What went well
What should change
· Mixing of tables and categories
· Open exchange of thoughts worked well
· Format of questions
· Questions available before hand
· Did not waste the day
·
· More meetings, more times – afternoon or evening
· More business participations
· College involvement – students – how do we keep them
· Other for-profit businesses
· Agricultural involvement
· Include state-level representation
· Annual IT summit
· Coordination between different groups
·
Other thoughts
· Who is going to make the plan happen?
· Village and town endorsement
· Highlight towns, schools that are doing well with technology
· Market and advertise the plan – radio, print and tv
· County Facebook page?
· Hold “mixers” around the county to get IT & business people talking to each other
· Attend other meetings that are already scheduled
· Section of county webpage set aside on for the committee
LJP Notes:
Training for business to consider capital investments in technology
Provide capital (low interest or no interest financing) for investments in technology
IT Services to local municipalities – desktop, LAN, WAN support, other ‘shared’ requirements like microfilming & scanning
County serve as a clearing house for IT resources – human resources, training services, hardware & software, infrastructure, etc.
Goal:
Locate a mechanism to gather a more comprehensive picture of service availability in SLC
Identify Quality Control mechanism for results received
Sunday, September 14, 2008
Strategic Planning Sessions notes, sessions V
If there were no limitations, what would be the ideal environment for you or your organization to operate in?
· Access, Hardware, Training
o Everyone with a computer, training and access
· Wireless Blimp
· Fiber infrastructure across the county
o Everyhouse hold with computer and broadband
· Keep talent local
o Perhaps subsidize business to keep technicians available
· More help from the universities
o More resources
· Computer literacy volunteers
· Database of health information
o Electronic records tied to biometric data, shared between providers and hospitals
· County-wide cell and wifi
· Centralized recordkeeping for county – online and secure
· Fair competition for purchasing of government equipment
· Live broadcast of all public meetings
· IT staff with continuity
· Common technology level across all towns and villages
· Greater coordination of county and town governments
· No taxes!
· Leadership at the county level that promote s the value of technology
· VTC of conference and workshops
· Limit government regulations
· Consistent infrastructure
· High-speed rail
· Uniform web services across government entities
· Highly attractive for telecommuters
· All businesses provide online services
· Financial incentives to residents to conduct business online
· Technology a basic way of communications
· Training coupled with job opportunities to keep youth in county
· Build trust for telecommuting
· School collaboration with VTC
· VTC to home-bound students
· County “yellow-pages” for businesses
· County hosting directory
· Last mile treated as a public utility
· Stimulate private investment in last mile by providing an open access cable infrastructure
· Face-to-Face consultations virtually
o Localized VTC facilities
· Email tax bills
· Access, Hardware, Training
o Everyone with a computer, training and access
· Wireless Blimp
· Fiber infrastructure across the county
o Everyhouse hold with computer and broadband
· Keep talent local
o Perhaps subsidize business to keep technicians available
· More help from the universities
o More resources
· Computer literacy volunteers
· Database of health information
o Electronic records tied to biometric data, shared between providers and hospitals
· County-wide cell and wifi
· Centralized recordkeeping for county – online and secure
· Fair competition for purchasing of government equipment
· Live broadcast of all public meetings
· IT staff with continuity
· Common technology level across all towns and villages
· Greater coordination of county and town governments
· No taxes!
· Leadership at the county level that promote s the value of technology
· VTC of conference and workshops
· Limit government regulations
· Consistent infrastructure
· High-speed rail
· Uniform web services across government entities
· Highly attractive for telecommuters
· All businesses provide online services
· Financial incentives to residents to conduct business online
· Technology a basic way of communications
· Training coupled with job opportunities to keep youth in county
· Build trust for telecommuting
· School collaboration with VTC
· VTC to home-bound students
· County “yellow-pages” for businesses
· County hosting directory
· Last mile treated as a public utility
· Stimulate private investment in last mile by providing an open access cable infrastructure
· Face-to-Face consultations virtually
o Localized VTC facilities
· Email tax bills
Strategic Planning Sessions notes, sessions IV
What role do you see St Lawrence County government taking to address some of the challenges or limitations identified earlier? Share ideas on specific actions you feel the county should take.
