HomeMy WebLinkAboutPaperless Agenda ProposalTO: BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS
FROM: DAVE INBODY
SUBJECT: PAPERLESS AGENDA CONSIDERATION
DATE: 7/30/2009
CC: DAVE KANNER, ERIK KROPP
Background
In an effort to address tightening budgets due to current economic conditions, the administrative support
staff has undertaken new initiatives to capture cost savings and productivity improvements. One such area
has been transitioning from a paper-based archival system to an electronic-based archival system. Although
electronic copies of most documents have been maintained, typically paper copies were also retained. This
practice has recently changed, eliminating the retention of paper copies including contracts and other
agreement documentation as well as payment vouchers. In both of these examples, original copies of these
documents are retained by the County Clerk’s Office, Finance Department or individual departments,
which scanned versions of these documents are retained electronically by administrative staff. In examining
departmental use of paper, the largest area to consider for a transition from paper to electronic versions
concerns Board of Commissioners’ meeting preparation.
Associated Costs
Currently, the Board of Commissioners average two business meetings and two work sessions per week.
On average, each business meeting produces 150 to 250 sheets of paper. For which five copies are
produced. Discounting any additional documentation required for work sessions, here is a breakdown of the
costs associated with this preparation:
(150 to 250 sheets of paper per meeting) x (5 copies per meeting) x (2 meetings per week) x (50 weeks) =
75,000 to 125,000 copies per year
x [(($35 per box of paper) x (5,000 sheets of paper per box)) +
($0.008 per copy in maintenance charges)]
$1,125 to $1,875 per year in paper and copies
In addition to the paper costs, there is also an associated loss of productivity in the time required to prepare
the packets and make copies. Using an average of one to two hours in preparation for each meeting, which
is likely an under-representation of the time required, the following calculation was used to estimate the
value of lost productivity:
($43 per hour in salary and benefits) x (1 to 2 hours per meeting) x (2 meetings per week) x (50 weeks) =
$4,300 to $8,600 per year in lost productivity
The total estimated costs associated with the current utilization of paper
are $5,000 to $10,000 per year.
Alternative Concept
Instead of providing paper copies of all documentation for Board of Commissioners’ meetings, this
proposal offers accessible electronic documents available before and during business meetings and work
sessions. All documentation could be loaded to the device or made available online a specified period
before the meeting. This can be facilitated through the availability of electronic devices such as a tablet
PCs, netbooks or e-book readers, for example. The advantages of such a process are:
1. Cost savings from a significant reduction in paper costs and copier maintenance fees
2. Productivity improvement through a reduction in time spent preparing paper documents
3. Access to historical, archival and other related documents during meetings, not currently
accessible
4. Searchable functionality for documents by key word or document number
Device Options
Besides a traditional laptop computer, three other devices may be appropriate for this function.
Tablet PC – A laptop or slate-shaped mobile computer with a touch screen or graphics tablet/screen
hybrid. It is operated with a stylus (digital pen) or fingertip instead of (or in addition to) a keyboard or
mouse. It is more mobile than a traditional laptop notebook. It usually has a 12 to 17 inch screen. Some
examples are the Lenovo ThinkPad, HP EliteBook, Fujitsu LifeBook and Dell Latitude. The cost is $700 -
$2,000.
Mini PC/Netbook – A laptop computer designed for wireless communication and access to the Internet. It
is primarily designed for web browsing and e-mailing remotely. Lighter and less powerful than typical
laptop PC, it usually has a 10 to 12 inch screen. HP Mini-Note, Dell Inspiron, Lenovo IdeaPad and Acer
Aspire. The cost is $250 - $500.
E-Book Reader – Originally designed to read e-books, these devices are small devices used to read
electronic material. Content is uploaded to the device for reading. They are typically about 5 to 6 inches in
length with a grey scale screen. Some examples include Amazon Kindle, Sony PRS, Samsung Papyrus, and
Bookeen Cybook. The cost is $200 to $400.
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