The Virginian-Pilot
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VIRGINIA BEACH
Few gizmos inspire as much tech envy as the iPad, and Virginia Beach City Council members are not immune.
The Beach is the latest city in the region to look into getting the tablet computers for its council members.
Norfolk council members started using them this summer for government business. Council members in Hampton and Williamsburg migrated to the technology earlier this year. Even the state has a pilot program to test how General Assembly members like the iPad.
"If we're going to be a green city, we need to act like one," Beach Councilman Jim Wood said.
The iPads are cheaper than laptops, and city staff members could cut printing and paper costs for the thick stack of information packets they send to council members every week, Wood said.
Beach officials estimate the printing costs at $12,000 a year.
Norfolk officials expect to save about $10,000 on copying costs every year using the iPad, said Hap Cluff, the head of that city's technology department.
Equipping council members with iPads cost Norfolk about $6,400, Cluff said.
Beach officials are looking at converting the agenda packet and other information that council members get every Friday into an electronic format that could be accessed with an iPad, said Gwen Cowart, the city's communications and information technology director.
Currently, city staff members deliver the packets.
The Beach already provides council members with laptops, although only four of the 11 members take up the offer.
The iPads would replace the laptops, but there are some drawbacks, Cowart said.
Council members won't be able to easily type up documents or create spreadsheets on their iPads, she said.
If the council opts for the iPads, their laptops would be put to use by city staff, Cowart said.
Cowart is scheduled to give City Council members a presentation on the technology and the iPad later this month.
Whether council members get iPads and who should pick up the cost still needs to be discussed, Councilman Glenn Davis said.
But at the very least, the Beach should convert the agendas and documents into an electronic format, Davis said.
Deirdre Fernandes, (757) 222-5121, deirdre.fernandes@pilotonline.com
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To the Farest Member of Them All.........
So -- the poll results at this current time show 12% (124 votes) and 85% (846 votes) with only 3% not sure. So I can only imagine that when council members see this poll - (which I am absolutely 100% positive they have already been looking) they will undoubtedly see that since 12% of respondents think it is a good idea then it must be a good idea! Let's get that city American Express card out right away -- and make sure when the order is placed we don't get the entry level 16GB iPad -- make sure we get the 64GB iPad with Wi-Fi + 3G -- and please do not forget the icing on the cake - my free personal engraving!
Disagree on Paper Cost Cutting
I have no facts to back up my claim in the subject header. However, experience shows me that every government agency that tries to go fully electronic or even company, fails in one regard, archives.
Until a digital archive is available for all the people who are authorized or provide oversite to see or view, paper will still have to be kept.
As an IT contractor, who travels quite a bit, for different agencies requiring ethernet connections, expense reports are a must. Those expense reports are filed electronically, however, even in this day in age where receipts can be placed into the report, a paper backup of originals must be sent in weekly as a backup.
With Respect,
Kirk Smith
interesting form of censorship?
its kinda strange how the vp deems it to 'cleanse' remarks....all i said was...they don't have money for raises and city supplies...but they have money for something that isn't supported by COMIT???..interesting...
Are You Kidding Me?
This is so typical of the Virginia Beach government trying to be Beverly Hills on a military budget. I don't care if it is only $6-7K, they don't need what they already have access to with their laptops. Save it as a PDF if you want to go paperless. Thousands have already switched over to the PDF model for e-books and are making a ton of money that way.
This is the kind of bull that they favor - more important it seems than refurbishing and upgrading schools to make them the best in the country. Education and leaving no child behind is more important than appearances. The Virginia Beach Government needs to get a clue.
No!
Only 4 out of the 11 take up the offer to use the city-provided laptops now? That must mean the rest use their own laptops or PCs... and they should buy their own iPads if they want to use them. Then there is the cost of converting everything to a digital format for their use and training to use the tools. City Council members don't even respond to email today, what makes anyone believe this will be better?
I'll just bet that some of these old dinosours that we reelected
I'll just bet that some of these old dinosours that we reelected for city council can't even use a laptop to cut and paste, edit and save, and are clueless when it comes to excel spreadsheets, which I would think is a must when crunching numbers for each and every project they have to review to approve or disapprove. Or do they use high school interns to do all that!
Serously?
Some city council members don't even read the briefs and information packets (Ms Wilson has been called on it several times during meetings), and now they want to spend money on expensive devices that the council still won't look at? If the City Council wants to show they are fiscally responsible, care about the budget, and are looking out for the best interest of the voters and residents in Virginia Beach, they should use the current laptops they have been given and don't buy the new Ipads. Or, if they are set on getting them, have the council pay for them out of their own pocket. The taxpayers are already footing the bill for enough ridiculous spending done by the council.
Spelling counts...
Yeah, my subject line should have read "Seriously?" Sorry about that.
hmmmm
Ipads start out at $499.00 on Apple's website for the 16GB base model.
A base model laptop at Best Buy is $350.00 to $450.00, depending on the name brand.
Even if there was some sort of corporate or non-profit discount, the laptops would still be cheaper. Please, Virginia Beach, do not look at Norfolk to model from. Or just admit that city council members want a new toy.
If they had any sense, netbooks, which go from $200.00-$350.00, would be the best answer to saving paper and ink.
The Thumbs Down on some of these posts...
Must be from CC members.
:-)