INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY 2018 BUDGET DISCUSSION p. 99

PROGRAMS & SERVICES: IT manages any digital record from county offices. The majority of the data is land-based data, from property deeds to maps. IT keeps the data accessible to staff and the public. From audio visual in rooms to various county websites, IT employees ensure the access for telephone calls, emails, and internet access to every county location. IT looks for technology innovations which could improve operational efficiencies for employees and the public. These should be the three main statements that were provided in your department’s budget requests. Use the time with the council to address the “Description” portion of the basic concept statements.

INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY REVENUES: About $5,000 a year in public records sold mostly to real estate-based businesses. Include a BRIEF discussion regarding fee revenues if applicable and whether these fees are being changed in adoption with the budget. Also, include a discussion regarding grant or contribution revenues and what programs or services WILL NOT continue if the grants or contributions are not received.

INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY: Efficiencies and budget savings: Phone System - With a $200,000 system, we have been able to reduce our operating cost by $30,000 a year from 2012 to 2016. Animal Control Citations - A $12,000 initial investment in an accounting module and $2,000 more in support costs a year resulted in $20-30,000 a year more in collections. Major changes in department from 2014 to now. New website Cybersecurity demands Address PROGRAMS & SERVICES that are provided by your department. DO NOT necessarily get with the council and say, “In 2014 my budget was $xxxx and in 2018 it will be $yyyy.” A better example would be to state, using Elections as an example, “In 2014 we were voting by machines, now we are doing mail-in ballots.” Here, continuing with the example, it could be stated that this is more or less efficient than the machines determined by whatever measure of success.

INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY: County/Council’s strategic priorities: Council’s Strategic Priorities dashboard. Transportation and Environmental Stewardship: Put more business online Reduce electrical power server virtualization Desktop virtualization and mobile devices allow some employees to work remotely and avoid commuting to the office. Also allows employees to be more mobile, resulting in meeting location flexibility and a reduction in car trips between the eastern and western sides of the county. This would be the time to make the council aware of potential changes that your particular associations may be discussing at either the federal, state or local levels.

INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY: Any potential federal, state mandates/legislation affecting department: Any laws that address transparency Increase in GRAMA requests/email records in 2017 May see GRAMA requests for items we don’t typically keep such as metadata or text messages Impact to the department if the propposed tax increase is not approved. Progress and efficiencies made by other offices would slow down The real estate market could also be affected if we could not serve out records like we have for the past 10 years. This would be the time to make the council aware of potential changes that your particular associations may be discussing at either the federal, state or local levels.

QUESTIONS? rboyer@summitcounty.org