HomeMy WebLinkAbout1997-02-04; City Council; 14039; SAFETY CENTER COMPUTER CONVERSIONP w
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CITY OF CARLSBAD - AGENDA BILL
SAFETY CENTER TITLE: DEPT HD, AB# /yo34
MTG. 2 -- 4 e 9 7 COMPUTER CONVERSION CITY ATT
DEPT. FIN CITY MGI
RECOMMENDED ACTIONS:
1. Accept the Feasibility Study for the Conversion of Macintosh Computers to IBM-
Computers at the Safety Center.
2. Approve Resolution No. 5 3 - s 6 appropriating additional funding in the
$120,100 for Police, $74,950 for Fire, and $14,200 for the Information Systems depi
ITEM EXPLANATION:
Background
During the 1996-97 budget briefings, Council inquired if the computers budgeted for I
Fire should be IBM-compatible personal computers as opposed to Macintosh computers
The City uses Compaq PC’s in every department except for Police and Fire. Capital oui
Police and Fire departments in fiscal year 1996-97 totals $142,250 for computer harc
software. Most of this budget amount is for phase II of a two-year replacement progr
Mac’s.
In response to the question raised by Council, staff prepared the attached Feasibilit]
address if the Safety Center should convert from Mac to PC computers (Exhibit 2).
Key Issues
Five key issues were identified related to the use of Mac’s and PC’s.
1. User-friendliness - the Mac and PC operating systems are converging. The Ci
Windows 95 provides a desktop application that is similar to the Mac operating si
2. Corporate longevity - Apple is losing market share and has announced som
difficulties. Software developers are investing their efforts in developing Wind(
software.
3. Software availability - currently the City is restricted to software that will run
platform, Mac or Windows. This limits the choices available to the City. The
software available for PC’s exceeds what is available for the Mac’s.
4. Cost of technical support - one system City-wide would be easier to support.
5. Inefficiencies associated with dual platforms - City staff has experienced
transferring information between a Mac and PC. Additionally there are redundan
area of purchasing products for both the Mac and PC.
Recommendation & Benefits
Staff recommends converting the Police and Fire departments to PC computers. Althc
alternatives are presented in the attached study, converting the Safety Center is the only
Department
Police
Fire
Information Systems
TOTAL
Asset Forfeiture Dept. of Justice General
Fund Block Grant Fund Tc
$56,970 $63,130 $0 $120,’
0 0 74,950 74,:
9,520 0 4,688 14,:
$66,490 $63,130 $79,630 $209,;
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PAGE THREE OF AGENDA BILL NO. I Y! 0 3 9
to offset the costs of conversion. Matching funds for the block grant in the amount of $9,2
and the remaining funds required for conversion, may come from the Asset Forfeiture fi
balance as shown in the table. Any interest earned on the Department of Justice block gt
will be used for the conversion and reduce the amount of Asset Forfeiture funds required. A
December 1996, the Asset Forfeiture fund has an unreserved fund balance of approxima
$858,800.
An appropriation of $74,950 from the General fund balance will be required to convert
computers in the Fire department.
Additionally, consultant services will be required to install the hardware and software.
appropriation of $14,200 will be required for the Information Systems department. Funding
the consultant services is shared between the Asset Forfeiture fund balance and the Genc
fund balance.
EXHl BITS
1. Resolution No. 93- Sb appropriating funds for the Police, Fire, and Informa
Systems departments.
2. Feasibility Study for the Conversion of Macintosh Computers to IBM-Compat
Computers.
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RESOLUTION NO. 97-56
A RESOLUTION OF THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY
OF CARLSBAD, CALIFORNIA, FOR A COMPUTER CONVERSION
AT THE SAFETY CENTER.