· Basic computer training
o Broker/Coordinate/provide information for – one stop shop?
o Finding grants to help fund training
o Clearinghouse for knowledge of available
o Computer Literacy volunteers?
· Shared services
o County and IT department loan resources to towns and villages
o Economy of scale
o Clearinghouse of info for local towns to coordinate laws, rules and regulations and information portal for residents
o Loaning of seldom use but needed specialized equipment (plotter, scanner etc.)
· Coordinating grants from multiple sources – coordinate local grant availability with county efforts
· County Technology plan and share with localities (not reinvent the wheel)
· Get into the mindset that we are all in this together *break down barriers
· Open up and facilitate communication better among various organizations
o Look for other working sessions
o Prevent duplication of effort among communities
o Adirondack Association of Towns and Villages
§ #1 issue is Broadband
o County reach beyond borders to facilitate shared services
o Email updates
o County Development newsletter
· Grant writing assistance
· County leveraging or enticing expansion of broadband in underserved areas.
· Supporting education and training programs for technology
o Clearinghouse for IT specific training in county
· County work closely with the Chamber of commerce to make sure they are linked in with technology developments
· KISS
· County to be more aggressive in getting funding for projects
· Ensure the money is properly spent
o Metrics and accountability
· A point person in county government to work with towns and villages to on technology
o County take a leadership role
· IT needs a priority, not an add-on
o Same level as roads and bridges
· Boilerplate concept
o How to handle situations in towns
§ Antennae on water tank example
· Commonality in websites from County, town and village
o Common look, feel, and navigation
· Independent IT resource provided by the county to help the towns, villages, etc.
o Include presence at board meetings
· Shared service
o E-government functions
§ Tax, water, sewer
§ Assist municipalities who can’t do it on their own
· Website – one shared hosted site
· Keeping an eye on new technologies and disseminate information to local governments
o Village of Canton – what’s in it for us?
· Public health database
o Help focus county health providers
· County coordinate and make resources available
· Providing an education function
· Facilitate better use of DANC resources in schools
· Making broadband universally available
o Surcharge based funding (example 911)
· County coordinate buying of technology
o Economy of scale
o Cooperative bidding
· Market research on behalf of ISP to find out what the actual demand is and provide to them to extend service
· All the schools send out census surveys – encourage them to ask about internet access
· Basic computer training
o Broker/Coordinate/provide information for – one stop shop?
o Finding grants to help fund training
o Clearinghouse for knowledge of available
o Computer Literacy volunteers?
· Shared services
o County and IT department loan resources to towns and villages
o Economy of scale
o Clearinghouse of info for local towns to coordinate laws, rules and regulations and information portal for residents
o Loaning of seldom use but needed specialized equipment (plotter, scanner etc.)
· Coordinating grants from multiple sources – coordinate local grant availability with county efforts
· County Technology plan and share with localities (not reinvent the wheel)
· Get into the mindset that we are all in this together *break down barriers
· Open up and facilitate communication better among various organizations
o Look for other working sessions
o Prevent duplication of effort among communities
o Adirondack Association of Towns and Villages
§ #1 issue is Broadband
o County reach beyond borders to facilitate shared services
o Email updates
o County Development newsletter
· Grant writing assistance
· County leveraging or enticing expansion of broadband in underserved areas.
· Supporting education and training programs for technology
o Clearinghouse for IT specific training in county
· County work closely with the Chamber of commerce to make sure they are linked in with technology developments
· KISS
· County to be more aggressive in getting funding for projects
· Ensure the money is properly spent
o Metrics and accountability
· A point person in county government to work with towns and villages to on technology
o County take a leadership role
· IT needs a priority, not an add-on
o Same level as roads and bridges
· Boilerplate concept
o How to handle situations in towns
§ Antennae on water tank example
· Commonality in websites from County, town and village
o Common look, feel, and navigation
· Independent IT resource provided by the county to help the towns, villages, etc.
o Include presence at board meetings
· Shared service
o E-government functions
§ Tax, water, sewer
§ Assist municipalities who can’t do it on their own
· Website – one shared hosted site
· Keeping an eye on new technologies and disseminate information to local governments
o Village of Canton – what’s in it for us?
