St. Johns County Team Earns Top GIS Honor for Innovative Storymap
Stephanie Kurtz and Olivia Testasecca recognized for outstanding cartographic practice highlighting solid waste pickup recovery during FCC Environmental Services transition
St. Johns County’s Stephanie Kurtz and Olivia Testasecca received top honors at the 18th Annual Central Florida Geographic Information Systems (GIS) Workshop in Daytona Beach on Sept. 9. The pair’s ArcGIS Storymap, “Cleaning Up Chaos: ArcGIS Powers St. Johns County Solid Waste Pickup Recovery,” earned the Storymap App Gallery Contest award for outstanding cartographic practice. The Office of Public Affairs produced a video to commemorate the achievement.
The project showcased how the County’s ArcGIS and Trimble Cityworks enterprise systems were leveraged to track and resolve missed solid waste pickups during the FCC Environmental Services transition in August 2024. During that month, more than 8,000 missed pickups occurred, surpassing the combined total of the previous five years.
“One interesting aspect of utilizing Cityworks, our service request tracking system, is analyzing the request counts and locations,” said Rocky Agbunag, Information Systems Officer for St. Johns County Public Works. “The volume during the first month of the FCC transition was overwhelming. It’s gotten better, but the customer service group’s mental health during those times really took a hit. We had great coordination efforts, with other departments offering assistance. Having Garrett, the Fire Rescue therapy dog, come by to visit the staff was really cool.”
The GIS team’s Solid Waste Assessment Map (SWAM) dashboard allowed Public Works staff to map, monitor, and resolve service disruptions in real time, improving efficiency and public trust. The dashboard incorporated FCC’s truck route data, yard waste maps, and Cityworks service request tracking to centralize information and inform decision-making.
“We will continue to be innovative and advance the use of technology in Public Works,” said Stephanie Kurtz, Senior GIS Analyst for St. Johns County Public Works.
“To be recognized for this work reinforces that the work we do here at St. Johns County Public Works is worthwhile,” said Olivia Testasecca, GIS Systems Analyst for St. Johns County Public Works.
The award and the Storymap project highlight the County’s commitment to using advanced technology to improve public services, enhance operational efficiency, and maintain transparency with the community. By leveraging GIS and collaborative teamwork, St. Johns County Public Works continues to set a standard for innovation and service excellence.
For more information about St. Johns County Solid Waste Division, visit Solid Waste Division – St. Johns County.
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