HomeMy WebLinkAboutAgenda - 11-15-94 - VIII-C 1
ORANGE COUNTY
BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS
Action Agenda
Item No. V/ n:-C_
ACTION AGENDA ITEM ABSTRACT
Meeting Date: November 15, 1994
SUBJECT: Fee Policy for Data Processing Services
DEPARTMENT Data Processing
Budget Office PUBLIC HEARING YES NO x
ATTACHMENT(S) : INFORMATION CONTACT
Keith Brooks, ext. 2276
Fee Schedule for Data Processing Sally Kost, ext. 2151
Charges TELEPHONE NUMBER
Hillsborough 732-8181
Chapel Hill 968-4501
Mebane 227-2031
Durham 688-7331
PURPOSE: To revise fees charged for providing computer tapes, printouts
or labels requested by the public.
BACKGROUND:
The County frequently receives requests for electronic public information
provided on computer tape(s) or printed as labels or as a list. For
computer tapes, the County has traditionally charged $250 for each
request. For computer labels, the County has charged one and one half
cents per label provided and one cent per line of printed data.
Recently County staff reviewed this fee schedule to determine if this is
an equitable way to charge for electronic public information and to
ensure that we are recouping all costs associated with providing this
information. The result of this review is a proposed new fee schedule,
which varies based on the complexity and time required to meet the
request for information. The underlying philosophy of the proposed fee
policy is to balance the interests of providing information to individual
members of the public at reasonable costs, while ensuring that the
specific users of the information absorb the cost of providing the
information through an appropriate user fee (rather than having the
general public absorb the cost through general property tax revenue) .
Under this proposed fee schedule, charges for staff time and resources
are based on actual usage. Programming charges are based on $34 per
hour, with a minimum programmer charge of $17 . This rate is based on an
average hourly cost (including benefits) of the positions responsible for
this task. If the request requires an attendant to monitor the
equipment, an additional personnel cost of $21 per hour would be levied
to cover the costs of the computer operator's time.
2
An hourly rate of $15 for mainframe usage would also be levied. This
rate is based on all lease and maintenance costs associated with the two
mainframes divided by the total number of mainframe workable hours (based
on one shift) .
Other charges associated with the request would be directly charged.
This includes the cost of magnetic tapes ($15 ) , labels, etc. To recover
indirect costs, including printer ribbons, supplies, paper, electricity,
and other overhead, a 25% charge would be added to the sum total of all
other charges. A minimum charge for any request would be $25.
Sample applications as to how these charges would be applied are
attached.
RECOMMENDATION:
The Manager recommends that the Board of Commissioners approve the
proposed fee schedule for providing electronic information as outlined in
this abstract, to take effect upon adoption..
3
Attachment 1. Data Processing Fee Schedule
Programming Per Hour ( 1 ) $34
Computer Operator Per Hour $21
Mainframe Time Per Hour $15
Supplies (direct costs)
Overhead 25% of total
Minimum Charge for Service: $25
Sample of Charges:
Example 1:
Request: Computer tape of all registered voters with addresses listed by
precinct and in alphabetical order.
Programming - 1 hour $34 .00
Computer Operator - 45 minutes 15.75
Magnetic Tape 15.00
Mainframe - 45 minutes 11.25
Overhead 19_ nn
Total $95.00
Example 2:
Request: Mailing labels in zip code sequence for all non-business
taxpayers with improved property valued over $100, 000.
Eliminate all duplicates.
Programming - 30 minutes $17 .00
Sort and Drop Duplicates ( 15 minutes) :
Operator 5 .25
Mainframe 3.75
Print Labels ( 1 hour) :
Operator 21.00
Mainframe 15. 00
3000 Labels 3. 00
Overhead 16_ 79
Total $81.25
1
ORANGE COUNTY
BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS
Action Agenda
Item No VIDE-D
ACTION AGENDA ITEM ABSTRACT
Meeting Date: November 15, 1994
SUBJECT: Establish Public Hearing Date for New Elementary School
Financing
DEPARTMENT: County Manager/Attorney PUBLIC HEARING YES NO x
ATTACHMENT(S) : INFORMATION CONTACT
None Rod Visser, ext 2300
Geof Gledhill, 732-2196
TELEPHONE NUMBER
Hillsborough 732-8181
Chapel Hill 968-4501
Mebane 227-2031
Durham 688-7331
PURPOSE: To establish a public hearing date on matters related to the
financing of the new Chapel Hill-Carrboro City Schools (CHCCS)
elementary school.
BACKGROUND: At the September 20, 1994 meeting, the Board of
Commissioners approved the financing of up to $10.6 million for the
construction of the new CHCCS elementary school, which will be situated
on a portion of the CHCCS owned property also occupied by the new
McDougle Middle School. Subsequent discussion between School and
County staffs resulted in a plan to seek financing of $9.6 million,
with the balance of the project funding to come from sales tax and
impact fee revenue already budgeted in the current Capital Improvement
Plan.