· Public health database
o Help focus county health providers
· County coordinate and make resources available
· Providing an education function
· Facilitate better use of DANC resources in schools
· Making broadband universally available
o Surcharge based funding (example 911)
· County coordinate buying of technology
o Economy of scale
o Cooperative bidding
· Market research on behalf of ISP to find out what the actual demand is and provide to them to extend service
· All the schools send out census surveys – encourage them to ask about internet access
Strategic Planning Sessions notes, sessions III
3. How is your organization limited by what you have access to? What is the workaround you’ve adopted because of it?
· All methods should be used
o Diverse numbers of methods (no one size fits all) – including emerging technologies
· Cell coverage is an issue (public health nurses can’t connect directly)
o Enter data offline
o Dialup (sometimes client phones)
· Residents do all work over the phone (limited use of the the Internet). Online is not an option
· Students don’t always have access to high-speed Internet (limits the amount and type of online materials)
· Govt regulations inhibit access (HIPAA) – cannot use unsecured wireless for transmission of data
· Tech support – No one can afford what they need
· Solution – shared services at the county level may help (web site and technical support to the towns – the BOCES model)
· Nice to have a pool of specialty resources (network engineering, applications programmers, etc)
· Training – time spent in training pulls them aware from the work that needs to be done
· Manual to Automation – the time and money it takes to make the transition is not attainable.
· Capital – having the income to invest in the technology and applications
· Work Around – utilization of open source software to build application s to run the organization as an alternative to off the shelf applications. Single platform can cover many aspects of the business.
· Organizations within the area do not have support , even if the money is available the skills may not exist to implement the technology. Reliant on out of county resources.
· Funding issues – example – there is money for the technology but not funding for the staff to utilize the technology (libraries)
· Intial funding is easier to obtain then ongoing maintenance costs
· Employee resistance to use technology
· Inequity of service in the county based on location and rural areas
· Shared services – smaller municipalities don’t have the funds for expensive technology items, but could use them if available
· Desire by business to use local providers and consultants, but the availability isn’t keeping up with expanding use of technology.
· Young professionals are not willing to move to areas where they can’t get cell phone and Internet access – limits the labor pool and makes retention difficult
· In the past, cabling was limiting. Now that connectivity is in place software programs are not communicating well. Integration of software packages is a limiting fact
· Industry needs to work together locally to get integration
· Home Internet access limits the ability of gov and schools from providing information to residents
· Continuing education – can’t do it locally (provide it) so people are going out of the area. Limited connectivity counters online courses
· Lack of cell coverage limits the ability of employees to get alarms (network etc). Can’t get alarms unless they are home. Must stay home when on call.
· Not enough money for staff to maintain the systems
· Slow phasing is an approach to implementing technology to save on costs
· Flexible plans that allow changing of priorities
· Implementing technology programs in school – teacher education is an issue -
o Peer training can be used to increase usage
· Not getting voicemail, mobile workers not possible
· Physical limitation for PC (library)
· Small business need a technology plan
o Avoid re-active technology implementation
· Elevating IT within the organization – it’s evolved and needs to be more of a focus
· Need for hosted services – small businesses need the technology, but can’t afford a technology staff
· Forum for understanding best practices for small business – shared services, what can & can’t be collaborative
· Education & facilitation for technology use
· Remote areas have no access to cell or broadband – public safety issue
· Seasonal areas – seasonal residents expect services, may go elsewhere to get them.
· End user equity issues
· Lack of consistent infrastructure – difficult for businesses
· Lack of willingness to share infrastructure
· Confusion of who owns data (govt and towns)
o Look to other areas in the state and how they address their issues
· Inertia – where to begin
· Provide and enhance consistency and communication
o Leadership
· All methods should be used
o Diverse numbers of methods (no one size fits all) – including emerging technologies
· Cell coverage is an issue (public health nurses can’t connect directly)
o Enter data offline
o Dialup (sometimes client phones)
· Residents do all work over the phone (limited use of the the Internet). Online is not an option
· Students don’t always have access to high-speed Internet (limits the amount and type of online materials)
· Govt regulations inhibit access (HIPAA) – cannot use unsecured wireless for transmission of data
· Tech support – No one can afford what they need
· Solution – shared services at the county level may help (web site and technical support to the towns – the BOCES model)
· Nice to have a pool of specialty resources (network engineering, applications programmers, etc)
· Training – time spent in training pulls them aware from the work that needs to be done
· Manual to Automation – the time and money it takes to make the transition is not attainable.
