AGENDA #4e
MEMORANDUM
TO: Mayor and Town Council
FROM: W. Calvin Horton, Town Manager
SUBJECT: Ordinance and Resolution Regarding Computer Services for Town Council
DATE: October 21, 2002
The following memorandum proposes a plan to provide Council members with equipment and services to enable efficient electronic access to Town reports and documents. The attached amendment would transfer $3,000 from the contingency account to provide funding for the plan for the current fiscal year.
BACKGROUND
In October 2000, the Technology Committee presented a plan to the Council that enumerated a number of initiatives for improving Town services and citizen access to Town information. These initiatives addressed areas of infrastructure, web site, records management, geographic information services, library, radio communications, and organization. Since then, the Town has established goals, implemented organizational changes, upgraded equipment, and conducted or participated in studies to improve the flow of electronic information.
DISCUSSION
The Town’s use of and reliance on digital information has greatly increased in just a few years. Email and other digital information processes allow a much faster access to important information. Many of the resources needed for management and decision making are now available in a digital format. With quick access to a wide range of resources and improved capability to research materials for specific information, convenient access to this data is becoming essential to the governing process.
The Town has undertaken an effort to deliver more documents electronically thus reducing costs for printing, duplicating and mailing. With the addition of scanned documents, color images, and maps the volume and size of the electronic documents have grown considerably.
The volume of the electronic data has now increased to a point that delivery by dial-up modem is not the optimum choice. To accommodate citizens who use this method for Internet access and thus access to Town information, we provide much information on quick loading web pages and provide many large documents in downloadable sections. While this addresses the needs of many citizens, the volume of information that we are attempting to provide to Council members is not efficiently processed in this manner.
PROPOSAL
To better meet the information access objectives for the Council, we recommend the use of high-speed data access connections. We further recommend that this capability be provided by the Town as it will reduce the Town staff work load and costs for printing and reproduction of documents.
There are two aspects to this proposal for high-speed access: first is the high-speed connection and second is the computer and software to provide processing, storage and security appropriate for the volume of documents that would be delivered.
Council members are currently using a variety of Internet access services and personal computers to gain access to Town information. In order to improve access capability quickly, this proposal seeks to first address the most critical shortfall, which is lack of high-speed access lines by all members.
There are two technologies that can currently provide the high-speed access: cable and digital subscriber lines (DSL). Cable broadband is delivered through the same connection as cable television and digital subscriber line service is delivered through telephone lines. Both provide sufficient speed to meet the data delivery objectives of this proposal. Both are available in the Chapel Hill area at costs that are roughly equal. This cost is about $50 per month. Choice would be based on service availability and individual preference.
The first proposal is that the Town will pay the cost of this service for all Council members (or reimburse members if the service is obtained by the individual Council member). For FY 2002-2003, this service would cost about $3000 and would be funded by a transfer from the General Fund contingency account. For FY 2003-2004 and succeeding years, this cost would be included in the Council’s section of the budget. This would result in a budget increase of about $5400 per year.
The second proposal is that the Town would procure a suitable laptop or home personal computer for each Council Member to use during their term of office. These would be configured to be compatible with Town software so that document access and security features such as anti-virus software are uniform throughout; basic accessories such as a printer would also be included. These would be procured in FY 2003-2004 with costs financed over a three year period as is done for other Town computers. This would result in a budget increase of about $6000 per year.
Total costs for high-speed Internet access and provision of an appropriate computer and software would result in costs of slightly more than $1000 per Council member per year.
We have created a work environment that makes it essential for Council members to have a high-speed Internet connection, a computer of a certain processing speed and memory specifications, particular software packages and specific virus protection software in order to do their jobs. Town provided systems would ensure a uniformity of information access for all members. We believe it is reasonable for the Town to furnish these work tools to Council Members so that they can perform their duties effectively and efficiently. We understand that Orange County Commissioners already receive such services and that such services are beginning to be necessary in other communities.
A RESOLUTION REGARDING COMPUTER SERVICES FOR THE TOWN COUNCIL (2002-10-21/R-3)
WHEREAS, the Town Council has received a recommendation for the Town Manager regarding the need to improve the capability for Council member’s to access Town electronic documents and email; and
WHEREAS, the Town Council finds that there is a significant benefit to the Town’s ability to process and distribute information associated with public meetings and hearings;
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED by the Council of the Town of Chapel Hill that the Town Manager is directed to include in the FY 2003-2004 budget a plan to provide each Council member with a suitable laptop or home computer and related software and equipment for accessing Town documents and email during their term of office.
This the 21st day of October, 2002.
AN ORDINANCE TO AMEND “THE ORDINANCE CONCERNING APPROPRIATIONS AND THE RAISING OF REVENUE FOR THE FISCAL YEAR BEGINNING JULY 1, 2002” (2002-10-21/O-4)
BE IT ORDAINED by the Council of the Town of Chapel Hill that the Budget Ordinance entitled “An Ordinance Concerning Appropriations and the Raising of Revenue for the Fiscal Year Beginning July 1, 2002” as duly adopted on July 26, 2002, be and the same is hereby amended as follows:
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ARTICLE I |
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APPROPRIATIONS |
Current Budget |
Increase |
Decrease |
Revised Budget |
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GENERAL FUND |
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Non-Departmental |
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Contingency |
31,629 |
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3,000 |
28,629 |
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Mayor/Council |
231,206 |
3,000 |
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234,206 |
This the 21st day of October, 2002.