LAKEPORT — City Council members will soon use iPads to view meeting materials that up to now have been printed on paper.
The council voted 4-1 on Tuesday to approve of the city purchasing the devices, a move staff believes will help the city realize long-term cost savings. Mayor Suzanne Lyons dissented.
Council members receive backup materials on all agenda items in a packet, usually a combination of staff memos, supporting evidence and drafted resolutions or ordinances.
During the past 12 months, city staff printed 2,765 pages per council packet or 13,825 pieces of paper for all five members, according to City Clerk Janel Chapman.
Between copier expenses and staff time, the printed packets cost the city roughly $2,400 annually, Chapman said.
The price of paper packets was discussed during the budget hearings and the council directed staff to explore the costs of converting the materials to an electronic format.
Chapman said staff looked at several options, including notebook computers and tablet devices.
The proposal discussed Tuesday involved purchasing refurbished 16-gigabite iPads, protective cases, applications and a writing device for all five council members at an estimated total price of $2,743.
At those rates, the city would realize savings during the second year after buying the devices, which would have an expected three-year lifespan, Finance Director Dan Buffalo said.
Going paperless would help the city achieve other goals, such as increasing staff efficiency and being environmentally friendly, Chapman said.
The council ultimately approved staff”s suggestion, which included two options for purchasing iPads with city funds.
One option would allow the city to buy the iPads, software and accessories for council members to download and manage the packets. Under this choice, the devices would remain city property and could only be used for council business.
The second option would let council members pick specific iPads and accessories and receive 0-percent financing from the city for up to $750.
Loan payments would be deducted from members” monthly stipend and must be repaid within one year. In that case, the devices would be the individual”s property and could be used for personal reasons.
Council members could also buy the devices without city financing.
Lyons said she voted against the proposal because “it didn”t seem to be the right time” for the city to buy or finance iPads for council members, considering the tight budget and citywide furloughs.
Buffalo said he hopes to have the devices purchased and ready for council use within the month.
City executive staff members can also buy iPads using city financing up to $750 and a similar repayment plan. Councilman Bob Rumfelt suggested allowing all city employees to receive city financing to purchase iPads for themselves, but no other member supported the idea.
Several staff members already bought iPads without financial assistance from the city. Buffalo and Utilities Director Mark Brannigan gave a brief presentation about how to use the devices during a workshop before Tuesday”s regular meeting.
Council members would be able to take notes on individual pages on the iPads, which could store many packets, according to Brannigan. “Instead of having boxes of agendas, you have this little thin device here,” he said.
Agenda packets are already available digitally on the city”s website and a paper copy of the materials will still be kept at City Hall for the public to view.
Contact Jeremy Walsh at jwalsh@record-bee.com or call him at 263-5636, ext. 37.