· Capital – having the income to invest in the technology and applications
· Work Around – utilization of open source software to build application s to run the organization as an alternative to off the shelf applications. Single platform can cover many aspects of the business.
· Organizations within the area do not have support , even if the money is available the skills may not exist to implement the technology. Reliant on out of county resources.
· Funding issues – example – there is money for the technology but not funding for the staff to utilize the technology (libraries)
· Intial funding is easier to obtain then ongoing maintenance costs
· Employee resistance to use technology
· Inequity of service in the county based on location and rural areas
· Shared services – smaller municipalities don’t have the funds for expensive technology items, but could use them if available
· Desire by business to use local providers and consultants, but the availability isn’t keeping up with expanding use of technology.
· Young professionals are not willing to move to areas where they can’t get cell phone and Internet access – limits the labor pool and makes retention difficult
· In the past, cabling was limiting. Now that connectivity is in place software programs are not communicating well. Integration of software packages is a limiting fact
· Industry needs to work together locally to get integration
· Home Internet access limits the ability of gov and schools from providing information to residents
· Continuing education – can’t do it locally (provide it) so people are going out of the area. Limited connectivity counters online courses
· Lack of cell coverage limits the ability of employees to get alarms (network etc). Can’t get alarms unless they are home. Must stay home when on call.
· Not enough money for staff to maintain the systems
· Slow phasing is an approach to implementing technology to save on costs
· Flexible plans that allow changing of priorities
· Implementing technology programs in school – teacher education is an issue -
o Peer training can be used to increase usage
· Not getting voicemail, mobile workers not possible
· Physical limitation for PC (library)
· Small business need a technology plan
o Avoid re-active technology implementation
· Elevating IT within the organization – it’s evolved and needs to be more of a focus
· Need for hosted services – small businesses need the technology, but can’t afford a technology staff
· Forum for understanding best practices for small business – shared services, what can & can’t be collaborative
· Education & facilitation for technology use
· Remote areas have no access to cell or broadband – public safety issue
· Seasonal areas – seasonal residents expect services, may go elsewhere to get them.
· End user equity issues
· Lack of consistent infrastructure – difficult for businesses
· Lack of willingness to share infrastructure
· Confusion of who owns data (govt and towns)
o Look to other areas in the state and how they address their issues
· Inertia – where to begin
· Provide and enhance consistency and communication
o Leadership
Strategic Planning Sessions notes, sessions I & II
What are some positive things you/your organization are doing with technology and what resources do you utilize to make it happen?
· Fiber connectivity between branches
· Data voice convergence
· Wifi in buildings
· City wide wifi projects
· Customer service increase with technology mobility/email
· Video Conferencing extensive use
· Healthcare – communications between patients/physician/order entry electronic medical records
· Bar code scanning for supply management
· More us in daily business practices
· Work at home opportunities – reducing increasing utility costs
o Nicholville, Kinney
· Website communication to parents from schools
o Lunch money entered online – with tracking
· Distance learning opportunities
o Saving on travel – virtual field trips
o 98% of Canton College involve technology
· VOIP to Bosnia
· Moving towards paperless – state reporting is electronic
· 4 day work week (work at home)
· Economic development (teleconferencing)
· Connect through the D of Labor
· Kinney has redundant connectivity to all buildings
· Electronic access to library databases (state provided)
· Chamber of Commerce –
o Increase small business with online ordering/marketing
· Tax collection on line (piercefield)
· Electronic reservations for state parks
· Massena and United helpers
o Communication open with other hospitals and providers
o Consultation with experts
o Centralized management for UH (business processes)
· Town of Stockholm
o DSL from Nicholville
o Resource for residents
· Northbay
o Able to be located here based on communication connectivity
o Business paperwork all online
· Remotely connecting to other companies and doing work on line – moving to VOIP
· Home based employees
· Rotating regional programs for health programs (dental hygiene)
o JCC and Broome CC
· School is the hub of access for Clifton-fine community
o Distance learning programs
· Free internet access at Libraries
· St Lawrence – web based systems for students and administration
· Webcasting of video
· Tying together disperse organizations (intra and inter)
· Remote monitoring of devices (DANC)
· Backup data outside of the area (online backups)
