02-07-2000 - Laserfiche WebLink

Commission Minutes--February 7, 2000 2092 Plan, the timeline for preparing staff job descriptions was January 2-22, 2000. Mr. Willis referred to guidelines and dates for having certain tasks completed in the Transition Action Plan and said he will update the Commission periodically as tasks are completed. Robert Holmbeck, Cass County Information Services Director, addressed the Board at this time and provided a brief history on the software program which his staff has been writing for the jail management information system. He said there are four functions of the current system that need to be added, such as a commissary program, inmate fund accounting, inmate tracking, and other areas common to jail information systems. He believes it is best to continue modifying the current system when considering the long-term goal. Mrs. Schneider said this seems to be in direct contrast with discussions held last November with the consultants from Foss/Kimme and Associates. She and Commissioner Wieland served on a subcommittee, along with Sheriff Don Rudnick, which held two meetings with the transition team and the consultants. After hearing today's discussion, she said it appears items #2a-#21 could be eliminated. Mr. Holmbeck also met with the transition team, the subcommittee and the consultants, and since that time, he said he has looked at the basis for the consultant's recommendations and disagrees with their basis. At this point, he said there are many things that could be added to make the current system more functional, and it is his opinion that it would be more work to integrate multiple systems than it would be to maintain and modify the existing software. Mrs. Schneider asked if he researched other jail software packages, and Mr. Holmbeck said he has contacted a number of vendors and is waiting for more detailed information and costs from them. Michael Montplaisir, County Auditor, and member ofthe jail transition team, said some members of the transition team, the subcommittee and the consultants were not aware that a new software program was being written in-house at the time they held their meetings. Mrs. Quick said she is concerned about the time involved in county staff writing the program and researching new programs. Mr. Holmbeck said he has one staff member modifying the existing program, and he is researching new programs. Mr. Holmbeck said he does not understand the timeline in the Transition Action Plan to have the new software package completed between November of 1999 and January 1, 2001. Mrs. Johnson said these dates were suggested because of the complexity and the time it takes to finalize a software package. The goal is to have the program operational for new employee hires, she said. Also, Mrs. Johnson wanted to clarify an earlier statement that there are four components which need to be added to the jail software. She said these are examples of what needs to be incorporated into the new system, but cautioned that this is not an all-inclusive list. Mr. Willis said the jail software program was written in 1988, and he met with the county's programmers to inform them what is needed so parts of the system can be used by other county departments. He said he is traveling to Duluth and Stillwater, Minnesota, in the next couple of weeks to get ideas of what other agencies are using for their management information system. 12. VOUCHERS, Aooroved MOTION, passed Mrs. Schneider moved and Mr. Koenig seconded to approve Voucher No. 136,515 through No. 137,087. On roll call vote, motion carried unanimously.