WHEREAS, the Council inquired if the computers budgeted for the Safe
Center should be IBM-compatible as opposed to Macintosh computers and a feasib
study for converting Macintosh computers to IBM-compatible computers indicates th
the City would benefit from converting the Safety Center to PC’s; and
WHEREAS, the Police department has 1996-97 appropriations of
$101,000 of Asset Forfeiture funds for computer hardware and software; and
WHEREAS, the Police department has received a Department of Justic
grant and can apply $63,130 of the grant funding, with matching funds in the amou
of $9,237 from the Asset Forfeiture fund balance, toward computer purchases; anc
WHEREAS, the Asset Forfeiture fund has a sufficient balance to
appropriate additional funds in the amount of $47,733 toward the Police departmer
computer conversion; and
WHEREAS, the Fire department has 1996-97 appropriations of $41,25
the General fund for computer hardware and software; and
WHEREAS, the General fund has a sufficient balance to appropriate
additional funds in the amount of $74,950 for the Fire department computer
conversion; and
WHEREAS, the Information Systems department will require $14,200
consultants to install the new hardware and software,
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED by the City Council of the Cit:
Carlsbad, California, as follows:
g 1. That the above recitations are true and correct.
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2. That additional appropriations in the amount of $63,130 are authorized
from the Department of Justice block grant, with matching funds in the amount of
$9,237 from the Asset Forfeiture fund balance, for the Police department.
3. That additional appropriations in the amount of $47,733 are authorized
from the Asset Forfeiture fund balance to pay for the computer conversion for the
Police department.
4. That additional appropriations in the amount of $74,950 are authorized
from the General fund balance to pay for the computer conversion for the Fire
department.
5. That additional appropriations are authorized for the Information System
department in the amount of $9,520 from the Asset Forfeiture fund balance and
$4,680 from the General fund balance.
PASSED, APPROVED AND ADOPTED at a regular meeting of the C
Council on the 4th day of February , 1997, by the following vote, to wit:
AYES: Council Members Lewis, Finnila, Nygaard, and Hall
NOES: None
ABSENT: Council Member Kulchin
AlTEST:
(SEAL)
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CITY OF CARLSBAD, CALIFORNIA
Feasibility Study for the
Conversion of Macintosh Computers
to IBM-Compatible Computers
January 1997
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Introduction
During the 1996-97 budget briefings, Council inquired if the computers budgeted for
Police and Fire should be IBM-compatible personal computers (PC’s) as opposed to
Macintosh computers (Mac’s) by Apple. The City uses Compaq PC’s in every
department except for Police and Fire. Capital outlay for the Police and Fire departments
in fiscal year 1996-97 totals $142,250 for computer hardware and software. Most of the
budget amount is for phase I1 of a two-year computer replacement program.
Statement of Purpose
The purpose of this study is to address if the Safety Center should convert from Mac to
PC computers. The analysis will define key issues, address the pros and cons of ,
conversion, and identify other factors for consideration. Alternative courses of action
will be proposed.
Key Issues
Five key issues have been identified related to the use of Mac’s and PC’s. These issues
include user-friendliness, corporate longevity, software availability, cost of technical
support, and inefficiencies associated with dual platforms. Each of these issues will be
described below and subsequently evaluated for both the Mac and PC.
- I. User-Friendliness
The Mac and PC operating systems are converging. The City-wide conversion to
Windows 95 provides a desktop application that is similar to the Mac operating system.
Although the two platforms are becoming similar in appearance and application,
Windows 95 is still slightly less intuitive than the Mac.
- 11. Corporate Lonaevitv
An article in the Wall Street Journal titled “Companies Dump Macs as Loyalists Lose
Faith,” discusses the significant number of Mac’s being “dumped” by corporations.’
Apple’s U.S. market share among large and medium-sized organizations has declined by
approximately 50% since the third quarter of 1995, when Windows 95 was introduced.
Due to the popularity of PC’s, more software developers are investing their efforts in
developing Windows-based software rather than Mac. Many companies publish a
Windows version first, then create a Mac version, if they create one at all.
There are some concerns about the Apple corporation. The company has announced
some financial problems recently and there have been reports that Apple may be
acquired. The longevity of the company is questionable. Software support for the Mac is
declining. Lotus recently announced that it will no longer provide technical support for
the Mac system.
’ “Companies Dump Macs as Loyalists Lose Faith”, Wall Street Journal (September 5, 1996):Bl & B8.
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111. Software Availability
Currently the City purchases software, like Microsoft Office, that will run on either
platform, Mac or Windows. This limits the choices available to the City. The Fire
department has encountered this while looking to replace its Records Management
System (RMS). For Mac users there are only two choices for the new RMS software.
However, for PC’s there are approximately fifteen programs available.
The City is finding that some of its new systems will require the use of a PC. For
example, the City’s new Financial Information System (IFAS) will allow departments to
more easily access the General Ledger, but will be somewhat limited for the Mac-users.