· Ability to change the way we work,live and get information
· Real property – PDF online of taxrolls
· Wireless courtroom
· High School VTC
· Extensive offering of online course – flexible learning options
· Video Conferencing international faculty and students
2. Overall, what are your organizations biggest challenges?
· Cultural challenge of technology
o Resistance of providing information (public record)
o Can lead to a lack of financial support
· Organization leadership is not there to use technology to be productive (technology enhance productivity)
· Customers and end users lack knowledge to use technology
o Need critical thinking skills training
· Students that are not successful in High School are lacking IT skills (and they stay in area)
· Value of the technology needs awareness (investment)
· Fuel Costs
· Remote Geography
· Employee recruitment (finding nearby)
· Population decline (infrastructure may be geared towards higher numbers)
· Taxes and cost of doing business in NYS (residential, business, licensing)
· Employee retention
o Especially in the IT sector
· Ability to maintain the technology they have
o Old technology - finding money for refreshing technology
· Building an interactive website and associated security (small business challenge)
· Employees access private business systems (terminal server or VPN) ability of the system to allow remote access
· Education
o In Clifton – most residents don’t have access at home – leads to abuse at school (email, web, etc)
o Parents are “scared” of the Internet
· Quality services for technical components
o Resources aren’t in the area (can’t find qualified service)
· Lack of access to skilled labor
o Technical skill backgrounds (healthcare) specialists
· Population density
· Duplication of infrastructure (shared skilled labor and infrastructure)
o Every town has the same personnel and software
· Dependent on roads for transportation
· Lack of access to an airport
· Lack of physical space (increase in record keeping requirements)
o Offsets space for personnel
· Staff resistance to adopting to new technologies
· Businesses needed to be willing to partner with others in the IT area
o Newton Falls – money to assist also benefitted the community
o CPH has a large fiber backbone to other hospitals – restricted to medical purposes only (grant stipulation) – wastes excess capacity
· Lack of training (needed) for IT users
· Access at home impacts the ability to do work or school at home
· HIPAA regulations – balance access and security
· Employee retention and recruitment, keeping people in area (graduates)
· Services at the county and state level are lacking (airports)
o Centralizing systems
· Lack of cell phone coverage
o Keeping in touch with people
o Need to provide basic services for business development
o Making sure expectations are met when business choose to locate here
· Challenges on who takes the lead on initiatives (government or private industry)
· Govt can hold back private industry from doing it’s own thing
· Private industry may “skim the cream” and leave out underserved areas
· Access to broadband across county and how to serve all communities
· Privacy issues concerning amount of data available on Internet
·
· Fiber connectivity between branches
· Data voice convergence
· Wifi in buildings
· City wide wifi projects
· Customer service increase with technology mobility/email
· Video Conferencing extensive use
· Healthcare – communications between patients/physician/order entry electronic medical records
· Bar code scanning for supply management
· More us in daily business practices
· Work at home opportunities – reducing increasing utility costs
o Nicholville, Kinney
· Website communication to parents from schools
o Lunch money entered online – with tracking
· Distance learning opportunities
o Saving on travel – virtual field trips
o 98% of Canton College involve technology
· VOIP to Bosnia
· Moving towards paperless – state reporting is electronic
· 4 day work week (work at home)
· Economic development (teleconferencing)
· Connect through the D of Labor
· Kinney has redundant connectivity to all buildings
· Electronic access to library databases (state provided)
· Chamber of Commerce –
o Increase small business with online ordering/marketing
· Tax collection on line (piercefield)
· Electronic reservations for state parks
· Massena and United helpers
o Communication open with other hospitals and providers
o Consultation with experts
o Centralized management for UH (business processes)
· Town of Stockholm
o DSL from Nicholville
o Resource for residents
· Northbay
o Able to be located here based on communication connectivity
o Business paperwork all online
· Remotely connecting to other companies and doing work on line – moving to VOIP
· Home based employees
· Rotating regional programs for health programs (dental hygiene)
o JCC and Broome CC
· School is the hub of access for Clifton-fine community
o Distance learning programs
· Free internet access at Libraries
· St Lawrence – web based systems for students and administration
· Webcasting of video
· Tying together disperse organizations (intra and inter)
· Remote monitoring of devices (DANC)
· Backup data outside of the area (online backups)
