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2002-219RESOLUTION NO. 2002-219 RESOLUTION AWARDING CONTRACT FOR PREPARATION OF TECHNOLOGY MASTER PLAN The following Resolution was introduced by Councilman Paoloni and seconded by Councilman Bettina WHEREAS, the Town Board wishes implement a more proactive and efficient plan for upgrading the computer network and training the staff within the Town of Wappinger Town Hall; and WHEREAS, the firm of Northeast Computer Services with an office at P.O. Box 690, Rhinebeck, New York 12572, a qualified computer professionals specializing in hardware and software training and installation and is capable in preparing the Technology Master Plan that would implement a proactive and efficient plan for upgrading the computer network and training the staff within the Town of Wappinger Town Hall. NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED, as follows: 1. T he recitations above set forth are incorporated in this Resolution as if full/ set forth and adopted herein. 2. James P. Jeffreys of Northeast Computer Services with an office at P.O. Box 690. Rhinebeck, New fork 12572 is hereby authorized to prepare a Technology Master Plan in accordance with a written proposal dated June 1, 2002 and Three - Year Technology Plan dated June 2001. 3. Albert P. Roberts, Attorney to the Town of Wappinger, is authorized to draft and/ or review a. Contract in accordance with the terms and. conditions stated herein. ,; OAWAPPINGE\Town Board\RESOLUTION\TechMasterPlan.doc I II i.` 4. Supervisor Joseph Ruggiero is hereby authorized to sign a Contract on behalf of the Town and authorize commencement of the work thereby. The foregoing was put to a vote which resulted as follows: JOSEPH RUGGIERO, Supervisor Voting Aye ROBERT L. VALDATI, Councilman Voting Ave VINCENT F. BETTINA, Councilman Voting Aye JOSEPHP. PAOLONI, Councilman Voting Aye CHRISTOPHER J. COLSEY, Councilman Voting Aye Dated: Wappingers Falls, New York August 5, 2002 The Resolution is hereby duly declared adopted. e Gloria . Morse, To n erk O:\WAPPINGE\Town Board\RESOLUTION\TechMasterPlan.doc 914 297 4558 P.04i05 Nnrrk,rn f fo Woy/wersr Page 2 oft This does not mean that everything needs to change al! the time, The theory of keeping hardware and software in place while it is functional and useful is valid. Municipalities should not necessarily upgrade because the manufacturer says it is time. If there is no question on compatibility, and there is no value added in the potential upgrade. then by all means a town should keep their current system in place. The rapid evolution of technology can make it very difficult to forecast the needs of a municipality in June of the current year through the end of the following year. However, all forecasts and budget plans are based on assumptions of future events, which we have learned cannot be foretold with any accuracy. Everyone loves a department head that comes in under budget, but that person must be wary of having his or her budget cut the following fiscal year. A reasonable assumption is that computer equipment such as PCs and servers has a three- ycar useful life span. Printers and some peripherals such as network switches have a 4-5 year life span. I would plan on budgeting one third of the value of the network every year as at of upgrading and place that in a three- year plan. This doesn't account for growth and development of new applications, but the portion of the budget that will not be used for replacing printers and peripherals offers some wiggle room for the unexpected. It should be considered a bonus if certain departments can get more than three years out of their PCs, but it should not be expected, Ideally, an additional 10% of the value of the network should be budgeted ever -year for research and testing of new solutions. If a town isn't out there looking for better solutions, they have a higher propensity of falling behind the technology curve compared to comparable communities. I use the term "value" when describing budget figures for a very specific reason. Since the marginal cost of acquiring new technology continues to go down over time (a PC that cost $2,000 in 1999, was $1,500 in 2001 and will likely be $ I, 100 in 2003), a municipality should use the replacement value of the equipment when budgeting, �-. not the original acquisition cost. This will also make the budget more reasonable and accurate. Finally there is the cost of training. This is the area that is most often overlooked and is also most often curtailed. Municipalities may know that it less expensive to upgrade employees along with specific applications, but this is rarely a possibility because of employee retention and longevity programs. I calculate training as the cost of one week's