Loading...
HomeMy WebLinkAboutPD-90-85 r;l CORPORATION OF THE TOWN OF NEWCASTLE PLANNING AND DEVELOPMENT DEPARTMENT T.T.EDWARDS,M.C.I.P.,Director HAMPTON,ONTARIO LOB 1,10 TEL.(416)263.2231 REPORT TO THE COUNCIL MEETING OF MAY 27, 1985 REPORT NO. : PD-90-85 SUBJECT: WORD PROCESSORS - PLANNING DEPARTMENT RECOMMENDATION: It is respectfully recommended to Council the following: 1 . That Report PD-90-85 be received; and 2. That the amount of One Thousand Dollars ($1 ,000.00) be allocated from Account 7702-0247 to cover the unbudgeted costs of exercising the Town 's purchase option for the Planning Department 's Word Processor; and 3. That the Planning Department be authorized to lease a second word processor utilizing presently budgeted funds for word processor leasing. BACKGROUND AND COMMENT: As the Council members will recall , joint Planning and Public * Works Report WD-34-85 (copy attached) recommended the leasing of a second word processor for the Planning Department. This recommendation arose from a revised Staff proposal in respect of acquisition of micro computers. The rationale for this recommendation being based primarily on the increased development . , .2 REPORT NO. : PD-90-85 Page 2 activity. Staff note that our original draft budget proposal included the leasing of a second word processor, however, this was deleted when it became apparent that the existing word processor in Public Works could be assumed by the Planning Department. In view of the considerations outlined by Staff in Report WD-34-85, it has become necessary to recommend a revision to the proposal originally considered and approved by Council . Similarly, Staff Report TR-35-85 noted that the budgeted amount of $500.00 to buy-out the existing word processor was insufficient. This fact was only recently brought to light through correspondence with the Leasing Company. The original estimate having been based upon a verbal estimate obtained by the previous Purchasing Agent. The current cost of exercising the purchase option has been established, in writing, at One Thousand Five Hundred Dollars ($1 ,500.00) , a third of which has been budgeted. As a result of the Committee's consideration, Staff were requested to report back on the costs associated with leasing the additional equipment. The additional cost to buy-out the existing equipment is One Thousand Dollars ($1 ,000.00). Staff recommend that this be drawn from Account 7702-0247 "Consulting Services". Based upon Ministry approvals for the Basic Mapping Project, this account will be underspend by, at least, Two Thousand Dollars ($2,000.00). With respect to the leasing of a new word processor, Staff have included, within our present budget, monies to cover leasing of this equipment from September through December. This amount was set aside to allow assumption of the lease responsibilities for the Public Works word processor when and if it became available. An amount of Two Thousand Dollars ($2,000. O) is avai.able. Based upon current lease rates of Three � , ane Sixty . . .3 REPORT NO. : PD-90-85 Page 3 Dollars ($360.00) per month, for the basic equipment , funds are available, within the appropriate account, to cover and lease the equipment for the balance of the year assuming an August delivery. Since this has been a recurring fixed budget item and since the existing equipment will be purchased, this approach would not adversely impact future budget submissions until such time as existing equipment becomes obsolete or requires replacement. In fact, a savings should be realized since current lease rates are substantially lower than those for existing machines. It is, therefore, recommended that the Planning Department be authorized to lease a second word processor and that the funds necessary to exercise our purchase option for the present equipment be drawn from the Planning Consulting Services Account. Respectful ubmitted, T.T. Edwards, M.C.I.P. Director of Planning TTE*j i p May 23, 1985 *Attach. • ,pd 44314gy4 a CORPORATION OF THE TOWN OF NEWCASTLE PUBLIC WORKS DEPARTMENT R. DUPUIS, P. ENG., DIRECTOR HAMPTON,ONTARIO TEL.(416)263.2231 LOB 1J0 987-5039 REPORT TO THE GENERAL PURPOSE AND ADMINISTRATION COMMITTEE MEETING OF MAY 21 , 1985. REPORT NO. : WD-34-85 SUBJECT: WORD PROCESSING AND COMPUTER EQUIPMENT IN THE WORKS AND PLANNING DEPARTMENTS. RECOMMENDATION: It is respectfully recommended: 1. That this report be received; and, 2. That staff be authorized to arrange for the lease of a second word processor to be used in the Planning Department. 3. That funds required for the 1985 component of such lease be drawn from savings in the administration budgets of both the Works and Planning Departments, and in subsequent years the lease costs be budgeted in the Planning Adminstration budget. . . . .2 i li � Page 2 REPORT NO. WD-34-85 REPORT: During budget discussions it was proposed that a computer be secured for the use of the Works Department in a dual role; that of a Word Processor and that of a Computer, and that the word processor presently in the Works Department be placed in the Planning Department to meet the needs there. At the same time funds were budgeted for a computer in the Planning Department to assist in administration of current development activities. The aforementioned proposal was made on the basis of minimal investigation of the computer market. It was felt at the time that a computer could adequately serve the dual role of a word processor and computer in the Works Department. With budget approval and a more thorough investigation of computer use by municipalities it was determined that such an arrangement may not be satisfactory. Indications are as follows: 1 . Word processors are dedicated machines and as such perform their function in the fastest and most efficient method possible. Due to the volume of typing performed in the Works Department, speed is important. 2. Use of a computer as a word processor would monopolize the bulk of its time and reduce the availability for other functions. . . . .3 Page 3 REPORT NO. WD-34-85 3. Presently, there are word processors in the Treasury, Works , Planning and Community Services Departments and budget preparation is facilitated through the exchange of disks with the budget documentation prepared on them. Introduction of a computer and a different operating system would interfere with this arrangement, and since the Works Department has the largest component of the budget, such an arrangement would drastically reduce speed and efficiency and require a considerable amount of duplication. 4. There are presently many charts, tables , and other data on word processor disks in the Works Department which are used regularly, and a change in equipment would require their re-preparation. The logic justifying acquisition of the equipment has not changed. The recent increase in development activity in the Town has resulted in a much heavier volume of typing, agreements, correspondence, etc. , and with the addition of another building inspector, this volume is likely to increase even more. , Thus, there is a need for another word processor in the Planning Department. There have been similar increases in the amount of typed material generated by the Works Department and a word processor is felt to be a necessity in that regard. A computer was proposed in the Planning Department to assist in administration of development and as an option to hiring more staff and that situation has not changed. Similarly, the Works Department . . . . .4 Page 4 REPORT NO. WD-34-85 is anxious to establish a sound accounting system, probably a simple version of maintenance management, to better monitor and have more control over department spending. The computer will also enable a system of fleet management to be developed and be available for the performance of design functions and calculations. To accommodate the above, it is recommended that any savings in the Works and Planning administrative budgets be applied to the costs. Respectfully submitted, R.G. Dupuis, P. Eng., Director of lic Works. T.T. Edwards, M.C.I .P. , Director of Planning. RGD/TTE/jco May 14, 1985.