Should the City decide to purchase the Windows-version of IFAS, when it is available,
Mac-users will not be able to run the program.
Additionally, the City’s new permitting system (implementation date January 1997) will
not function on a Mac computer. Some PC’s will need to be added at the Safety Center
to interface with the Permits system and IFAS.
PC’s have gradually been added to the Safety Center to utilize specific software.
Currently, the Police department utilizes PC’s with ARJIS (automated regional judicial
information system). ARJIS previously functioned on “dumb terminals” which were
recently replaced with PC’s. The Computer Aided Dispatch (CAD) system at the Safety
Center also runs off PC’s.
PC’s are being added at the Safety Center to enable employees to participate in other City
or County systems. For instance, the Police department has recently added a PC for use
with Arc View (a joint system with Geographic Information Systems department). The
Police department plans to purchase PC laptops for use in Patrol. This will allow the City
to participate with the City of San Diego in an automated reporting system that interfaces
with ARJIS. Additionally, the Police department uses the SUN system (San Diego Users
Network) which runs on a PC. The SUN system connects to:
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the California Law Enforcement Telecommunications System (CLETS),
the National Crime Information Center (NCIC),
the Department of Justice, and
County Services such as the District Attorney’s office and Assessor files.
PC’s have been required to interface with other City and/or County software programs.
IV. Cost of Technical Support
One system City-wide would be easier to support. Currently, there is one Systems
Specialist at the Safety Center who supports both dispatch and the Mac network and one
Network Specialist in the Information Systems department who supports all other City
desktop computers. The Systems Specialist at the Safety Center is not utilized City-wide
to assist the Information Systems department. Additionally, when the Safety Center
Systems Specialist is away on vacation or out sick, the Information Systems department
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personnel are less proficient on Mac’s and less able to assist the Safety Center employees.
Greater efficiencies could be realized with one standardized system and two City-wide
employees capable of providing support and coverage.
The Information Systems department utilizes a program called PC Anywhere, on the
PC’s, that allows I.S. personnel to troubleshoot computer problems by viewing a person’s
screen simultaneously with the user. This program reduces the need to travel to a site in
order to answer software questions or fix a problem. The PC Anywhere program does not
work with the Mac’s and requires a person to be at the site to resolve computer problems.
One standard system would allow the PC Anywhere program to be used City-wide and
increase the efficiency of computer support personnel.
V. Inefficiencies Associated with Dual Platforms
There are inherent inefficiencies with dual platforms which include transferring
information and purchasing redundancies.
Some documents must be converted into Rich Text Format before transferring them
between a Mac and a PC. This increases the number of steps required to share files
between departments. If the conversion is not done properly the files will not transmit.
Mac and PC users have commented on difficulties connecting or sharing files with the
opposite platform. Whether employees are using electronic mail, computerized calendars,
or transmitting files, problems have been encountered when interfacing with users of the
opposite platform. It is possible that these problems are related to training as opposed to
the capabilities of the system. Many employees have successfully transmitted files and
sent electronic mail messages to and from the Safety Center. However, there is not a
single calendar program that connects the entire City.
One standardized system will allow the City to reduce the inefficiencies associated with
purchasing redundancies. With two platforms being used, the City is in a position of
buying products for both the Mac’s and PC’s. A recent example is the multi-media
presentation projector. The City recently purchased a presentation projector system
(similar to what was used during the budget presentations). This system will connect
with a lap top computer and project a slide show. Given the City’s need for Mac and PC
capabilities, the presentation projector purchase may require two laptops: one IBM PC
laptop and one Apple laptop. This type of redundancy would be eliminated under a
single, standardized system.
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PC and Mac Ratings for Key Issues
The following matrix rates the PC and the Mac for three of the five key issues. The
remaining two key issues are not included as they relate to dual platforms as opposed to
individual systems.
Summary of Pros and Cons of Conversion
The pros and cons of conversion are discussed in detail below. The following matrix
summarizes the information provided.
Corporate longevity
' software is available.
i technical personnel.
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I Pros of Conversion
Software Availability
The variety of software available for PC's exceeds what is available for Macs. One
benefit of converting to PC"s City-wide would be to improve the selection and variety of
products available to the City.
