Town Technology Committee Meeting Minutes, May 1, 2008

Posted on: 5/13/2008
Date of Minutes: 
05/01/2008

Rhinebeck Town Technology Committee Meeting Minutes

May 1, 2008

We met at Town Hall between 8:00 – 10:00 pm.

In attendance:

Joe Ely

Dave Kliphon

Paul Niedercorn

Henry Young

Agenda items, as addressed:

  1. IS Inventory, System Plan

Summary:

    • The value of conducting a system inventory was discussed.
    • Locations were defined and Dave and Paul will begin the process of a basic inventory.
    • The group reinforced its role as advisors, not as controllers of information systems.
    • The committee will offer a basic systems inventory and network diagrams and documents as a system administration plan.

Actions:

    • Paul will send digital versions of System Units table, Network Diagram and Network Configuration Guide.
    • Dave will ask Bruce Washburn to put the proposal of a basic information systems inventory on the Town and Village Board agendas.
    • Dave will contact Kerri for a definition of minimum software requirements for website updating.

Information Systems Inventory

Dave proposed a discussion on whether gathering a technical inventory of town and village information systems would be valuable. Paul and the group identified locations that would have computers:

    1. Town Office
    2. Town Highway Department
    3. Town Transfer Station
    4. Town Cemetery
    5. Village Fire Department
    6. Village Hall
    7. Village Water
    8. Village Sewer
    9. Village Highway Department
    10. Village Police Station
    11. Bookkeeper’s Home?
    12. Others?

Paul provided the group with three technical documents that had been generated in past years: a System Units table containing an outline of physical inventory; a Network Diagram with an overview of the bookkeeper’s system; and a Network Configuration Guide. The system units table was generated for Y2K updates; Joe described the activities involved (BIOS upgrades, etc…). Paul will provide digital versions to the group.

Should an IS inventory be conducted, Joe advised the gathering of license information. Paul and Henry recommended using a software tool for collecting system information on each computer. Henry mentions Belarc as a possibility.

A debate within the group whether the system should be upgraded with the latest Windows patches and updates ensued. On one hand it is important to upgrade to remove any network holes, and on the other hand the risk of breaking what is working exists.

Dave and Paul agree to propose to the boards that a basic information system inventory be conducted. They hope to visit locations to gather computer and network hardware and software information. Joe notes that Hillside, Rhinecliff and the Starr Library are themselves “municipalities” and outside of the scope of the inventory.

Joe notes, and the group agrees, that it is not the role of the committee to control IS systems, but to advise. He mentioned seeing boxes of computers, indicating that departments are in control of replacing hardware.

Dave will ask Bruce Washburn to put the proposal of a basic information systems inventory on the Town and Village Board agendas. Dave and Paul will meet before the meetings to discuss the effort.

Dave notes that he plans to put public documents on the web. He notes that Bruce has defined basic goals for the committee worth discussing. Dave also noted that the Web Committee has requested that the Tech Committee define minimum software requirements for doing Web updates. Dave will contact Kerri for clarification.

Systems Administration Plan

Dave noted that at the end of the last meeting there was a call for a “systems administration plan”, and asked for others’ definition of the term.

Paul identified the variety of network systems in place: town clerks and supervisor, assessor, building/zoning (peer-to-peer), bookkeeper and Town Highway departments have their own networks. Paul and Joe explained that the networks are tied together by a central switch, but that they act independently.

The term “voluntarily independent” was offered, and the group agreed that the departments act on their own behalf and the Tech Committee should advisors.

A short discussion on backing up system led to a consensus that the current network configuration will be valuable for backing up in the future. Joe notes that the networks are not running hard.

Joe declares that updated inventory and network documents should be created, bound and defined as a information systems administration plan.

  1. Town/Village Email

Summary:

    • Others will be asked about email services; groups will research appropriate services.
    • Similar research will be conducted regarding email policies.
    • Ultimately the Email Policy and Acceptable Use Policy will be combined into an Information Systems Policy.

Actions:

    • Dave will email Dod, asking what email services other municipalities use.
    • Dave will email Bruce, asking him to check with the Association of Towns for an appropriate email service.
    • Dave will email Bruce, asking him to check with the Association of Towns for email policy and enforcement information.
    • All members will research the web for suitable email services and email policies.
    • Paul’s Acceptable Use Policy will be placed on the website for now.

Mail Service Options

Dave reviewed the short-term goal to employ a mail service that would better control all incoming and outgoing municipal email, archiving it and indexing it for accountability.

