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STAFF REPORT <br />DATE: January 16, 2024 <br /> CONSENT <br /> <br />TO: City Council <br />FROM: John Taylor, Building Official <br />AGENDA ITEM: Purchase of ClearGov Permitting Software for the Building, Planning and <br />Fire Departments <br />REVIEWED BY: Clark Schroder, Interim City Administrator, Dustin Kalis, Fire Chief and Sophia <br />Jensen, City Planner <br /> <br />BACKGROUND: <br />The Building Department is requesting the council to approve the motion for the purchase of ClearGov <br />Web based Permitting Software for the Building Department. This was budgeted for 2024. The Assessment <br />of the Building and Planning Departments by Ratelis presented in October of 21 under recommendations <br />10 & 11 asked the departments to investigate using standardized data input templates and implement <br />technology to better support field operations. Currently the software being used is PermitWorks, and the <br />use of this is limited and requires the field person to write down inspection data and transfer to the file when <br />in the office and this is time consuming. <br />The department tried to contact PermitWorks for information and the module cost to use in the field and <br />there was no response. Metro IT was contacted and will help with the transfer to a new software. <br />The department then started researching web based permitting software and requested pricing from software <br />vendors for the installation, training and continued maintenance cost of their product. <br />The Building, Planning and Fire Department then met by Zoom with 4 vendors and then made a selection <br />based on their presentations on what would best help all 3 departments. <br /> <br />ISSUE BEFORE COUNCIL: <br />Should the City Council approve the software purchase of ClearGov, as recommended by the staff, and as <br />outlined in the 2024 Budget? <br /> <br />PROPOSAL DETAILS/ANALYSIS: <br />The City of Lake Elmo Building, Planning and Fire Departments will use the new software to better help <br />the community with more access to submitting and tracking their application, inspections and any notices <br />for more info, corrections and final acceptance of the project. Inspectors will be completing their inspections <br />and documenting in real time while in the field. They will be able to email correction notices and upload <br />pictures of the failures to the building file. The purchase price is $14,700 and the Service Order is provided. <br /> <br />FISCAL IMPACT: <br />$20,000 has been budgeted for this in the 2024 Fiscal Budget <br /> <br />OPTIONS: <br />- Approve the purchase of ClearGov Permitting Software signing of the service contract. <br />- Do not approve the purchase. <br /> <br /> <br /> <br />