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Conversion Costs & Funding Sources
There are up front costs of converting the Safety Center computers to PC’s. In addition
to the purchase of 59 computers, there are printers, scanners, modems, and laptops that
will need to be purchased. Furthermore, there will be training expenses and overtime
expenses required for the training. Specific costs are detailed in the “Alternative Courses
of Action” section of this report.
The 1996-97 budget includes $142,250 for hardware and software as part of a
replacement program. The total conversion cost is estimated to be $337,300. Additional
funding in the amount of $195,050 would be required to convert the Safety Center to
PC’s. Given that the City normally budgets some amount for replacement hardware, the
true conversion costs are those associated with cabling, software, and training required to
convert. This amount totals $63,152.
If authorized by the City Council, the Police department may be able to use the Police
Asset Forfeiture funds and the Department of Justice grant to purchase its computers and
other hardware/software required for the conversion. The Fire department would need
approval from Council to appropriate funding from the General fund to complete the
conversion.
Many of the Mac systems are only a year old. These systems would need to be replaced
if the City converts all of the Safety Center computers to PC’s. The City would be able to
receive some revenue from the sale of these systems to companies that repurchase used
systems.
Software conversion, and the impact to the employees, must be handled prior to
converting the systems. The City has a great deal of information archived on the Mac
computers under various programs. Converting each file will be labor intensive and
expensive. Consultant costs are included to convert the files.
Other Considerations
Timing,
Another consideration is the timing of conversion. A consistent concern is that divisions
within a department would be converted in phases. It is the unanimous opinion that
departments would be hindered by a phased approach. Within a department there is a
need to share files that would be difficult with a mixture of platforms. Additionally,
support would be complicated under a phased approach. Although there is concern about
phasing within a department, there is not a problem with phasing between departments
(Le. Fire or Police).
This study does not propose the phasing of conversion between departments over a period
of years (i.e. converting Police one year and Fire two years later). The benefits of
phasing the conversion would be: (1) spreading the costs across fiscal years and (2)
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additional use of the newer Mac’s. These benefits are considered minimal and to a
certain extent will occur naturally during a complete conversion. The conversion of the
Safety Center is a significant undertaking that is expected to take approximately seven
months.
Additional ideas regarding the timing of conversion relate to expected training dates for
other systems. The Police department is currently undergoing a conversion of its ARJIS
system. This conversion will require significant training within the department. It may
be best to include the conversion of personal computers at the same time. By doing so,
the Police department would manage all of the change and training at one time.
Another time to convert the Police department may be when the Patrol laptops are
purchased. The Police department is requesting PC laptops for its Patrol division. These
laptops will require training within the department on PC’s. It may be ideal to convert
and train the entire Police department at the time when the new laptops are introduced.
Training
At a minimum, Windows 95 training will be required. This training will provide
familiarity with the operating system. Additionally, some of the Safety Center personnel
will require training for Access or other Microsoft Office programs. Access is not
available on the Mac computers, but is part of the Microsoft Office Suite that is offered
on the PC’s. Some training will be needed for Safety Center personnel who will utilize
the Access software. Much of the training for Safety personnel will occur on overtime.
The “minimum staffing requirements” for safety personnel will result in training small
groups of employees during their off-hours.
Other Miscellaneous
In addition to the considerations mentioned, departments have requested that one or two
Mac’s be retained for desktop publishing and for accessing archived records.
Many of the Safety Center employees purchased Mac computers for use in their home.
These systems were purchased to allow compatibility between work and home. These
employees would need to understand the conversion process when bringing files home.
