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11.b. Paperless Agenda ProgramTO: ClTY COUNCIL FROM: KELLY WETMORE, DIRECTOR OF LEGISLATIVE AND INFORMATION SERVICESICITY CLERK 39' SUBJECT: CONSIDERATION OF IMPLEMENTATION OF A PAPERLESS AGENDA PROGRAM FOR ClTY COUNCIL AGENDAS DATE: MAY 8,2012 RECOMMENDATION: Staff recommends that the City Council: 1) consider a proposal on the implementation of a paperless agenda program through the acquisition of iPads for use by the City Council and designated staff; 2) review the Alternatives; and 3) approve Alternative 1. IMPACT ON FINANCIAL AND PERSONNEL RESOURCES: The financial impact could vary depending on how many iPads are purchased and whether the devices are mobile data internet capable. The initial cost of purchasing one Apple iPad ranges from $399 to $829, including warranty, and $20 to $80 per month per device for a mobile data plan. To implement this project, staff recommends the purchase of eight (8) iPads (5 for City Council, 1 for the City Manager's Office, 1 for the City Clerk's Office, and 1 for the Information Technology Manager) with mobile data capability. It is proposed to consider expanding the program in phases as it relates to use by other Department Directors. The cost savings will be realized over a 2 - 4 year period by eliminating paper printing costs and reducing staff time spent copying, compiling, and hand delivering paper Agenda packets. The iPad will remain City property and will be returned when a Council or staff member leaves City employment. Based upon the recommended iPad model and data plan, the total cost of equipment would be $5,032 + tax and shipping with a recurring mobile data plan cost of $240/month for eight (8) devices and $600 for basic accessories (case, screen protector). The cost could be less if any Council or staff member already owns and chooses to utilize their personal iPad device. In those cases, there would be a reduction in the equipment cost, and a $30 allowance for the data plan is recommended to be provided to the user, pursuant to the City's existirlg administrative policy. BACKGROUND: At the March 27, 2012 meeting, Mayor Ferrara requested, and the Council concurred, to direct staff to prepare an agenda item on implementing a paperless agenda process through the purchase and use of iPads. In 2005, in an effort to streamline the City Council Agenda preparation process, improve delivery of services, and reduce paper, staff began processing a "semi-paperless" Agenda packet using in-house resources. In order to take advantage of the City's available technology at the time and more efficiently respond to citizenlapplicant requests for copies of Agenda Agenda Item 11.b. Page 1 CITY COUNCIL CONSIDERATION OF IMPLEMENTATION OF A PAPERLESS AGENDA PROGRAM FOR CITY COUNCIL AGENDAS MAY 8,2012 PAGE 2 items, the City began posting the full Agenda packet on the City's website. The City Council and designated staff have continued to receive a full paper copy of the Agenda packet, which is hand-delivered to members of the City Council 24 to 72 hours prior to every Special or Regular City Council meeting. By placing the Agenda packet on the website, the City experienced some reduction in the use of paper, postage, office equipment use, and staff time by reduciqg the number of printed agenda packets from 21 to 9. At least one (1) hard copy paper packet will continue to be available at City Hall as a public review copy, pursuant to State law. As technology advances, the concept of a true paperless agenda solution is becoming reality and a significant number of cities and other governmental agencies in California have moved to or are moving toward paperless agenda solutions. Some cities have invested in specialized agenda management software programs, which can be quite costly. In an effort to continually improve the City's processes in a cost effective and efficient manner, staff has been working to implement an in-house automated agenda management process utilizing existing software resources. ANALYSIS OF ISSUES Staff has researched other cities that have implemented a paperless (or "digital") agenda packet. According to a recent survey conducted by the City of Tracy through the League of California Cities ListServ, 43 out of 70 cities in California who responded have gone to a paperless agenda with the use of some form of electronic reading device for their city councils, and some of those cities also provide electronic agenda reading devices to designated staff. The vast majority of these