HomeMy WebLinkAbout2015-03-02 Finance Committee Minutes
FINANCE COMMITTEE AGENDA
March 2, 2015 @ 5:15 pm
Councilors Attending: Blanchette, Sprague, Civiello, Baldacci, Graham,
Nealley, Durgin
School Committee/Staff Attending: Webb, Caruso, Kochis
Staff Attending: Cyr, Little, Conlow
1. Consent Agenda
a. Report of Bids Awarded by Staff – January 2015
Motion made, seconded to approve consent agenda, passed unanimously.
2. Presentation of FY 2014 Audit by Runyon Kersteen Ouellette
Representatives from Runyon, Kersteen and Ouellette reviewed the results and
highlights of the City’s fiscal year 2014. This presentation will be made available on the
City’s website.
3. Document Management Project
Staff presented a recommendation to appropriate funds received from the sale of the
former police station property on Court Street to Penobscot County for the purpose of
undertaking a document management project.
At this time, the majority of documents are not stored electronically and departments
are relying on paper records. The current practice represents the perpetuation of
systems enacted in some areas over 50 years ago. Paper records are filed and stored in
a manner determined by each department, which has resulted in numerous copies of
some items being maintained. Paper records inhibit the City’s ability to retrieve and
share documents inter-departmentally and with the public in a timely and efficient
manner.
The goal of a document management system would be to establish an electronic
infrastructure by which City records are stored digitally. The system would allow for the
storage of all forms of records whether written, maps, audio, video or photographic.
The system would include search capabilities, provide a public portal to enhance the
City’s information transparency, increase inter-department collaboration, reduce
redundancy, ensure adherence to record retention policies, as well as provide an
archival solution for fragile historical documents. In addition, it would free up space
and staff time allowing us to more efficiently and effectively serve the citizens.
There were discussions regarding whether or not this would be appropriate use of these
funds. A motion was made and seconded to recommend this appropriation to the full
Council, the final vote was 4 in favor and 1 opposed.