03-22-2021 Council Packet - Laserfiche WebLink

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CITY COUNCIL WORK SESSION DRAFT 2 45 Councilmember Cavegn asked if staff envisions that this system will completely replace 46 those scattered systems now in use. A question was also posed about utilizing this 47 system for appointments to boards and commissions; Ms. Cotton said that it’s been a long 48 time goal to automate that process and staff is committed to working toward that. 49 Councilmember Cavegn asked if Springbrook has been good for system support and Ms. 50 Cotton said, over time, the organization has provided better support and staff is happy 51 with the support they receive now. 52 53 Mayor Rafferty remarked that this will be a three-year subscription; would there be an 54 auto renewal after that? Ms. Cotton said she believes there is a 60 day notice 55 requirement. Mayor Rafferty asked if that is a common term and Ms. Cotton said yes. 56 Mayor Rafferty asked for additional information on the source of funding for this 57 improvement (office equipment funding). Ms. Cotton explained that for the past several 58 years, that fund in budget has included appropriation for office computers, phones, 59 hardware, etc. There is funding available in that fund. Regular yearly expenditures are 60 such things as computers, printers, etc. 61 62 Mayor Rafferty noted the annual cost the City pays for Metro INET as well as the 63 Springbrook suite and he received additional information on how costs are anticipated to 64 rise for those services. 65 66 Mayor Rafferty suggested that the council will be anxious to hear as implementation goes 67 forward. The council concurred to go forward with the system. 68 69 3. Easy CIP Software – Finance Director Lynch reported. The City currently has 70 three capital improvement planning documents as noted in the staff report. Each of those 71 documents are handled manually through Microsoft Excel and the product that is 72 produced could be improved. Ms. Lynch noted this software program that staff feels will 73 improve the process and she then provided a demonstration of some of the features and 74 uses of the program. 75 76 When Mayor Rafferty asked if the program would provide information on when 77 equipment is put into service, Administrator Cotton explained that the City has the 78 Cartegraph system that tracks that data. This program would provide financial 79 background information that could be useful to the council in its budgeting process. 80 81 Councilmember Stoesz noted that much of what he is seeing can be done in Microsoft so 82 he’d like more information on the value added. Ms. Lynch said she can see the value, 83 noting the ability to create dashboards quickly that contain accurate information; it’s a 84 better tracking system Councilmember Stoesz suggested that the system seems 85 expensive for what would provide; he feels that staff could be trained to produce the same 86 data within Excel. 87 88