2002-06-26 CC Packet - Laserfiche WebLink

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2 ~ MANAGING LOCAL GOVERNMENT COMPUTER SYSTEMS: A BEST PRACTICES REVIEW Most local governments already have computer systems in place. Most local governments use their own staff to maintain some portion of their computer systems' daily operations. Report Summary: The core elements of a computer system are its hardware, software, and data, but to be complete, a computer system also needs the staff, facilities, and a management program to support the core. While most local governments have computer systems in place, the systems' complexity varies. Most counties, school districts, and large cities have computer networks, but just 11 percent of cities with populations under 500 have networked computers and 27 percent reported having no personal computers at ail. Local govermnents' options for managing their computer systems are to rely on their own staff, join an intergovernmental computer collaboration, work with computer vendors, or use a mix of these options. Minnesota Local Governments Use a Variety of Options to Manage Their Computer Systems An intergovermnental computer collaboration is a group of/ocal governments cooperating on common technology objectives and governed by a joint powers agreement. Ail Minnesota counties belong to one or more of three computer collaborations designed to meet certain data processing needs unique to counties, such as computing property taxes. One city-oriented computer collaboration exists and offers a range of automated services from business licensing to utility billing. School districts may receive technology services from collaborations known as "service cooperatives" and regional management information centers, which exist around the state. Based on a fail 200 I survey of/ocal govermnents, counties and school districts were more likely than cities to report using computer collaborations to manage at least some of their computer systems. The computer collaborations provide local govermnents with specialized technological expertise, staff networking opportunities, chances to avoid purchasing certain equipment or software, and a degr"e of control over the design of customized software applications. At the same time, local governments that use collaborations have to spend more time and effort to plan and work with other members of the group, and they need to be aware that relying on a third party for their core technology services holds some risks. Plus, there is a loss of individual control inherent with group decision making. By contrast, computer vendors are private firms that sell or coordinate hardware, software, management expertise, and support for networks and computers. Forty percent of cities, compared with 22 percent of counties and 14 percent of school districts, reported using computer vendors for most or all of their computer systems' updating, security, and daily operations. Computer vendors offer local governments specialized expertise and opportunities to avoid hiring their own staff or purchasing certain equipment or software. On the other hand, local governments that work with vendors need to follow careful contract management practices and be aware of the risks involved with relying on a third party for technology services. Further, they may have little control over pricing, schedules, and service feamres. Most local governments use their own staff to manage at least some of the daily operations of their computer systems. About 84 percent of counties, 71 percent of cities, and 86 percent of school districts reported that their own staff perform most or all of their computer systems' upkeep; Using their own staff to manage computer systems gives local governments a high degree of control over the services but carries the costs of employing highly skilled personnel. Most of Minnesota's local governments use a mix of options to manage their computer systems. About three-quarters of the local governments surveyed, including most counties and school