· Ability to change the way we work,live and get information
· Real property – PDF online of taxrolls
· Wireless courtroom
· High School VTC
· Extensive offering of online course – flexible learning options
· Video Conferencing international faculty and students
2. Overall, what are your organizations biggest challenges?
· Cultural challenge of technology
o Resistance of providing information (public record)
o Can lead to a lack of financial support
· Organization leadership is not there to use technology to be productive (technology enhance productivity)
· Customers and end users lack knowledge to use technology
o Need critical thinking skills training
· Students that are not successful in High School are lacking IT skills (and they stay in area)
· Value of the technology needs awareness (investment)
· Fuel Costs
· Remote Geography
· Employee recruitment (finding nearby)
· Population decline (infrastructure may be geared towards higher numbers)
· Taxes and cost of doing business in NYS (residential, business, licensing)
· Employee retention
o Especially in the IT sector
· Ability to maintain the technology they have
o Old technology - finding money for refreshing technology
· Building an interactive website and associated security (small business challenge)
· Employees access private business systems (terminal server or VPN) ability of the system to allow remote access
· Education
o In Clifton – most residents don’t have access at home – leads to abuse at school (email, web, etc)
o Parents are “scared” of the Internet
· Quality services for technical components
o Resources aren’t in the area (can’t find qualified service)
· Lack of access to skilled labor
o Technical skill backgrounds (healthcare) specialists
· Population density
· Duplication of infrastructure (shared skilled labor and infrastructure)
o Every town has the same personnel and software
· Dependent on roads for transportation
· Lack of access to an airport
· Lack of physical space (increase in record keeping requirements)
o Offsets space for personnel
· Staff resistance to adopting to new technologies
· Businesses needed to be willing to partner with others in the IT area
o Newton Falls – money to assist also benefitted the community
o CPH has a large fiber backbone to other hospitals – restricted to medical purposes only (grant stipulation) – wastes excess capacity
· Lack of training (needed) for IT users
· Access at home impacts the ability to do work or school at home
· HIPAA regulations – balance access and security
· Employee retention and recruitment, keeping people in area (graduates)
· Services at the county and state level are lacking (airports)
o Centralizing systems
· Lack of cell phone coverage
o Keeping in touch with people
o Need to provide basic services for business development
o Making sure expectations are met when business choose to locate here
· Challenges on who takes the lead on initiatives (government or private industry)
· Govt can hold back private industry from doing it’s own thing
· Private industry may “skim the cream” and leave out underserved areas
· Access to broadband across county and how to serve all communities
· Privacy issues concerning amount of data available on Internet
·
08-28-08 Meeting Minutes
St. Lawrence County
Information Technology Advisory Committee
August 28, 2008, 2pm
Location: Human Service Conference Room, Canton, NY
Meeting Minutes
Present: Sign in sheet handed out (Laura Perry has on file)
No minutes to approve from the July 24, 2008 meeting (strategic planning event).
1) Pat McKeown, Executive Director of the St. Lawrence County Chamber of Commerce provided a description of the current plan to use the broadband grant funding received from Senator Clinton. She described the funding source as having a broad goal of improving broadband access to unserved and underserved areas of St. Lawrence County and it is to be used for economic development purposes. The amount of the grant is $196,000 and it is being run through HUD (US Dept of Housing and Urban Development). Ms. McKeown explained that she sought the input of private providers, DANC, SLC Planning Dept and the IT Committee in preparing this plan.
The plan is for the Chamber to partner with DANC, to utilize its existing fiber backbone and to target three communities, those being (1) Hammond/Morristown, (2) Lisbon/Waddington, (3) Norfolk/Lousiville/Brasher. The Chamber will issue an RFP in the winter 2009 which will invite all providers with preference given to local providers, to provide a proposal to provide service to the target communities. The grant will provide matching funds to aid the providers in their proposal to deliver service.
Beyond the ‘who’ and the ‘where’, Ms. McKeown admitted that not much detail on the ‘how’ has been worked through yet. The committee offered suggestions on items to include in the RFP designed to help ensure the end product they are seeking, namely the desire of providing cost competitive universal broadband services to residents and businesses alike. The chamber should take measures to ensure the funding is used to get access for the customers that are costly for providers to serve, and to avoid crème skimming as has been the criticism of such efforts in the past. Laura is to provide those suggestions to Pat in a follow up email. A suggestion was made that if the Chamber’s model is successful, the committee may seek additional funds which could be used in additional communities.
