AGENDA #2f
MEMORANDUM
TO: Town Council
FROM: Technology Committee
SUBJECT: Budget Recommendations
DATE: March 23, 2005
As noted in a memorandum from Mayor, Kevin Foy to the Town Council on February 17, 2005 [AGENDA #14a(1)] the Council has modified its budget process this year. Mayor Foy recommended that Council invite all boards to offer their comments on the preparation of the 2005-06 budget by having their chairs make brief presentations at the March 23 Budget Forum. As requested, the Technology Committee has made recommendations that potentially will reduce costs, although our recommendations are hampered by lack of adequate cost data on which to project savings. We have no current recommendations on how to increase revenues, although some discussion was held regarding selling ads to local businesses on the Town web site. Those that weighed in on this issue felt it a bad idea and suggested that might be the place of the proposed Chamber or other such web site.
The Boards were also encouraged to provide other specific recommendations that Council could consider. At the Technology Committee October work session with the Council, we noted that the Technology Committee would be back at this budget cycle with a strategic plan for moving technology forward in the Town.
This packet contains several papers and tables as noted below. Specifically:
Enclosed are the following documents:
ü Technology Mission Statement and Purposes
ü TC Strategic Plan Strategy-to-Action Grid for GIS Subcommittee
ü Infrastructure Strategic Plan
ü TC Strategic Plan Strategy-to-Action Grid for Infrastructure Subcommittee
ü TC Strategic Plan Strategy-to-Action Grid for Web Subcommittee
ü TC Strategic Plan – Expense Categories
ü Technology Plan 2000 – Progress Update as of January 2005
The Strategic Plan, including a revised Mission Statement and Purposes, is presented for your consideration. These documents reflect our current thoughts on how to move technology forward in the Town. During the development of these documents the whole Committee was thoroughly involved and their hard work is evident in the noted strategies. We welcome any thoughts and comments you might have on these documents at the convenience of the Council. In the interim we will proceed with the identified initiatives based on our Mission Statement and Purposes.
An interesting historical perspective can be gained by reviewing the excellent table entitled “Technology Plan 2000 – Progress Update.” This table was developed by Bob Avery (IT Department Head) at the request of the Technology Committee. It illustrates how far we have (or have not) come in fulfilling the Technology Committee recommendations made to the Town in the 2000 Technology Report.
We also note that Maximus, the Council’s consultant on budget matters has recommended a number of elements that impact IT. The Council has been provided a copy of those recommendations in the Maximus Report.
Over the next several months, the Technology Committee will be electing a new Chairman and a Vice Chair. It has been my pleasure to serve on the Technology Committee, along with Roscoe Reeve, for seven years. We will be retiring soon! While there have been many accomplishments since the inception of the Committee, there is much more to do as evidenced by these strategic reports and the Maximus Report. The current Technology Committee is poised to work with the Council and staff to move technology forward in the Town.
Alan Rimer
Chair – Technology Committee