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Pitkin County IT and GIS teams describe AI safeguards, AV upgrades and expanded mapping services
Summary
IT leaders told commissioners they are piloting controlled AI tools (Google Gemini sandbox), developing an AV modernization RFP to reduce meeting start‑up delays, and expanding GIS services including a unit‑level dataset, UAS program and updated public mapping portal.
The county’s information technology and GIS teams presented an operational update at the June 9 work session, describing staff roles, current projects and risk controls for emerging technologies.
Andrew Shoemaker, IT manager, said the county will adopt a cautious, enterprise sandbox approach to AI to protect records under the Colorado Open Records Act. "We do still want to control how that information is disseminated," Shoemaker said, arguing for secure deployment within the county’s Google tenant rather than opening third‑party connectors to staff email.
Shoemaker also outlined an RFP to modernize audiovisual systems in the BOCC chambers to reduce frequent connectivity problems and streamline hybrid meeting broadcasts; he said the county will coordinate hardware needs with Grassroots, the current broadcast partner, instead of bringing production fully in‑house.
GIS staff described ongoing work on the county’s Pick n Maps and More portal, the addressing database (10,000+ addresses), NG9‑1‑1 validation, aerial imagery upgrades and an active UAS (drone) program supporting mapping, asset inspection and operational responses. "We provide about 140 different data layers," GIS staff said, noting planned modernization of the public portal and new unit‑level datasets for permitting and dispatch.
IT and public works commissioners discussed AV, user training, onboarding improvements and the tradeoffs of rolling out AI features to personal devices. Staff said the county is rolling out Apple Intelligence carefully on county phones while monitoring privacy and public‑records exposure.