2) Laura mentioned the opportunity with the Shared Services Grant offered by NYS. Several opportunities were identified where the County can serve as a service provider or a central clearinghouse for services at the local municipalities. The Shared Services Grant may be an opportunity to initiate this effort. Carrie Tuttle mentioned a tight time frame for getting local municipalities to commit and to prepare applications. A short list of some of the opportunities include: web services, tech support services/LAN, equipment sharing, equipment purchasing, data backup and storage, and data imaging. Carrie Tuttle also mentioned other possible sources of funding including NYS Archives. Committee should check in with Patty Richie.
3) Laura mentioned the Fort Drum Regional Planning effort and their North Country Telemedicine Project. Two of SLC’s hospitals were left out of the network, Massena Memorial Hospital and Claxton Hepburn, because of their physical distance from Fort Drum. It is thought that if the hospitals are interested in joining the effort, that there may be an opportunity at the Federal level for funding. Phil Deleel was to check into Claxton’s interest in the project. Laura is to contact Massena Memorial to find out if they are interested. Also, Laura is to speak with the director of the Fort Drum organization to see if she can offer assistance.
Pat Turbett offered that NYS Department of Health representative visits SLC each month and may offer some suggestions on funding opportunities for such an effort. His name is Peter Galeriesy and Pat will check to see if he could attend a future meeting to offer some advice.
3) As a suggestion from the legislature, the committee is asked to pass on to the Web Site Committee/Ruth Doyle to enable the new SLC site with a listing of County employee salaries, similar to what is available on http://www.seethroughnewyork.com/. The thought is that this information is FOIL’able, and we should be proactive in providing it before we receive a request for it. Laura will pass this on to Ruth.
4) Finally, Laura led a brief discussion on next steps with the strategic planning effort and a preparing a budget request for 2009. Budgets are currently being prepared and we should put a request in now for any projects the committee would like to undertake in 2009. Those present offered suggestions on requesting funds to finalize the strategic planning effort, funds for the NYS grants we have discussed, and for the mapping effort. Jon Montan cautioned the group to identify more clearly the objectives for the mapping project so that there is a useful outcome.
Members present discussed the status of the strategic planning event. It was recommended that the worksheets from the event be distributed to all members of the committee for their review. It was recommended that we focus September’s meeting as a working session to summarize and identify the outcomes of all inputs. The goal felt it important to finalize this effort by end of 2008. Laura will circulate to the committee and highlight the collective effort in September to summarize the data.
There was also a discussion about revitalizing meeting attendance. Laura will distribute a meeting schedule for the remainder of the year, and invite possible new committee members to join the effort.
Information Technology Advisory Committee
August 28, 2008, 2pm
Location: Human Service Conference Room, Canton, NY
Meeting Minutes
Present: Sign in sheet handed out (Laura Perry has on file)
No minutes to approve from the July 24, 2008 meeting (strategic planning event).
1) Pat McKeown, Executive Director of the St. Lawrence County Chamber of Commerce provided a description of the current plan to use the broadband grant funding received from Senator Clinton. She described the funding source as having a broad goal of improving broadband access to unserved and underserved areas of St. Lawrence County and it is to be used for economic development purposes. The amount of the grant is $196,000 and it is being run through HUD (US Dept of Housing and Urban Development). Ms. McKeown explained that she sought the input of private providers, DANC, SLC Planning Dept and the IT Committee in preparing this plan.
The plan is for the Chamber to partner with DANC, to utilize its existing fiber backbone and to target three communities, those being (1) Hammond/Morristown, (2) Lisbon/Waddington, (3) Norfolk/Lousiville/Brasher. The Chamber will issue an RFP in the winter 2009 which will invite all providers with preference given to local providers, to provide a proposal to provide service to the target communities. The grant will provide matching funds to aid the providers in their proposal to deliver service.
