TITLE
Recommendation to request City Manager to implement as soon as possible, and within 30 days, the Lotus Notes public calendar system.
DISCUSSION
In November of 2009, the City Council approved a recommendation for the City Manager to "study and report back to Council within 60 days on the possible technological approaches and cost of making Councilmembers' calendars public and available online, and to include other elected officials who wish to participate in this process."
In December, the City Manager reported that Technology Services had identified two possible systems for accomplishing this goal. Each one was relatively inexpensive, and staff recommended one that has significant advantages in terms of ease of use and timesavings. The system recommended by staff would also work with the Lotus Notes email and calendar system already utilized by the City. Privacy is easily ensured with a single click. The set-up cost of that system is estimated to be approximately $6,500 in staff time. There are no on-going costs.
Implementing this system would allow public officials who choose to do so to more easily communicate with constituents and the general public, and generate a greater sense of openness and transparency in the City, without adding financial or time costs to the operations of elected officials' offices, and with minimal cost to the City. Officials would join or quit this program any time they wished to.
SUGGESTED ACTION
Approve recommendation.
Respectfully Submitted,
Councilmember Robert Garcia, First District
Councilmember Gary Delong, Third District
Councilmember Gerrie Schipske, Fifth District
Council member Dee Andrews, Sixth District