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City Council Reduces Paper Costs with iPad Use

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Started 6 months ago by News
Latest reply from DavidF

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News
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City Council to start using iPads

By Doug Caruso
The Columbus Dispatch
Saturday November 26, 2011 5:56 AM

Columbus City Council members and their aides are getting iPads. It’s not so they can kill time playing Angry Birds during drawn-out council meetings. Instead, Councilman A. Troy Miller said, the tablet computers will save paper and make the council run more efficiently. Savings on paper, toner and time in the first year should cover the $20,000 cost of buying and setting up 23 iPads, Miller said.

READ MORE: http://www.dispatch.com/content/stories/local/2011/11/26/city-council-to-start-using-ipads.html

Posted 6 months ago #
NerosNeptune
Goodale Park
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Why should they use taxpayer money for this? They can buy their own iPads if they want to use them. Don't they all probably have laptops that would open the same files?

Why don't we go ahead and buy them all hybrid cars while we're at it, too?

Posted 6 months ago #
Static-X
Here
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NerosNeptune said:
Why should they use taxpayer money for this? They can buy their own iPads if they want to use them. Don't they all probably have laptops that would open the same files?

Why don't we go ahead and buy them all hybrid cars while we're at it, too?

No Kiddin'!!! Yea, I guess their laptops can't do what an iPad will do. They should probably do away with their peon cell phones and switch to the iPhone 4s or even the 5, that is coming out, and put that on the taxpayers shoulders as well. By the way, how much paper are they actually using anyways? Any excuse to get the latest and greatest thing.

Posted 6 months ago #
myliftkk
Columbus, OH
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Uh, the council members don't personally own the iPads, they belong to city government and will simply be a tool for streamlining workflow and reducing costs.

FYI, Apple is making a big push into the business IT market, so this kind of announcement really shouldn't be a surprise.

Posted 6 months ago #
byJody
Rural NW Columbus
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Miller noted that a typical packet for a council meeting runs to 400 pages. “Aides would print it all,” he said.

I think this is an excellent idea. I see nothing wrong with the city buying the digital reader since the city is paying for the paper, the copier and the humans to process it. What's the difference?

Posted 6 months ago #
Walker
The KLD / Downtown
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myliftkk said:
Uh, the council members don't personally own the iPads, they belong to city government and will simply be a tool for streamlining workflow and reducing costs.

+1

It's easy to get upset because of the perception that government workers are "getting nice things" and you're not... but they're tools to perform a job more cost efficiently. If the printing costs are reduced, this sounds like a good move to me from a financial standpoint.

Posted 6 months ago #
labi
Weinland Park
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When I attended my first Board of Zoning Appeals meeting, I was amazed at the mountainous binders that the BZA staff had prepared for each board member - just for that one meeting. It makes complete sense to me to use iPads to eliminate staff time and paper expense for things like that.

Posted 6 months ago #
MichaelC
Short North
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The Cincinnati City Council purchased Amazon Kindles in January 2010 for the same purpose.

I suspect (hope) that Columbus' council consulted with Cincinnati's before making this move.

Posted 6 months ago #
ehill27
Short North
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http://www.apple.com/ipad/business

Posted 6 months ago #
Static-X
Here
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Maybe Herschel Craig could push for handicap placards for all council members, so as to cut down on walking time to any and all meetings/activities.

Posted 6 months ago #
rus

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Walker said:
+1

It's easy to get upset because of the perception that government workers are "getting nice things" and you're not... but they're tools to perform a job more cost efficiently. If the printing costs are reduced, this sounds like a good move to me from a financial standpoint.

The devil is in the details, but you make a good point.

Posted 6 months ago #
howatzer

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The policy stickiness here is personal use. Obviously, despite the official "city-use only" policy, the council folks will bring these home and use them for personal email, face booking, ebay, porn and maybe even some city-related work. What happens if the iPad is damaged while at home? Should it automatically be replaced at city expense?

What about the security issues about having sensitive docs and info on these? What if one gets stolen?

I don't reflexively think this is a bad thing, but there are some legitimate concerns that should be addressed and it's not clear that they will, since it's the council who is deciding to give these to themselves.

Posted 6 months ago #
NerosNeptune
Goodale Park
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I can understand the savings in paper.. which is great. I'm sure Kindles would open the same files for less than 1/6th the cost though. To me this just seems like city council deciding to buy city council some neat toys. It's easy to choose the more expensive option when it's not your money and nobody has to answer to anybody about it.

After being voted back in despite public relations disasters like parking in handicapped spots for years and passing through a sweetheart bailout deal for the millionaires involved with the arena, they must figure nobody will care if they buy themselves some iPads.

Posted 6 months ago #
Static-X
Here
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NerosNeptune said:
they must figure nobody will care if they buy themselves some iPads.

The only people who'll care are the ones who see the frivolous spending that goes on with the mayor and his court of jesters. And as you can tell by the previous election, all others WON'T.

Posted 6 months ago #
myliftkk
Columbus, OH
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@howatzer - If the city IT department is any good, there'll be tight limitations on what iPads can/can't do in terms of automated software deployment, etc.

@neros - Don't assume IT contracts are written for list price. Apple is specifically targeting business usage, meaning special contracts, pricing, and upgrade strategies. Very few IT departments, and no capable ones, buy off the shelf merch for any task due to the specialized requirements for business.

From an IT viewpoint, Apple devices have some unique capabilities that can lead to very powerful software in a professional environment, where frankly, a lot of current products are overpriced and underdeveloped. If you're having a heart attack because you fear Apple products as the harbinger of liberal policies, I'd take 2 aspirin and let the professionals lock down the machines so as we are assured Mr. Craig won't be playing angry birds during council meetings.

Posted 6 months ago #
howatzer

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myliftkk said:
@howatzer - If the city IT department is any good, there'll be tight limitations on what iPads can/can't do in terms of automated software deployment, etc.

OK -speculation countered with speculation.
I have no reason to believe that there are IT pros at city hall with mac experience.
I do know that business IT pros specializing in macs are a rarity (few programs concentrate on mac os because A) the Xserve software changes substantially every couple of years and B) the mac business/institutional market share is still low.

Posted 6 months ago #
NerosNeptune
Goodale Park
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myliftkk said:
If you're having a heart attack because you fear Apple products as the harbinger of liberal policies, I'd take 2 aspirin and let the professionals lock down the machines so as we are assured Mr. Craig won't be playing angry birds during council meetings.

I don't remember saying anything about liberal policies or apple products supporting them. I don't have anything against iPads. I just think city council should show some restraint, or at least explain why they need the most expensive option available for going paperless. Even with volume discounts from apple, I'm willing to bet these aren't going to cost much less than the $500 list price. Maybe amazon offers/would offer a similar discount?

And for some reason I don't see these being locked down to prevent the council members from using them for personal benefit.

Posted 6 months ago #
Walker
The KLD / Downtown
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NerosNeptune said:
...personal benefit.

Posted 5 months ago #
Twixlen
Westgate, Columbus
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I don't get the fuss? It's pretty clear that this will save the city money - isn't that a good thing?

Also, how is it different than any business that offers its employees laptops, cell phones, iPads/tablets? There are rules for using those things, just like any work-use computers. I think we've gotten far enough into the portable technology world to manage the responsibility.

Posted 5 months ago #
JonMyers
HCMC ✈
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The funny thing is I'd be willing to bet some people posting here bitching about these iPads are posting their rants using company computers and company time.

Posted 5 months ago #