Beyond the ‘who’ and the ‘where’, Ms. McKeown admitted that not much detail on the ‘how’ has been worked through yet. The committee offered suggestions on items to include in the RFP designed to help ensure the end product they are seeking, namely the desire of providing cost competitive universal broadband services to residents and businesses alike. The chamber should take measures to ensure the funding is used to get access for the customers that are costly for providers to serve, and to avoid crème skimming as has been the criticism of such efforts in the past. Laura is to provide those suggestions to Pat in a follow up email. A suggestion was made that if the Chamber’s model is successful, the committee may seek additional funds which could be used in additional communities.
2) Laura mentioned the opportunity with the Shared Services Grant offered by NYS. Several opportunities were identified where the County can serve as a service provider or a central clearinghouse for services at the local municipalities. The Shared Services Grant may be an opportunity to initiate this effort. Carrie Tuttle mentioned a tight time frame for getting local municipalities to commit and to prepare applications. A short list of some of the opportunities include: web services, tech support services/LAN, equipment sharing, equipment purchasing, data backup and storage, and data imaging. Carrie Tuttle also mentioned other possible sources of funding including NYS Archives. Committee should check in with Patty Richie.
3) Laura mentioned the Fort Drum Regional Planning effort and their North Country Telemedicine Project. Two of SLC’s hospitals were left out of the network, Massena Memorial Hospital and Claxton Hepburn, because of their physical distance from Fort Drum. It is thought that if the hospitals are interested in joining the effort, that there may be an opportunity at the Federal level for funding. Phil Deleel was to check into Claxton’s interest in the project. Laura is to contact Massena Memorial to find out if they are interested. Also, Laura is to speak with the director of the Fort Drum organization to see if she can offer assistance.
Pat Turbett offered that NYS Department of Health representative visits SLC each month and may offer some suggestions on funding opportunities for such an effort. His name is Peter Galeriesy and Pat will check to see if he could attend a future meeting to offer some advice.
3) As a suggestion from the legislature, the committee is asked to pass on to the Web Site Committee/Ruth Doyle to enable the new SLC site with a listing of County employee salaries, similar to what is available on http://www.seethroughnewyork.com/. The thought is that this information is FOIL’able, and we should be proactive in providing it before we receive a request for it. Laura will pass this on to Ruth.
4) Finally, Laura led a brief discussion on next steps with the strategic planning effort and a preparing a budget request for 2009. Budgets are currently being prepared and we should put a request in now for any projects the committee would like to undertake in 2009. Those present offered suggestions on requesting funds to finalize the strategic planning effort, funds for the NYS grants we have discussed, and for the mapping effort. Jon Montan cautioned the group to identify more clearly the objectives for the mapping project so that there is a useful outcome.
Members present discussed the status of the strategic planning event. It was recommended that the worksheets from the event be distributed to all members of the committee for their review. It was recommended that we focus September’s meeting as a working session to summarize and identify the outcomes of all inputs. The goal felt it important to finalize this effort by end of 2008. Laura will circulate to the committee and highlight the collective effort in September to summarize the data.
There was also a discussion about revitalizing meeting attendance. Laura will distribute a meeting schedule for the remainder of the year, and invite possible new committee members to join the effort.
Meeting Agenda 08_28_08
St. Lawrence County
Information Technology Advisory Committee
Meeting Agenda
8/28/08, 2:00 pm – 4:00 pm
2nd fl conf room, Human Services Building, Canton, New York
Information Technology Advisory Committee
Meeting Agenda
8/28/08, 2:00 pm – 4:00 pm
2nd fl conf room, Human Services Building, Canton, New York
Welcome New Committee Members & Meeting Attendees
No minutes to accept because of the strategic planning session in July
Subcommittee Reports:
G1 - Strategic Plan for Universal Broadband Coverage
Review strategic planning session findings and outcomes
G2 - Broadband Access Map to Establish Baseline & Target Areas
G3 - Grant Funding for Broadband Initiatives
Clinton Broadband Grant
NYS Consolidation Grants
Fort Drum Regional Telemedicine Grant, Federal Grant
G4 - SLC Government Technology Projects
List on new County website all County employees salary information, ask P Turbett for State wide example
Committee is being asked to provide input on County’s current IT structure, operations, and duties/responsibilities as it considers restructuring/consolidation of IT functions, Volunteers? Meeting 9/4 @ 4pm in BOL Chambers
4. New Business:
New Visions
Questions & Discussion
Action Items for Next Meeting
Next Meeting:
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