salary for each individual that will be undergoing a software upgrade (hardware upgrades almost never require training), The exception to this is the MIS or GIS department, where I apply two weeks salary as a yardstick, This is because server -based software upgrades are often more complex and require longer periods of training in order to master. With this in mind, proceed with the rule of not replacing equipment and software that is functional and efficient. Always be on the Iookout for a better solution and be prepared to make an investment in upgrading in advance, but keep in mind that the better solution must also bring a tangible benefit to the town as a whole, These observations have been based on nearly twenty years of experience helping both municipalities (village and town) and small businesses transition to a service model that includes automation. An integrated policy enabling both voice and data can help an employee be more efficient in the use of their time while at the same time being more responsive to resident inquiries. Sincerely, James P. Jeffreys President Art: Draft Action Plan cc: Kevin Jeffreys. TSA JUL-16-2002 09:35 TOWN OF WAPPINGER 914 297 4558 P.05i05 A Town of Wappinger Three -Year Technology Plan June 2001 — Draft Action Pian Mission To accelerate the integration of technology into management and departmental services to support access to reliable, up-to-date, data and information to facilitate greater communication between departments in support of residents quality -of -life. Examine and report - Current Town Hall infrastructure, capacities and upgrade potential - Hardware resources o Servers o Hubs and Switching equipment o Workstations o Personal Computers -- o Printers o Peripheral Equipment o Operating Systems - Software= o Administration o Building and Zoning o Financial Management o Building and Zoning o Financial Management o Justice Court o Planning and Development o Recreation/Senior Services o Tax receipt and management o Water/Wastewater management and billing • Define standards for hardware and software that will strengthen our support of user applications. Explore site-ilcense costs for word processing, spreadsheet, database and web authoring software. Evaluate and report Wide area network (WAN) potential Broadband DSL Cable Modem Wireless Integrating Telephone Services Voicemail Services Telephony e -Pax and Fax Serving Evaluate town -wide email communication solution Proxy Services Evaluate web based e -GOVERNMENT initiatives TOTAL P.05 TOWN OF WAPPINGER 914 297 4558 P.03i05 NORTHEAST COMPUTER SERVICES A division ofAfortheast Financiol ,services Inc. HARDWARE -SOFTWARE /tap.,/A"Onnfleorp.com TRAINING and INSTALLATION F.O. BOX 690 "N and INTERNET SPECIALISTS RHINEBECK, NY 12572 (845) 876.3031 FAX 876-1912 June 1, 2002 Mr, Joseph Ruggiero, Supervisor Town of Wappinger 20 Middlebush Road Wappingers Falls, NY 12590 Dear Supervisor Ruggiero, As many municipalities prepare their budgets for 2003 and beyond, a common question I receive pertains to the state of their computer systems -At what point should they upgrade their hardware? How longshould they be able to use now hardware? Are there any advantages to u eti expect at to same time? PPaS their operating rystems Sud applieittions at the The pace of hardware innovation seems to quicken every year with the introduction of faster machines, greater storage capacity and smaller, tifore efficient designs. How does a town identify the right time to re -invest in their computer systems and how do they calculate any return on their investment? One frequently used maxim: "if it ain't broke, don't try and fix it" is an easy formula to follow. Malty municipalities feel they should use their computer equipment until it becomes too costly to repair. But this formula docs not take into consideration any advantages that newer hardware and software might bring before their current equipment becomes obsolete. Another method is to progressively introduce new equipment as new employees are hired, or as departmental software upgrades dictate the need for new hardware, This practice, which is often combined with the method above, does not examine the computer network as a whole entity. It can frequently cause headaches for MIS directors who are forced to adapt to new systems on a department or project basis. and also maintain legacy equipment until replacement becomes an absolute necessity. Both of these practices arc reactionary methods to upgrading and maintaining a network. They do not involve long- term planning or setting any goals for the network fiinctionality as a whole. The introduction of new software and hardware caused by the failure of older equipment increases the complexity of training and generally raises staff