At the last meeting Jim Jeffreys had offered to research appropriate email services, but was not in attendance. Other means of research were discussed.

Henry thought that asking Dod was a good resource. Dave will email Dod. All agree that a third party service “cloud” is the way to handle email, outsourcing email and eliminating the risk of managing it internally.

Joe pointed out that Bruce could ask the Association of Towns for a recommendations on services that handle email for FOILing, archiving and indexing. Dave will email Bruce.

Also, all members can search the Internet for suitable email services.

Draft Email Policy

At last meeting Joe offered to create a draft email policy. After starting, he abandoned the effort after realizing that it would have no “teeth”. He discussed with Bruce the possibility of a local law or ethics violation/penalty as a way to enforce that the policy is followed.

An animated discussion on the strength of an email policy began. It was made clear that anyone could use any email address for government purposes, and that it is difficult to require use of municipal mailboxes. At the same time, there is no way to expect members to follow policy without some type of enforcement.

Joe explained that the definition of a public record is clear, and that with an open records law there is no punishment. Henry thought that the municipality should not be trying to enforce policy with penalties or jail.

Again, a request for Bruce to ask the Association of Towns will be made. Hopefully he can obtain information on others’ email policies and their enforcement. Others will perform Internet searches as well.

Paul noted that employees should sign contracts, but holes were poked in the action.

Acceptable Use Policy

At the last meeting the Jeffries provided an Acceptable Use policy for reference. Paul emailed an earlier version of the Town’s Acceptable Use policy. Paul’s version will be placed on the website and will continue to be used for the moment..

Joe proposes combining the Acceptable Use Policy and Email Policy into a single Information Systems Policy. Joe also notes that the third party email service will essentially define, enforce email policy.

  1. Committee Goals, Accomplishments, Budget

Summary:

    • Bruce’s Goals, Accomplishments, Budget document, particularly milestones, was discussed.
    • The committee will budget for general costs, but leave IT budgets to departments.
    • A roadmap will be defined.

Actions:

    • Dave will add IS Inventory to Pending Milestones. Will change “Technology” Roadmap to “IS” Roadmap.
    • Dave will alert Bruce that the Committee will define general budget requirements, but would leave IT budgeting to departments, advising on their requests.
    • Joe will create an outline of a roadmap.
    • Paul will email digital copy of old version of budget, roadmap.

Dave distributed Bruce’s Tech Committee worksheet, containing milestones, open issues, accomplishments and budget. He questioned how to address it. Several pending milestones were already correctly defined. Dave will add IS Inventory to milestones.

Paul would like a definition of an e-record. Joe thinks that the “Technology” Roadmap should be changed to “IS” Roadmap; Dave will change. A clarification of “Annual Technology Roadmap Update” as a rolling period was made.

With regard to budget, the target is June(!). Joe proposed taking a look at the last three years of IT budgets and use a similar value, extracting the budgets out of departments.

Henry states that the committee is a resource for the municipality, and not owner of systems. Joe proposes that we review departmental budgets and make recommendations on the IT portions of their budgets. The budget for general services such as RoadRunner was clarified as coming from the supervisor’s group.

The Tech Committee would therefore request a budget for general services such as internet, email and general hardware. That could be taken to Bruce.

Joe will create an outline of a roadmap.

  1. Online Registration

Summary:

    • Online registration system is ready for single event use.
    • The system depends on the provider to create better rules before employing for more sophisticated use.
    • It is not known whether the Board and Recreation Committee have accepted single event use.

Actions:

    • Dave will ask Bruce the status of the acceptance of the online registration for single event use, Recreation Committee.

The online registration system is ready for single event use, but the provider does not have rules for more sophisticated usage. No one knows whether there was acceptance of single event use at the last Board meeting. As liaison to the Recreation Committee, Bruce will be asked.

At some point a contract with the provider will need to be signed.

  1. Assorted

Summary:

    • Data collection survey is on hold.
    • Invitation for members and Yahoo group members is a good idea.

Actions:

    • Dave will check with Kerri to identify place on website for invitation for members.
    • Dave will ask for minimum browser requirements.

Bob was not present to discuss the data collection survey.

Joe recommends using www.toast.net to determine users’ upload and download speeds.

The idea of advertising for new members was offered. It was agreed that Kerri should be asked for a place on the website for an invitation for residents to participate in the committee. Also, invitation to join the Yahoo email group should be made.

Reminder that minimum software requirements for website editors need to be clarified.

Paul would like to know the minimum browser requirements for web users.

Next Meeting:

Wednesday, June 4th, 8:00 pm at Town Hall