05/07/2012 Council Packet - Laserfiche WebLink

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WS — Item 3 WORK SESSION STAFF REPORT Work Session Item Date: May 7, 2012 To: Mayor and Council Members From: Al Rolek, Finance Director Re: Electronic Packets Cost Analysis Background City Administrator Karlson has been exploring the conversion from the current system of delivering paper agendas and council packets to Council members and senior management staff to an electronic delivery system. Under such a system paper packets would be eliminated and replaced with electronic versions of the packet delivered via the internet to a tablet device such as the Apple iPad. The conversion to such a system is intended to make it easier and more cost effective for staff to produce and deliver council packets, and easier to council members to transport and use them. Other benefits of converting to an electronic system would be the ability to deliver Friday updates and other council communications in the same manner. I was asked to perform a financial analysis to determine if there would be a cost savings by converting to electronic packets. This analysis compares savings in labor and supplies costs, as well as wear on city equipment and vehicles, versus the cost of supplying tablets to council and senior management staff or, alternatively, providing a monthly stipend toward the cost of a personal tablet device and applications needed to effectively utilize the materials transmitted to them. Attached to this memo is the cost analysis. On the left side of the analysis is a computation of the cost to produce and deliver council packets under the current system. On the right side is a computation of cost to produce and deliver packets electronically. In the bolded boxes on the right is a computation of the savings realized through the conversion. The savings realized in this analysis will range from $177.30 to $330.88 per month. Requested Council Direction Staff is seeking direction from the City Council on 2 items: 1) whether to convert to electronic packets, and 2) whether the City should issue computer tablets to Council members and staff or provide a monthly stipend toward the cost of a tablet and apps. Attachments Cost Analysis — Paper Packets vs. Electronic