The $32,000 spent on a technology assessment for Peachtree City departments was money well-spent in terms of divining a “way forward” for the city computer-wise, says the City Council.
VC3 brought a team of 15 on-site technicians to evaluate the city’s existing information technology infrastructure. The team developed a report with recommendations for future upgrades and various technologies to adopt including thin client computing, which stores most data on a server instead of on a computer hard drive itself.
The survey noted that the city had some 20-plus custom-made programs authored by information technology director Matt Robinson, who recently resigned after taking a job in the private sector.
Robinson was lauded by several members of the city council for “using chewing gum and band aids” to keep the city’s technology running.
Councilman Eric Imker noted that Robinson elected to stay on board until after the detailed VC3 survey was completed. Robinson’s input was so valuable as a city employee that the city is currently contracting with VC3 for the expertise of several people just to fill the void Robinson left, Imker added.
Imker also said that the $32,000 expenditure, while he agreed to it, was significant and he hopes it will pay in future dividends.
In fact, the study was seen as so crucial that the city halted its initial plans to purchase new computers and other related equipment this year until after the survey was completed, officials said. City Manager Jim Pennington said this was done to make absolutely sure the city was headed in the right direction with its future
technology investments.
“It’s going to save us a lot of money probably from the stand point of additional equipment purchases,” Pennington told council last week.
The city’s technology infrastructure runs the gamut from desktop computers in nearly every city office to the desktop machines at the city library and mobile units deployed by the city’s police and fire departments.
The city also operates several servers and in recent months had to replace its email server after it crashed and could not be resuscitated.