County staff has disseminated Requests for Proposals for financing the
new school construction to interested lenders, with proposals due to
the County by November 18. County staff will review the proposals
received and prepare a recommendation for a specific financing
agreement, to be considered at the Board' s December 5 meeting.
The North Carolina General Statutes require the Board of Commissioners
to conduct public hearings on two elements associated with the planned
installment purchase financing of the new school. The first subject is
the proposed financing agreement itself (NCGS 160A-20 (g) ) . The second
subject is the acquisition of CHCCS owned property by the County upon
which the new school will be constructed (NCGS 153A-157 (a) ) . The
Attorney and staff recommend that these two public hearings be
conducted simultaneously at the December 5 meeting. The Attorney will
prepare and cause publication of the required public hearing notice.
2
On December 5, after conducting the public hearing, the Board needs to
consider approval of the installment purchase financing agreement. The
North Carolina Local Government Commission will consider the County' s
application for the financing at their meeting on Tuesday, December 6.
Assuming that both the Board and the LGC approve the financing, CHCCS
would award bids with construction to begin in January 1995. CHCCS has
indicated that it is essential that construction begins in January to
lead to completion of the new school in time for the 1996-97 school
year.
RECOMMENDATION: The Manager recommends that the Board of Commissioners
schedule the public hearing for Monday, December 5, 1994 at 7 : 30pm at
the Old County Courthouse in Hillsborou§h.
SENT BY: XEROX Telecopier 7017; 11-14-94 ; 3.47PM ; 3444 uu4;4 1
/),11/1- //— r
November 14, 1994 Y
Via Facsimile
TO Rod Visser,Assistant County Manager
FROM: John Schmid, The News& Observer
RE: Draft Fee Policy for Data Processing Services
Thank you for sending me the draft Fee Policy for Data Processing Services that you plan to
present to the Orange County Board of Commissioners on Tuesday, November 15, It has been
reviewed by Dan Woods, our Database Editor, and by Hugh Stevens, counsel to The News c
Observer and to the North Carolina Press Association.
In light of the fact that all public information is compiled at public expense and belongs to the
public, The News&Observer believes that copies of public records should be available to the public
at the actual cost of reproducing them. In the vast majority of instances involving requests for
electronic copies, this means that the only cost should be the cost of the computer disk or tape on
which the record is reproduced. We do not believe that North Carolina law or public policy permits
public agencies to establish user fees that shift personnel or equipment costs to persons who request
copies of public records.
We recognize that unusual or complex requests may occasionally require a public agency to
go to extraordinary lengths to provide the information requested. In such instances we are prepared
to reimburse public agencies for their reasonable costs in complying with such requests.
The News&Observer strongly urges the Orange County Board of Commissioners to reject
the proposed draft policy and to adopt instead a policy that reflects the principles outlined above. To
this end, we enclose and commend to your consideration copies of Executive Order No. 37,which
was signed by Governor Hunt on January 28, 1994,and of an article from the Winter, 1993 issue of
popular Government entitled "The Widest Possible Access": Wake County's Approach to
Computerized Records, Open Government, and privacy, We believe that the policies implemented
by Governor Hunt's executive order and described in the Popular Government article are filly
consistent with the North Carolina Public Records Law and are working well
I and other representatives of The News&Observer will attend Tuesday night's meeting and
will be prepared to discuss the proposed policy, and our response to it, it greater detail.
ORANGE COUNTY MANAGER'S OFFICE
PO BOX 8181
HILLSBOROUGH, NC 27278
FAX COVER SHEET
TO: County Commissioners
Geof Gledhill, County Attorney
FROM: John Link, County Manager
DATE: November 15, 1994
Rod Visser has talked with John Schmid of the News and Observer staff
about the proposed fee policy for data processing services (Agenda Item
VIII-C) . Mr Schmid and other N & 0 representatives plan to attend
tonight' s meeting to express their disagreement with the staff
proposal. Accordingly, that item will need to be removed from the
consent agenda.
Attached is a one page summary of the N & O's outlook on the proposed
policy. I don't think our differences with the N & 0 are that great -
the staff concurs with the viewpoint that public records should be
available to the public at the actual cost of reproducing them. The
difference probably lies in the meaning of "actual cost of
reproducing" . The staff view is that actual cost includes staff and
equipment time - the N & 0 disagrees.
Total number of pages transmitted: ,,
NOTE: If you do not receive all pages or if the transmission is not
legible, please call :
Hillsborough 919-732-8181
Chapel Hill 968-4501
Mebane 227-2031
Durham 688-7331
Extension 2308
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