HomeMy WebLinkAbout2004 03 22 Consent 201
COMMISSION AGENDA
ITEM 201
Consent X
Informational
Public Hearing
Regular
March 22. 2004
Regular Meeting
M~/ rt
Authorization
REQUEST:
The City Manager is requesting that the City Commission authorize a
supplemental appropriation in the amount of $20,000.00 from the Utility Fund to
Line Code 1360-64000 Equipment-General to cover DataMatic Handheld
Equipment for Meter Reading in the City of Winter Springs.
PURPOSE:
The purpose of this Agenda Item is to ask for a supplemental appropriation from
the Utility Fund in the amount of $20,000, to Line Code 1360-64000 Equipment-
General to cover DataMatic Handheld Equipment for Meter Reading in the City
of Winter Springs.
CONSIDERATIONS:
Currently Utility Services utilizes handheld devices to collect water consumption
from water meters for the purpose of billing and collecting revenues due the city
for water services. The present handhelds were purchased approximately four (4)
years ago. During the past four (4) years technology has advanced making the
current units obsolete as well as parts more difficult to locate to maintain the
existing handhelds. The normal life expectancy of a handheld is 3 to 5 years and
we are within the period of time for replacing the units.
CITY OF WINTER SPRINGS
CITY COMMISSION
REGULAR MEETING -March 22, 2004
CONSENT AGENDA ITEM "201"
PAGE 2 OF 2
The new handheld equipment would continue to function seamlessly with our
existing software program for reading the handhelds which interfaces with our
software package from MUNIS. In order to maintain our high level of accuracy
and timeliness of meeting our billing demands we are requesting the replacement
of the current handheld devices.
FUNDING:
A supplemental appropriation from the Utility Fund in the amount of $20,000 is
needed.
RECOMMENDATION:
Staff recommends that the City Commission approve a supplemental
appropriation in the amount of $20,000 to cover the cost of the purchase of
DataMatic Handheld Equipment.
ATTACHMENTS:
Memo from Judi Cooper, Interim Finance Director and Dennis Waldrop, Utility
Services Manager to Ron McLemore, City Manager requesting supplemental
funding for the purchase of new handheld meter reading devices.
Memo from Joanne Dalka, Information Services Director, in support of this
acquisition.
COMMISSION ACTION":
CITY OF WINTER SPRINGS, FLORIDA
1126 EAST STATE ROAD 434
WINTER SPRINGS, FLORIDA 32708-2799
Telephone (407) 327-1800
To:
Ron McLemore, City Manager
Judi coop~ance Director and Dennis Ward~lity Services Manager
From:
Re:
Request for Supplemental Funding
The Utility Services Department currently utilizes a software package from the Datamatic Company to interact
with the utility billing portion of our software package from MUNIS. Utilizing this software we provide data on a
weekly basis to a computer handheld unit which is used to store the readings for the city water meters. These
handheld units are then used to collect the current meter data for billing purposes. The collected information is
transferred electronically between the handheld and the computer. These handhelds were purchased
approximately 4 years ago. During the past 4 years the teChnology for running the units has advanced sufficiently
to now make our existing units obsolete. During the normal functionality of the units they are subject to normal
wear and tear requiring the handhelds to be serviced periodically. As these units have become obsolete the
servicing of the units becomes more difficult as the parts become less available. The units may require a longer
downtime for servicing thereby reducing the efficiency of the units and the productivity of our meter reading
services. As technology advanced the new handheld units would allow the utility services department to be more
efficient as well as more productive. The normal life expectancy of a handheld is 3 to 5 years and we are now
within the period of time for replacing these units. In order to maintain our high level of accuracy and timeliness of
meeting our billing demands it would be beneficial to replace our current handhelds. We therefore request
supplemental funding to replace our existing handhelds.
The cost for the replacement of the handhelds will be approximately $20,000.00. This would include 4 new
handhelds, two of which are remote capable. They would replace the 5 existing handhelds we are currently using.
The newer technology would allow utility services to be more efficient with 4 new units instead of the 5 current
handhelds we are utilizing. The cost would also include 4 communication cradles to interact with the computer as
well as training of staff to be able to use the new units.
fjPM ~
COpy
CITY OF WINTER SPRINGS, FLORIDA
1126 EAST STATE ROAD 434
WINTER SPRINGS, FLORIDA 32708
Telephone (407) 327-1800
MEMORANDUM
To:
Ron McLemore, City Manager
Joanne Dalka, Information Services Director~
From:
Date:
February 19, 2004
Re:
Request for Supplemental FW1ding for Meter Services Handheld Devices
Per your request, I met with Dennis Waldrop and Judi Cooper regarding their request for a
$20,000 supplemental appropriation for new meter services handheld devices. Dennis acquired
pricing from 2 vendors, DataMatic and SW1shine State. Dennis chose the DataMatic proposal
because our meter services division is currently using DataMatic equipment and software and
has a good working relationship with them. Per Dennis, there are about six major players in the
meter services handheld device arena. Ifwe choose the DataMatic proposal, there will be no
change of software needed, since we are already using their hardware and software. Ifwe
choose another vendor, there will be a very costly software change out required in addition to
new hardware.
My initial concern was that DataMatic had very poor technical support customer service.
However, Dennis informed me that they have improved greatly in this area by assigning us our
old rep who is dedicated to giving us the best of service as well as adding additional staff to their
customer service technical support area. They have also assigned a project manager to us as well
as furnished us with a timeline in which all our issues are to be resolved.
Another concern that I had was that the proposed handheld devices were not wireless capable
from the handheld to the cradle. I spoke directly to DataMatic on this issue and they assured me
that other customers had also made this request and that DataMatic was going to add this as a
new feature in the future. This functionality is not a necessity for us but I did want to have that
flexibility for the future. So this is really not an issue that should stop us from moving forward
with DataMatic.
In summary, I approve of their request for these new handhelds. I think that it will give them the
updated equipment that they need without the need to make expensive software changes.
Attachment: Memo from Dennis Waldrop and Judi Cooper to Ron McLemore requesting
additional appropriation
cc: Dennis WaldroPt;~~~~~P'l$~~1f
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