Special to the Monitor
KEYSTONE HEIGHTS – The City of Keystone Heights looked to the future as it considered investing in software that would allow easier infrastructure management, such as asset monitoring, maintenance, and planning.
On August 21, the city council held a workshop in which Daniel Jones, Director of Geospatial Technologies at England, Thims & Miller, demonstrated the possibilities of what his engineering firm could do for the city through a computer model or a geographic information software program.
A virtual representation of the town
City Manager Lynn Rutkowski said the North Florida Transportation Organization funded Jones’s initial work.
“Their goal is how to make Keystone Heights the smartest small city in Florida,” she said of the Jacksonville-based transportation agency.
During the workshop, Jones showed the council similar projects existing in Jacksonville and the features and opportunities the city will have if they decide to move forward with the project.
He said a digital twin city is a virtual representation of the town and its assets, such as trees, parks, benches, and facilities. He added that the council can input its data and manage projects with the software. In addition, officials will be able to look at data, analysis, and visualizations such as aerial imagery. The city will also be able to use the software to manage its assets, such as machinery facilities, and gain valuable information.
“The idea is that we will have a digital twin that will have the asset management that we can pull up and look at everything at our fingertips, right inside city hall without going and driving,” Rutkowski said.
In addition to the software’s features, it will allow the city to monitor incoming calls regarding problems and track how often an issue is reported. The software will also be able to keep the city staff updated on the life expectancy and required maintenance of city assets. Lastly, the software will be secure enough to prevent people from hacking into it. It must be updated with new quarterly data to ensure it accurately represents the city.
The price tag
Although the TPO funded the initial cost of the study, Keystone Heights taxpayers would need to foot a $58,000 fee to implement the software fully. Afterward, $21,000 to $23,000 would be required for maintenance in the next three years.
However, the application is expected to benefit the city such as saving time. Jones said the city can assess problems quicker with a smaller team without hiring additional staff.
Rutkowski added that the software could eliminate engineering costs the city now pays for roadway assessments.
“It’s just a fantastic way to move forward and work smarter, not harder,” Rutkowski said. “We can keep staff, we can take care of the staff that we have, and still be able to service our city in an appropriate manner.”
Next steps
Currently, the City of Keystone Heights is working towards collecting additional data. Staff members are pouring through data and reviewing blueprints focusing on the city’s retention areas and drainage that will be included in the study. In addition, they are working with Clay Electric and the Clay County Utility Authority to gather more information. Once all the data has been collected, the council plans to have a completed study in December or early January.
“Once our study is done, they’ll hand over a digital twin, and it will be as good as it is that day, but there is a hefty cost moving forward,” Rutkowski said.
Council members plan to hold another meeting to discuss whether it should proceed with the project and any future steps needed.
“We’re very, very excited, and the team is fantastic,” Rutkowski said.
