When Centre Wellington council began working on its strategic plan, one area it considered was moving to laptop computers and electronic agendas – with some differences in the way county council is considering the same issue.
At a special council meeting on May 2 at the Fergus Councillor Fred Morris started the discussion by noting that councillor Walt Visser “is light years ahead of us.”
Visser bought his own laptop computer several years ago, and uses it at council and committee meetings instead of a traditional paper agenda.
“Have we ever done a staff analysis?” Morris asked. He asked if it turns out laptops are not cost efficient, would it be possible for councillors to make a donation in the value of a laptop to the township.
“Can we make a personal donation, and you buy us our laptop?” Morris wondered.
Township Treasurer Wes Snarr said anyone can make a donation to the township. It issues an income tax receipt, and, he added, donors can designate the donations “for whatever you want.” He added that donations can be used to “top up” programs, and the excess can then be designated by council to whatever it deems fit.
Visser then told councillors they do not need a fancy computer with a lot of programs in order to read agendas and minutes. He said “upload and download does not need high speed,” and added, “$500 to $600 will serve the purpose.” He said he has heard in other places laptops are budgeted at around $2,000.
Morris asked how much work it takes to prepare paper agendas.
Clerk Marion Morris said agenda packages can run to 140 pages, and each piece of paper is touched at least three times as they are put to together. That includes agenda packages for the mayor and six councillors, some department heads, staff, and reporters.
She said her staff would like to consider moving to an electronic agenda. Staff already record minutes of council meetings using a laptop.
Morris added he sometimes gets duplications of paper agendas through committee and council packages.
“If I keep everything that is given to me, I have one horrific stack of paper,” he said. wondering if the township has “ever compared $600 [for a laptop] against staff time.”
Visser said a laptop “has to be cheaper. All you do is push a ‘send’ button. You won’t need copiers as often.”
Clerk Morris said, “We’ve said that for years.”
Treasurer Wes Snarr said there could be some technical problems, but those can be resolved by the information technology department.
Public Works Director Ken Elder said all of his staff is working with computer programs now, including time cards. “I think our paper consumption is going to go down 90%.”
The problem for council, though, has always been cost.
Visser pointed out that when he suggested laptops and electronic agenda packages a few years ago, the township’s head of information technology suggested council “put $150,000 in the budget to study it. I bought my own.”
Mayor Joanne Ross-Zuj said when Wellington County council considered the issue, there was some opposition, but she noted the township seems to be working towards a resolution.
“We’re all working together on this,” she said.
