Peachtree City officials have put a temporary halt on a computer upgrade program in favor of a thorough review of the city’s existing technology and its future needs.
In mid-November the City Council authorized spending $32,142 for a technology consultant to evaluate the city’s existing technology and provide recommendations on how to best spend its future technology dollars.
The city has planned to spend $115,000 over the next four years to lease approximately $410,000 in computer equipment, but the brakes have been thrown on that plan for now to give time for the technology assessment.
The funding for the assessment will come from this year’s planned expenditure for the equipment lease, city officials said.
Because the $410,000 in computer equipment is a “significant investment” on the city’s part, staff wants to be assured the funding will be put to its “highest and best use” for technology improvements, city Finance Director Paul Salvatore wrote in a memo to city council.
The study will be performed by VC3, which has extensive experience in working with local governments, Salvatore wrote.
The city’s last technology assessment was conducted in 2003, based on the best technology available at the time, noted City Manager Jim Pennington.
The new assessment will “make sure we are not spending money foolishly,” Pennington said.