cities are accessing digital documents through the use of an Apple iPad. Research on other devices, including the Kindle, Nook tablet, and a laptop computer has also been conducted and the Apple iPad has consistently received the highest ratiqg as it relates to affordability, readability (of documents, graphics, charts, etc.), available applications, usability, and maintenance. iPads typically can be used for 10 hours or more between charges and have no fans, motors, or other moviqg parts that make noise. They have a small profile and are reasonably priced compared to a laptop computer. Most cities have found an iPad with 16GB of storage to be sufficient for the type of use being considered. There are two connectivity options offered for the iPad. One option is as a wireless only device (WiFi), which provides internet connectivity by connecting to a wireless "hotspot". The second option includes mobile data access along with the WiFi option. Mobile data access provides the opportunity to connect to the internet from any location by establishing a mobile data plan with a wireless provider such as Verizon or AT&T. The initial purchase price for iPads with mobile data capability is higher, and a recurring charge for the mobile data plan is required. There are, therefore, a number of issues and questions associated with the use of an iPad that must be considered: 1. How does the City distribute the agenda materials to the users of the devices? The City has explored the use of Dropbox for sharing City documents. Dropbox is a web-based storage service from Dropbox, Inc. (www.dropbox.com) that is used to synchronize files between Windows, Mac and Linux devices. Introduced in 2008, Dropbox is available in free and paid versions. As a pilot test, staff installed the free Agenda Item 11.b. Page 2 ClTY COUNCIL CONSIDERATION OF IMPLEMENTATION OF A PAPERLESS AGENDA PROGRAM FOR ClTY COUNCIL AGENDAS MAY 8,2012 PAGE 3 version of the Dropbox client application and created a public folder for accessing City documents. Anyone with internet access and a web browser can then download the documents to their device. An alternative to eMail, Dropbox provides a way to transfer large files to another user without increasing file size, which occurs when files are attached to e-mail messages. In addition, mail sewers often reject large attachments due to file type or file size restrictions, whereas Dropbox has no such restrictions. 2. How does the user read (and possibly annotate) the materials sent to them? There are several applications available to fulfill these functions which are available for a minimal one-time cost of approximately $5- 15 per user depending on the application. As a result of research and testing, staff recommends the use of GoodReader ($4.99 per user) for the way it handles large PDF files, manuals, and images with great speed and ease. The program offers bookmarking, highlighting, fast transitions, zooming, and a variety of other readability options for the user. PDF Reader Pro is also another common application utilized by ;Pad users. 3. Who owns the device and how can it be used? Generally, if an electronic device is purchased by the City, the device is owned by the City and it would be necessary to institute information technology policies regarding use and electronic communications. The device and its attendant network access can only be used for City business. Any information on a City owned device may be considered a public record unless it meets criteria for legal exemption. For those individuals who own personal ;Pads, a technology allowance could be provided for a mobile data plan; however, this allowance would be subject to IRS regulations and would be taxable. Different cities have approached this issue in different ways. Again, it is important to note here that regardless of who owns the device, an electronic communications policy must be in place regarding the general use of personal computing devices and a more specific policy regarding use during Council or other Brown Act meetings. 4. For whom should the devices be purchased? The majority of cities using iPads have made them available to the City Council and designated staff members, including, but not limited to the City Manager, City Clerk, and designated Department heads. It is also important to include the IT Manager to ensure that proper configuration, support, and troubleshooting capabilities are available. 