anxiety, as they are required to adapt to newer systems with little or no warning. My preference is to implement a proactive plan for upgrading the network on a schedule. This allows the whole i-. town to review its needs and creates the possibility of enhancing the network as compared to simply keeping the network running, Advance; planning gives the network administrator ample timc to test new components before implementing them. It also gives employees the chance to select an optimal solution and provides the opportunity to train employees thoroughly in a new application before go simplified as ining five ort the network. The budgeting process is also vestments in new equipment can be tracked with specific goals in mind. TOWN OF WAPPINGER SUPERVISOR JOSEPH RUGGIERO SUPERVISOR'S OFFICE 20 MIDDLEBUSH ROAD WAPPINGERS FALLS, NY 12590-0324 (845) 297-2744 FAX: (845) 297-4558 To: Al Roberts cc: From: Date: Re: Hon. Gloria Morse Joseph Ruggiero, Supervisor July 12, 2002 Resolution 2002-219 Technology Master Plan TOWN COUNCIL VINCENT BETTINA CHRISTOPHER J. COLSEY JOSEPH P. PAOLONI ROBERT L. VALDATI Enclosed is information from Northeast Computer Services regarding the drafting of a Technology Master Plan for the Town of Wappinger. Please draft a resolution authorizing Northeast Computer Services to draft a master plan. This resolution will be placed on the August 5h agenda. If you have any questions, please feel free to contact me. Thank you for your help in this matter. RECEIVED JUL 16 2002 TOWN CLERK k NORTHEAST COMPUTER SERVICES A division ofArortheast Financial Services, Inc. HARDWARE -SOFTWARE http.-IAminp.nfscorp.com P.O. BOX 690 TRAINING and INSTALLATION RHINEBECK, NY 12572 LAN and INTERNET SPECIALISTS (845) 876-3031 FAX 876-1912 June 1, 2002 Mr. Joseph Ruggiero, Supervisor Town of Wappinger 20 Middlebush Road Wappingers Falls, NY 12590 Dear Supervisor Ruggiero, As many municipalities prepare their budgets for 2003 and beyond, a common question I receive pertains to the state of their computer systems.. At what point should they upgrade their hardware? How long should they expect to be able to use new hardware? Are there any advantages to upgrading their operating systems and applications at the same time? The pace of hardware innovation seems to quicken every year with the introduction of faster machines, greater storage capacity and smaller, r (ore efficient designs. How does a town identify the right time to re -invest in their computer systems and how do they calculate any return on their investment? One frequently used maxim: "if it ain't broke, don't try and fix it" is an easy formula to follow. Many municipalities feel they should use their computer equipment until it becomes too costly to repair. But this formula does not take into consideration any advantages that newer hardware and software might bring before their current equipment becomes obsolete. Another method is to progressively introduce new equipment as new employees are hired, or as departmental software upgrades dictate the need for new hardware. This practice, which is often combined with the method above, does not examine the computer network as a whole entity. It can frequently cause headaches for MIS directors who are forced to adapt to new systems on a department or project basis, and also maintain legacy equipment until replacement becomes an absolute necessity. Both of these practices are reactionary methods to upgrading and maintaining a network. They do not involve long- term planning or setting any goals for the network functionality as a whole. The introduction of new software and hardware caused by the failure of older equipment increases the complexity of training and generally raises staff anxiety, as they are required to adapt to newer systems with little or no warning. My preference is to implement a proactive plan for upgrading the network on a schedule. This allows the whole town to review its needs and creates the possibility of enhancing the network as compared to simply keeping the network running. Advance planhing gives the network administrator ample time io test new components before implementing them. It also gives employees the chance to select an optimal solution and provides the opportunity to train employees thoroughly in a new application before going live on the network. The budgeting process is also simplified as investments in new equipment can be tracked with specific goals in mind. ` Northeast to Wappinger Page 2 of 2 This does not mean that everything needs to change all the time. The theory of keeping hardware and software in place while it is functional and useful is valid. Municipalities should not necessarily upgrade because the manufacturer says it is time. If there is no question on