The Mt. Vernon building department received $600,000 in state funding to help improve its software and boost productivity.

The improvements will allow the department to manage documents electronically and process advanced searches.

Officials will be able to expedite the review and approval of building plans, permit applications and inspection statuses.

"We have currently about 12,000 hard files, including about 550,000 images - meaning documents, photos," says Mt. Vernon Building Commissioner Patrick Holder. "All the stuff people put in for 100 years or more. It's time. We need to modernize, and Laserfische is going to help us do this."

Mt. Vernon has faced complaints from residents and business owners for years over the speed of the department's approval process.

The new system is expected to be up and running by next year.