5. Should Wi-Fi only devices or mobile data devices be provided? If a mobile data capable device is purchased, is the data plan for the device purchased by the City or by the individuals? Again, there is no uniformity among cities using ;Pads in response to these questions. Wi-Fi only devices may be problematic as not every individual has an available Wi-Fi network in their home and it would require the user to locate a Wi-Fi access point or mobile hotspot for downloading documents. For mobile data capable devices, the City could provide a technology allowance as mentioned above for either City or personal owned ;Pads. All individuals using devices purchased by the City would be required to Agenda Item 11.b. Page 3 CITY COUNCIL CONSIDERATION OF IMPLEMENTATION OF A PAPERLESS AGENDA PROGRAM FOR CITY COUNCIL AGENDAS MAY 8,201 2 PAGE 4 sign and abide by the City's information technology policy, which includes provisions related to internet, email, and social media use, as well as the Brown Act and the Public Records Act. The City does not currently provide public or internal wireless access within City Hall or the Council Chambers. With that in mind, if WiFi only devices were to be purchased, agenda packets and other supporting documentation would have to be downloaded prior to the meeting. Mobile data devices would eliminate this issue by providing access to the internet from any location when necessary. Costs Depending on the device chosen, the equipment costs to implement a paperless agenda solution are shown in the chart below. The recommended model is highlighted. Mobile data service plans, cases, and related accessories would be an additional cost. If mobile data capable devices are purchased by the City, the ongoing cost of the data plan would need to be considered. Depending on who is issued an iPad and the size of data plan purchased, the cost ranges from $100 to $640 per month plus taxes and fees, as detailed in the following chart. One of the two plans highlighted is recommended. It is proposed that those using their own iPad would be provided a $30 per month allowance. There would be no additional cost for directors who currently receive an allowance because it is proposed that the $30 would be in lieu of the $30 dllowance currently offered for a smart phone. DEVICES Version iPad 2 iPad 2 New iPad New iPad New iPad New iPad New iPad New iPad MOBILE DATA PLAN COSTS Storage 16 GB 16 GB 16 GB 16 GB 32 GB 32 GB 64 GB 64 GB Carrier Verizon Verizon AT&T Verizon AT&T Verizon Wi-Fi Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Monthly Plan Cost $20 $30 $30 $50 $50 $80 Data Allowance 1 GB 2 GB 3 GB 5 GB 5 GB 10 GB Wi-Fi + 36/46 N o Yes No Yes N o Yes No Yes Overage Cost $20 I 1 GB $101 1 GB $101 1 GB $101 1 GB $101 1 GB $10 I1 GB Cost per Device $399 $529 $499 $629 $599 $729 $699 $829 Cost for Councillmo. $100 $1 50 $1 50 $250 $250 $400 Cost for Council (5) & Designated Staff (3) $1 60 $240 $240 $400 $400 $640 Cost for Council $1,995 $2,645 $2,495 $3,145 $2,995 $3,645 $3,495 $4,145 Cost for Council (5) & Designated Staff (3) $3,192 $4,232 $3,992 $5,032 $4,792 ' $5,832 $5,592 $6,632 Agenda Item 11.b. Page 4 ClTY COUNCIL CONSIDERATION OF IMPLEMENTATION OF A PAPERLESS AGENDA PROGRAM FOR ClTY COLlNClL AGENDAS MAY 8,2012 PAGE 5 Staff also recommends the City invest in basic accessories for City owned iPads, which would add an additional cost of approximately $75 per device. The cost of the software for distributing and reading agenda materials, while minimal, must also be considered. The least expensive option would be for users to download their agenda materials directly from Dropbox.com onto the iPad. This would entail no cost for distribution and a one-time cost of $4.99 per user for the GoodReader software (approximately $40 total for 8 users). Savinqs By going to a paperless agenda, there would be an immediate, direct savings on paper, toner, copy machine wear, as well as staff time to copy and compile packets, and fuel costs for hand- delivery distribution. Currently for each Council meeting, a total of nine (9) paper Agenda packets are compiled, printed, and distributed. In 2010 and 201 1, it is estimated that over 103,000 sheets of paper were copied. Based on the City's copy machine contract rates, the use was calculated at approximately $1,500 and the cost of paper and toner was approximately $1,330 over that two year period. Additionally, it takes an average of 3 hours for one part-time staff member to copy, assemble, and personally deliver the packets to Council Members for each Council meeting, which results in an estimated labor cost of approximately $2,742 over the