City Council Memorandum
TO: HONORABLE MAYOR AND CITY COUNCIL DATE: NOVEMBER 4, 2025 FROM: INNOVATION & TECHNOLOGY DEPARTMENT WARDS: ALL SUBJECT: RECEIVE AND FILE AN OVERVIEW OF THE INNOVATION AND TECHNOLOGY DEPARTMENT INCLUDING RECOGNITION OF THE DEPARTMENT’S EMPLOYEES ISSUE:
Receive and file an overview of the Innovation and Technology Department including recognition of the Department’s employees.
RECOMMENDATIONS:
That the City Council:
Receive and file an overview of the Innovation and Technology Department including recognition of the Department’s employees.
BACKGROUND:
The Innovation and Technology (IT) Department is committed to working in close partnership with all City departments to enhance the quality of life for our residents. Our mission is to deliver innovative, practical, and dependable solutions that address City challenges while optimizing processes through strong technology leadership and professional services. By leveraging technology, the IT Department enables City departments to achieve their operational and service goals more effectively and efficiently.
Equally important, the IT Department is dedicated to fostering a dynamic and rewarding work environment for its team members. We emphasize collaboration, professional development, and recognition of individual and collective achievements. Team members are encouraged to grow through challenging assignments, continuous learning, and opportunities for personal accomplishments.
The attached presentation showcases the Department’s employee recognition program, highlighting our ongoing commitment to celebrating excellence within the team. It also honors the most recent Employee of the Year recipient for his outstanding contributions to the City's mission and to the community we serve.
DISCUSSION:
The Innovation and Technology Department continues to play a vital role in advancing the City’s strategic priorities by delivering reliable technology solutions, fostering innovation, and supporting departments with responsive IT services. This past year’s initiatives focused on expanding resident access and staff productivity, including the launch of the Rivy AI Chatbot for 24/7 service, Microsoft Copilot AI to enhance decision-making, and “The Dash” Dashboard providing real-time citywide performance insights. The Department also reinforced the City’s technology infrastructure through key projects such as migrating from legacy tape backups to secure cloud systems, deploying new Riverside Police Department cluster hardware, and expanding TechHub to unify service requests. Collectively, these advancements have strengthened system reliability, improved cybersecurity, and increased transparency in service delivery across the organization.
The Department earned significant recognition, including the 2024 Award of Excellence from the Municipal Information Systems Association of California, a Top 10 national ranking in the Digital Cities Survey, and designation as a Government Experience Award finalist for large cities. Staff achievements mirrored these organizational honors, with Thomas Dominguez, IT Tech II, recognized as Employee of the Year and several promotions and appointments across the team, including advancements in administration, GIS, and IT services. The Department also onboarded new staff to strengthen operations. Performance metrics presented to Council demonstrate the scope of this impact: more than 30,500 service tickets completed, a 95%+ excellent service rating, management of over 9,000 connected devices daily, prevention of more than 1.2 million cyberattacks, and the successful delivery of 37 major projects. These measurable results highlight both the dedication of the workforce, and the critical role technology plays in supporting City operations.
FISCAL IMPACT:
There is no fiscal impact associated with this report.
Prepared by: Stephanie Gallegos, Administrative Services Manager Approved by: George Khalil, Chief Innovation Officer
Certified as to
availability of funds: Kristie Thomas, Finance Director/Assistant Chief Financial Officer Approved by: Edward Enriquez, Assistant City Manager/Chief Financial Officer/City Treasurer
Approved as to form: Rebecca McKee-Reimbold, Interim City Attorney Attachment: Presentation
IT Department Overview ● Page 2