The URL can be used to link to this page

Home My WebLink AboutAgenda - 04-21-1998 - 9bORANGE COUNTY BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS ACTION AGENDA ITEM ABSTRACT Meeting Date: April 21, 1998 SUBJECT: 1997 -98 Information Technology Plan - Phase IV DEPARTMENT: Information Systems ATTACHMENT(S): 3/9/98 Memo from IT Committee Chair Phase IV Budget Spreadsheet Action Agenda Item No. C1.6 PUBLIC HEARING: (Y/N) BUDGET AMENDMENT: (Y/N) INFORMATION CONTACT: Dick Taylor, ext 2276 TELEPHONE NUMBERS: Hillsborough 732 -8181 Chapel Hill 968 -4501 Durham 688 -7331 Mebane 227 -2031 PURPOSE: To consider approval of funding for the implementation of the next phase of work to be undertaken in 1997 -98 under the County's Information Technology Plan. BACKGROUND: The Board of Commissioners established a reserve fund in the 1997 -98 operating budget for the phased implementation of the County's Information Technology (IT) Plan. The Information Technology Committee has worked with staff since late Fall, 1997 to review the plan and to develop recommendations for the most advantageous deployment of automation resources to address the County's information technology priorities. The Board of Commissioners has already approved three phases of the IT plan during FY 1997 -98, totaling $260,788, as outlined: Aerial photography /control December 16, 1997 $51,900 Southern Human Services January 20, 1998 $160,888 Center hardware and network GIS server /workstation March 17, 1998 $48,000 upgrades The urgent needs funding authorized by the Board thus far has resulted in full and successful deployment of necessary networking and desktop systems to support opening of the Southern Human Services Center and the initiation of the GIS aerial photography project. The present request is that the Board authorize expenditure of already reserved CIP funds from the current fiscal year to proceed with additional short-term IT Plan initiatives. The IT Committee reviewed this request at their meeting on February 24, 1998. Their recommendation is attached, along with a spreadsheet reflecting the details of this request. The request, following the recommendation of the IT Committee, addresses three of the 5 IT -Plan initiatives, including County Network, Desktop Systems and Citizen and Board Access. The three initiatives described below are related. The network and desktop upgrade and replacement provide the solid infrastructure required for more effective communication and higher staff productivity. It will provide connectivity to the County network for all County departments/functions that have requested or been identified as needing connection. The access initiative improves external access to information, the beginnings of citizen interaction with the County using the Web and the foundation for higher staff productivity using a countywide Intranet. County Network The first initiative will result in completion this fiscal year of the County computer network. This includes connection of facilities not now connected to the network: Child Support Enforcement, Human Rights and Relations, Emergency Management Services, Animal Control, County Courthouse, Chapel Hill Senior Center and the Skills Development Center. It also addresses network reliability problems by replacing current connections to the Court Street Annex, Public Works and the Carr Building. New servers will be placed in Public Works and Emergency Management and servers relocated from other facilities will be placed at Chapel Hill Senior Center and the Skills Development Center. All servers will be upgraded to the current network operating system software version and the a-mail software system will be upgraded. Upgraded and new cabling will be installed at five facilities. Desktop Systems The desktop systems initiative includes installation of 85 PCs to replace existing systems. The IT Committee recommended at three-year replacement cycle, at the rate of 120 new systems per year starting in the current fiscal year. 35 of these were already acquired, as part of the urgent needs request approved in December. The remaining 85 of the 120 planned for this year are requested here. Software will be acquired to promote better integration of the standard Microsoft Office software on the desktop systems with legacy data on the mainframe system. Critical hardware and software limitations of the current GIS technology in land records will be addressed by this initiative as well. Citizen andBOCC Access This initiative will lead to implementation of an in-house countywide Web server to support better access to County data from outside the organization and to provide a platform for deployment of a County Intranet for better exchange of information across the network. The Phase IV proposal has been modified slightly from the version reviewed by the IT Committee on February 24, outlined as follows: • $18,000 added for "BOCC Automation", for either laptop or electronic display support for Board meetings. • $6,000 added for laptops urgently needed in Personnel and Planning for remote meeting usage. 3 • Reductions under desktop systems and desktop/mainframe integration due to corrections and changes in specs and pricing. • Addition of Groupwise a-mail version upgrade countywide. The new release in use at the Southern Human Services Center has corrected a number of problems and limitations we were having with the older version and staff recommend that we go ahead and get up-to-date countywide. This was in our plans anyway and since we are upgrading Netware everywhere it makes sense to do a-mail at the same time. Staff will also be prepared for a brief demonstration of system capabilities and additional training that could be provided to the Board regarding the use of electronic mail, the Internet, the County's home page on the World Wide Web, and the like - especially as these relate to the County's goal of promoting greater citizen access to County government and information. RECOMMENDATION(S): The Manager recommends that the Board approve the scope of work outlined above and the transfer of funds in the amount of $349,435 from the reserve fund to the Information Technology capital project to carry out this work. 4 Date: 3!9/'98 To: Orange County Commisslone ~ C~ ~,/ From: John B. Smith. Chair "*'~`'' Information Technology "ttee Subject: Rcmeining Items on 97.98 Request w Upgrade County Infortrtatinn Technology Iniraytructuro The Orange County Information 'fcx:hnology Cotnmittce has discussed the items remaining oa dtc FY 97- 98 request, originally xubmitted to the cammiasioners in December, 1997, and subsequently updated. Upon corbpletion of the Southern Center upgrade, vre reconvex:nci funding the remaining items on the plan as updatd on 3/9/98. Thls request includes 5126, I96 to complete the upgrade of the county nctwock conna:ting a[l county offices; 5235,294 ro replace 8S da~lctop computers, completing the first phase of the planned life-cycle upgrade policy for these tttachinwt, and to upgrade GIS waver and workstations; and 58,163 to implcmeni a county Web server w improve citizenx' and COmmissioru.~rx' access to county information. These thr~x: catx:gcxies of items wtat 5369,t>S4. MAR 17 1898 _.- ~~ger 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 IT PLAN -SHORT TERM -REMAINDER OF FY 97-98 Initiatives 1. County Network A. Order and install new network service and premise equipment $74,898 B. Order and install Netware network operating system upgrades $9,604 C. Order and install network server replacements $17,196 D. Order and install network wiring, cabling and data communications equipment $13,500 E. Order and install network remote access equipment and modem lines $2,480 F. Groupwise E-mail software upgrade $8,518 Subtotal $126,196 2. Deskto p Systems A. Upgrade and replace desktop hardware $164,750 D. Add desktop/mainframe integration software $26,325 F. Portable Systems $6,000 Subtotal $197,075 5. Citizen and BOCC Access A. Implement WEB Server $8,165 B. BOCC Automation $18,000 Subtotal $26,165 Total $349,435