same two year period. It is important to note that it is essential for all Council Members to participate in this program in order to achieve the savings. Personal Versus Citv-Owned Equipment It is proposed the City offer purchase of a City-owned iPad for each individual identified in the recommendation, along with the proposed monthly data plan. If a Council or staff member chooses to use their own device, it is recommended an allowance be provided towards purchase of the data plan. The advantage of utilizing a personal device is that the device could also be used for personal use. The City's current policy, which is important to maintain, would preclude any personal use of a City owned device. It is important to note that the law is not clear regarding whether non-city related information on a personal device that is partially funded through a city allowance could also be considered public information. ADVANTAGES: The key advantages for implementing a paperless agenda program are: 1) elimination of annual paper and printing costs and staff time in copying and distributing paper agenda packets; 2) timely distribution of the agenda and the ability to retrieve and review the agenda packet anytime, anywhere; 3) members of the community who have electronic reading devices would also have the same access to download the full agenda packets; 4) Council Members can utilize the device to retrieve electronic agenda packets being issued by other governmental agencies for Boards and Committees on which they serve (i.e., the League of California Cities is currently producing digital agenda packets for Board Meetings); and 5) the ability to provide electronic files of other large, City reference documents (General Plan, EIR's, Annual Budget, plans, etc) as well as providing instant access to other City digital records via a single device. DISADVANTAGES: Disadvantages include: 1) the initial investment to purchase the devices; however, costs will be offset over time through the elimination of printing, supplies, and staff time to produce and distribute a paper agenda packet; 2) the devices would increase the City's computer equipment inventory and would likely need to be replaced as the devices become obsolete due to advancements in technology; 3) the use of technology to access information can present an Agenda Item 11.b. Page 5 ClTY COUNCIL CONSIDERATION OF IMPLEMENTATION OF A PAPERLESS AGENDA PROGRAM FOR ClTY COUNCIL AGENDAS MAY 8,2012 PAGE 6 issue when equipment problems occur; however, iPads experience fewer problems when compared to laptop computers; 4) the initial learning curve associated with using an iPad could make navigating agenda packets less convenient during meetings; and 5) there is limited IT staffing available to support iPads at the same level as desktop computers. ALTERNATIVES: The following alternatives are provided for the Council's consideration: 1. Approve the implementation of a paperless agenda program, authorize staff to purchase eight (8) 16 MB iPads with Wi-Fi and mobile data service capability for Council and designated staff, and appropriate $6,100 from the unappropriated General Fund balance for the equipment purchase and $2,880 for data plan costs; 2. Approve the implementation of a paperless agenda program, authorize staff to purchase eight (8) 32 MB iPads with Wi-Fi and mobile data service capability for Council and designated staff, and appropriate $6,900 from the unappropriated General Fund balance for the equipment purchase and $2,880 for data plan costs; 3. Approve the implementation of a paperless agenda program, authorize staff to purchase eight (8) 16 MB iPads with Wi-Fi capability only for Council and designated staff, and appropriate $5,000 from the unappropriated General Fund balance for the equipment purchase and $2,880 for data plan costs; 4. Approve the implementation of a paperless agenda program, authorize staff to purchase eight (8) 32 MB iPads with Wi-Fi capability only for Council and designated staff, and appropriate $5,800 from the unappropriated General Fund balance for the equipment purchase and $2,880 for data plan costs; 5. Do not authorize the purchase of iPads and continue printing and distributing paper agenda packets; or 6. Provide direction to staff. ENVIRONMENTAL REVIEW: No environmental review is required for this item. PLlBLlC NOTIFICATION AND COMMENTS: The Agenda was posted in front of City Hall on Thursday, May 3, 2012. The Agenda and report were posted on the City's website on Friday, May 4, 2012. Agenda Item 11.b. Page 6