Information Technology Services

The City of Sandpoint contracted with an outside IT consultant to perform an audit of our IT system and services, including GIS, communications and audio/visual capabilities. Client First Technology Consulting was selected as our consultant in the Spring of 2020. They have completed hundreds of similar audits and strategic plans for governments across the country. Their final presentation and report will be issued by late July. It is anticipated that it will include structural changes which may change the budget categories listed below. These changes will be presented to Council during one of the budget workshops and will not exceed the budget presented below.

Client First has provided the City with a completed five-year Capital Improvement Plan and the FY 2021 budget as presented includes $200,000 of Equipment/Upgrades as recommended in the IT assessment/audit for year one. An additional $178,000 of Information Technology Equipment/Upgrades as recommended has been included in the General Government Project and Grant budget (1970) as they will be grant funded through the CARES Act. These one-time improvements enhance City employees' ability to work remotely and provide for enhanced electronic service to the public. The recommendations for fiscal year 2021 include:

* Implementation of an Enterprise Asset Management (EAM) System which will provide work order and preventative and responsive maintenance management for all divisions across the City. In addition, it will improve our planning and building permit modules. This effort will include additional training for staff.

* Bid Management Software

* Electronic Content Management System (ECMS) Improvements which will include a collaboration assessment of Laserfiche vs. shared files. In Fiscal Year 2023, the City will move from it's current server-based Laserfiche platform to the cloud.

* New City website with improved search and interactive capabilities

* Move to cloud-based applications. In Fiscal Year 2020, implementation of Office 365 has begun and this will be followed by OneDrive. These efforts may continue into Fiscal Year 2021 and therefore the budgets have been carried over.

* Renovating two conference rooms to be zoom rooms which will provide for improved electronic meetings (funded by CARES Act)

* Renovating Council Chambers and designated overflow areas to provide improved audiovisual capabilities for electronic and in-person meeting attendance and accommodation of social distancing (funded by CARES Act)

* Wireless network improvements at City Hall which will expand to indoor/outdoor facility coverage and the Police Department which does not currently have wireless service

In addition, there will be an effort to standardize document collaboration and storage, enhance cybersecurity and IT operations capabilities, integrate GIS with enterprise applications (including full integration with BS&A) and other efforts to improve mobile capabilities for City employees which provides for improved customer service.