compatibility, and there is no value added in the potential upgrade, then by all means a town should keep their current system in place. The rapid evolution of technology can make it very difficult to forecast the needs of a municipality in June of the current year through the end of the following year. However, all forecasts and budget plans are based on assumptions of fixture events, which we have learned cannot be foretold with any accuracy. Everyone loves a department head that comes in under budget, but that person must be wary of having his or her budget cut the following fiscal year. A reasonable assumption is that computer equipment such as PCs and servers has a three- year useful life span. Printers and some peripherals such as network switches have a 4-5 year life span. I would plan on budgeting one third of the value of the network every year as a cost of upgrading and place that in a three- year plan. This doesn't account for growth and development of new applications, but the portion of the budget that will not be used for replacing printers and peripherals offers some wiggle room for the unexpected. It should be considered a bonus if certain departments can get more than three years out of their PCs, but it should not be expected. Ideally, an additional 10% of the value of the network should be budgeted every year for research and testing of new solutions. If a town isn't out there looking for better solutions, they have a higher propensity of falling behind the technology curve compared to comparable communities. I use the term "value" when describing budget figures for a very specific reason. Since the marginal cost of acquiring new technology continues to go down over time (a PC that cost $2,000 in 1999, was $1,500 in 2001 and will likely be $1,100 in 2003), a municipality should use the replacement value of the equipment when budgeting, not the original acquisition cost. This will also make the budget more reasonable and accurate. Finally there is the cost of training. This is the area that is most often overlooked and is also most often curtailed. Municipalities may know that it less expensive to upgrade employees along with specific applications, but this is rarely a possibility because of employee retention and longevity programs. I calculate training as the cost of one week's salary for each individual that will be undergoing a software upgrade (hardware upgrades almost never require training). The exception to this is the MIS or GIS department, where I apply two weeks salary as a yardstick. This is because server -based software upgrades are often more complex and require longer periods of training in order to master. With this in mind, proceed with the rule of not replacing equipment and software that is functional and efficient. Always be on the lookout for a better solution and be prepared to make an investment in upgrading in advance, but keep in mind that the better solution must also bring a tangible benefit to the town as a whole. These observations have been based on nearly twenty years of experience helping both municipalities (village and town) and small businesses transition to a service model that includes automation. An integrated policy enabling both voice and data can help an employee be more efficient in the use of their time while at the same time being more responsive to resident inquiries. Sincerely, James P. Jeffreys President Att: Draft Action Plan cc: Kevin Jeffreys, TSA Town of Wappinger Three -Year Technology Plan June 2001 — Draft Action Plan Mission To accelerate the integration of technology into management and departmental services to support access to reliable, up-to-date, data and information to facilitate greater communication between departments in support of residents quality -of -life. Examine and report - Current Town Hall infrastructure, capacities and upgrade potential - Hardware resources o Servers o Hubs and Switching equipment o Workstations o Personal Computers o Printers o Peripheral Equipment o Operating Systems - Software* o Administration o Building and Zoning o Financial Management o Building and Zoning o Financial Management o Justice Court o Planning and Development o Recreation/Senior Services o Tax receipt and management o Water/Wastewater management and billing * Define standards for hardware and software that will strengthen our support of user applications. Explore site -license costs for word processing, spreadsheet, database and web authoring software. Evaluate and report Wide area network (WAN) potential Broadband DSL Cable Modem Wireless Integrating Telephone Services Voicemail Services Telephony e -rax and Fax Serving Evaluate town -wide email communication solution Proxy Services Evaluate web based e -GOVERNMENT initiatives