Public Employee Press

Kudos for city computer professionals

At the Human Resources Administration, Local 2627 member Patrick Ivey oversees a computer network that extends to 96 buildings and 26,000 workstations.

A Computer Specialist 4, Mr. Ivey is director of implementation and support of HRA’s Management Information System.

His daunting responsibility involves maintaining thousands of PCs; saving tax dollars while dealing with vendors; installing state-of-the-art telecommunications equipment; running an internal telephone network; coordinating a staff of 15; helping HRA casework and clerical staff with computer glitches; and avoiding breakdowns in a paperless system that handles tens of thousands of files of public assistance recipients daily.

Mr. Ivey was among the 15 members of Electronic Data Processing Personnel Local 2627 honored for excellent work late last year by the Dept. of Information Technology and Telecommunications.

Mr. Ivey said his job is like that of a Highway Repairer who fills potholes and fixes roads so traffic can move smoothly. The difference is, of course, that Mr. Ivey and his staff save HRA workers from running into electronic traffic jams on the so called information superhighway.

“They need to know that they can come in in the morning, turn on their computer and get to their application,” he said. One of Mr. Ivey’s proudest achievements was helping the agency establish an internal voice mail system that will save millions of dollars in the long term compared with using a telephone company service.

Besides Mr. Ivey the other members honored by DOITT for excellence in service and support were Jacques Borgella, ACS; Stephen Gonzales, Campaign Finance Board; Harriet Boyce, Consumer Affairs; Kari Chan, Aging; Mario Villalobos, Youth and Community Development; Paul Baity, DOITT; Michael Meehan, Fire; N. Shelly Curry, Health; Jorge Toro, Law; Sui Kuk (Amy) Cheng, Tax Commission; John Thomas, Taxi and Limousine Commission; Yakov Lerman, Kings County DA, and Jay Wesoff, Sanitation. Moraima Cruz received an award for her work at the 311 Citizen Service Center.