Alternative Courses off Action
Alternative #1 - Convert the Safely Center from Mac’s to PC’s in This Fiscal Year
This alternative addresses the issues of software availability, technical support, and the
inefficiencies associated with dual platforms. By converting all of the systems to one
platform, the City could be linked City-wide with standardized software programs, such
as electronic mail and calendaring systems. The systems at the Safety Center would be
compatible with the rest of the City and provide familiarity with the computers City-
wide. The Information Systems department could provide technical support to the
systems at the Safety Center and incorporate the PC Anywhere program to efficiently
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ESTIMATED COSTS: Dept. of Additional
Estimated 1996-97 Justice Funding
Quantity cost Budget Grant Required
Fire Department:
Hard ware
Workstations 20 $68,745 $28,950
Printers 11 9,700
Lap tops 1 4,310 2,500
Miscellaneous 2,491 3,300
Cabling Costs 2,653
Software 19,896 6,500
Overtime Expense 6,406
Networking Expenses 0
Training 2,000
Subtotal Fire Department $1 16,200 $41,250 $74,950
Police Department:
Hardware
Workstations 39 $1 26,822 $61,600 $63,130
Printers 10 16,163 3,000
Laptops 9 38,790 28,000
Miscellaneous 4,499 6,300
Cabling Costs 5,447
Software 16,664 2,100
Training 2,500
Overtime Expense 10,216
Subtotal Police Department $221,100 $101,000 $63,130 $56,970
TOTAL $337,300 $142,250 $63,130 $131,920
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The basis of this alternative is that not all employees at the Safety Center currently have a
need to communicate or send files to other employees in the City. During interviews
with the Police and Fire departments, the number of users requiring a dual CPU were
estimated to be 6 for the Fire department and 5 for the Police department.
The estimated short-term cost of buying dual CPUs is detailed below.
6 Fire department CPUs $1 5,000
5 Police department CPUs $12,500
Estimated Short-Term Conversion Cost $27,500
It is believed that this alternative underestimates the number of users who will need to
interface with IFAS, or other systems, in the long-run. IFAS is intended to be available
to all City employees for issuing purchase orders, entering time sheet information, or
printing reports. Ultimately, under this alternative, the City may need to convert all
Safety Center employees from Mac’s to dual CPUs. This would increase the conversion
cost to approximately the same as alternative #1 as PC-compatible software would be
required in addition to the hardware expenses.
Additionally, this alternative does not resolve the key issues of technical support, the
inefficiencies associated with dual platforms, and Apple’s longevity. Dual CPUs may
lead to more inefficiencies within departments. Currently the City has experienced some
problems sharing files between the Safety Center and other departments. If a portion of
the Safety Center begins to use Windows 95 as their desktop application, employees
within the Safety Center may need to go through the steps of converting files in order to
share them within a department. Technical support will remain split between the Safety
Center and the rest of the City. Technical support at the Safety Center will be further
complicated by the use of dual CPUs.
Consequently, dual CPUs are not recommended for the Safety Center employees. If the
City should choose this option, the capabilities of dual CPUs would need to be evaluated
prior to the purchase to determine how well they work and if this will meet the City’s
needs. Under this alternative, the replacement Macintosh computers would still be
purchased for the Safety Center and some personnel would have dual (MacPC)
capabilities.
Alternative #3 - Take No Action At This Time: Plan to Convert in Future Years
Another alternative would be to take no action at this time and plan on converting in
future years. The cost of this alternative is the existing budget, which replaces the second
phase of computers at the Safety Center. The premise of this alternative is that the
existing system could continue to be used.
A benefit of this alternative is that the City does not require additional funding for
computers this year. Additionally, there would not be a disruption to the Police and Fire
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departments. However, the City would be spending additional money on a system that
will be replaced in future years.
Alternative #4 - Do Not Convert the Mac’s to PC’s
Another option available to the City is to maintain the status quo. This option is not
recommended based upon the key issues raised which include Apple’s longevity, dual
platform inefficiencies, software availability, and technical support.
Recommendation
This study investigates the question, “Should the Safety Center convert to PC’s?’ The
answer is yes. Alternatives #1 and #3 look at converting the PC’s with the difference
being when the conversion occurs.
The research indicates that the City would benefit from converting the Safety Center to
PC’s in the areas of technical support, software availability, and efficient transfer of
information.
Additionally, the trends indicate that the Mac is losing market share while PC’s are
gaining. While no one can perfectly predict the future, it is reasonable to presume that
the City may be hindered by continuing to invest in Apple’s products. Consequently, it is
not recommended that the City continue to purchase Mac computers. This is based upon
the general preference and availability of Windows-based applications. As problems
continue for Apple, it will become increasingly difficult to find software programs that
function on a Macintosh computer.
Therefore, alternative #1 is recommended which proposes replacing all of the Safety
Center computers with PC’s in the current fiscal year. Although this alternative requires
additional funding, it is expected to be the optimal use of the 1996-97 appropriations for
computer purchases and will allow the City to be standardized on one system.
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