Dyersburg picks OpenGov to unify permits, licensing and asset management

The City of Dyersburg, Tennessee, has chosen OpenGov to replace fragmented systems with a single platform for permitting, licensing, code enforcement and asset management. The move is designed to cut manual work, improve visibility into operations and give staff and residents a more streamlined digital experience.

Why it matters: - Dyersburg is moving core public-service work onto one system instead of juggling disconnected tools and manual processes. - The shift is meant to improve turnaround times, reduce paperwork and give city leaders better visibility into asset performance and operating costs. - The city also expects to reduce dependence on outside vendors for routine workflow changes.

What happened: - The City of Dyersburg selected OpenGov Permitting & Licensing and OpenGov Enterprise Asset Management. - The new platform will replace the city’s current fragmented system. - The city will use one platform for permitting, licensing, code enforcement and asset management. - Dyersburg is the county seat of Dyer County in northwest Tennessee and has about 16,000 residents.

The details: - For more than a decade, the city relied on disconnected systems and manual processes to manage permits, inspections, code violations, work orders and citizen requests. - Platform updates and customizations were tied to higher costs and vendor dependency. - Each operational change required external support and additional budget allocation. - Without a centralized system of record, asset maintenance was reactive. - Reporting was time-consuming and split across multiple sources. - Citizens faced a disjointed online experience. - Leadership lacked real-time visibility into asset performance and operational costs. - OpenGov will integrate with the city’s parcel data through ESRI. - The integration will provide a GIS-powered view of properties, permits and assets. - Staff will be able to customize workflows without additional costs. - The city expects faster permit reviews and process updates. - Citizens and contractors will use a streamlined online portal. - The portal is expected to reduce phone calls and paperwork. - Carmen Cupples, IT/GIS Manager for the City of Dyersburg, said the city has spent years working around platform limits, paying for each customization and waiting for vendor support. - Cupples said OpenGov gives the city a unified system across permitting, licensing and assets and more control over workflows.

Between the lines: - Dyersburg’s move reflects a broader push by local governments to consolidate citizen-facing services and asset operations on modern cloud platforms. - The ESRI integration suggests the city wants location data tied directly to operational workflows, which can improve decision-making and service delivery. - The emphasis on self-service workflow changes points to a desire to lower long-term operating costs, not just upgrade software. - Dyersburg joins the City of Kingsport and Knox County, among other Tennessee communities, that have consolidated on OpenGov.

What's next: - Dyersburg will roll out the OpenGov platform across permitting, licensing, code enforcement and asset management. - City staff will begin using configurable workflows and a unified portal for day-to-day operations. - The city expects to use the new system to support more proactive planning and maintenance.

The bottom line: - Dyersburg is betting that one integrated platform will make city operations faster, clearer and less dependent on manual work and outside vendors.