete," said Dr. Oxiris Barbot, Baltimore City Health Commissioner.
It's part of the city's $700,000 awarded as innovation grants to upgrade the technology systems.
"Each of these new investments will change the way the city does business, by investing in smart technology that will reduce costs and improve city services over the long term," said Mayor Stephanie Rawlings-Blake.
Recipients include the Department of Housing, which will automate building plan reviews and reduce wait times by 20 percent.
The Health Department will upgrade their record keeping for disease control, promising more than $1 million in new yearly revenue.
The city will also modernize its restaurant inspections. Inspection results will be posted to the web, so the public can see how restaurants rate before visiting.
The mayor says the changes will save the city more than $250,000 each year.
The restaurant inspection results will be on the city website by next year.
