What is Middleboro IT director planning?

What is Middleboro IT director planning?

According to the Information Technology (IT) Assessment recently done by the Edward J. Collins, Jr. Center for Public Management for Middleboro, the, “IT director stated that he spent 50 percent of his time on planning activities” and that, “In a town of Middleborough’s size, these planning activities should not require more than approximately 15 percent of an IT Director’s time.” In Middleboro, our IT director is spending 35 percent more time planning than most.

It also states that the town does not have a “written plan for business continuity/disaster recovery. This leaves Middleborough at extraordinary risk.”

At the presentation on June 16, the IT director corrected the statement that there is no disaster recovery plan. He said he has a list of names to call in an emergency and he can borrow equipment from a local offsite backup company.

A business continuity plan is used in cases such as the basement of town hall being flooded (that is where the town’s computer room is and it has flooded in the past). It would describe what and how to set up equipment for a short time in order keep the town functioning. A disaster recovery plan is for a major event, for example, a hurricane hit the area, like what happened to New Orleans with Hurricane Katrina. It would describe how to get critical computer services back in operation when the town’s normal infrastructure in damaged.

The IT Assessment also said that the town has no strategic plan for IT.

A strategic plan for IT is the road map for moving forward. It describes the goals for the IT department and how to reach them.

The town of Middleboro has an extremely inadequate business continuity/disaster recovery plan and no strategic plan for IT. What is our town’s IT director spending half of his time planning?

BOB DUNPHY

Middleboro

Middleboro's IT Department

In the Brockton Enterprise --


Middleboro FinCom to meet with IT firm
Town is considering outsourcing its computer needs
By Alice C. Elwell
ENTERPRISE CORRESPONDENT
Posted Apr 03, 2009 @ 11:18 PM

MIDDLEBORO —
The Finance Committee is expected to hear a presentation Monday from HUB Technical Services, an Easton-based firm that is proposing technical support for the town’s computer system.

“They are coming in to explain to us what they would provide and how it would blend with our IT department and budget,” said committee Chairman Richard J. Pavadore.

At issue is the town’s IT Department and whether an outside company could provide better service with the $316,000 budget.

IT Director Roger Brunelle Sr. said he has investigated outsourcing in the past, and the same level of services can’t be reached within the present budget.

He acknowledges the town’s Web site is not up to par, explaining it was first created by a high school student years ago and little has been done to update it.

Brunelle said his department has accomplished much on a tight budget since it opened in 1989, but said he needs more funding to go forward.

Brunelle said his department is unique.

“We’re the only IT department in the state that brings in revenue,” Brunelle said, referring to $298,000 that is billed to other town departments for indirect costs.

Last month, Vice Chairman Joseph Thomas discussed hiring an outside company to run the town’s technology department that has a proposed 2010 budget of $316,000.

Outsourcing could eliminate the need for a director which carries a current salary of $84,326.

The first time the committee discussed the move, they estimated Brunelle’s benefits to cost nearly $40,000 a year, but Brunelle said his annual benefits are approximately $21,000 a year.

Thomas said outsourcing would provide two on-site engineers for $150,000 a year.

Pavadore said if his committee favors outsourcing the IT Department’s function, it will recommend selectmen authorize HUB to perform a network analysis on the town’s system.

According to HUB’s Web site, the company is an approved state contractor that has been hired by Whitman Hanson Regional Schools, Stoughton Public Schools and New England Sinai Hospital in Stoughton.

Middleboro proposes ......

Because of the comments received, below is the pertinent article. The proposed cuts are items that the Middleboro Board of Selectmen, were they competent, could and should have proposed in the past.

Recently, the Town Manager commented on town-owned and insured vehicles that sat snow-covered all winter and escaped the Selectmen's notice and the need for him to conduct an audit.

There is much else and many other areas where money could and should be saved, but this is a beginning, heralded by the Finance Committee.

Of those people who have commented around Town, the prospect of having an actual professional manage the IT Department has been greeted with cheers!

Middleboro proposes outsourcing IT dept. to save $150K
By Alice C. Elwell


MIDDLEBORO - The Finance Committee is considering outsourcing the computer support department, potentially cutting the department’s $316,000 proposed budget in half.

Vice Chairman Joseph Thomas last week proposed hiring an outside company to run the town’s technology department.

“They would do everything, all IT needs,” Thomas said, including upgrades and Web design. Thomas said outsourcing would slash the IT budget by at least 50 percent, while at the same time provide two on-site engineers for $150,000 a year.

Thomas said hiring an outside company would eliminate the $84,326 salary of IT Director Roger Brunelle Sr. Finance Committee member Glenn S. MacPherson estimated his benefit package costs taxpayers another $40,000 a year.

Brunelle is married to Selectwoman Marsha L. Brunelle, who has excused herself from discussions of the IT department in the past.

Thomas said selectmen would have to authorize the company to perform a site plan and network analysis in order to present an accurate proposal and scope of work.

The committee voted to meet with the company for a presentation before recommending the plan to selectmen.

In a further move to reduce personnel, the committee discussed reducing the hours of several full-time secretaries.

“Can we ask selectmen why they need a full-time secretary?” MacPherson asked.

“Why not one secretary for police and fire?” added Tarsi Velantzas.

Chairman Richard J. Pavadore suggested hiring a full-time mechanic to service the town’s fleet of 212 vehicles. Pavadore said town departments are budgeting $162,550 for routine maintenance, such as oil changes and brake jobs. He said hiring a certified mechanic to do the same work would cost the town approximately $90,000 with benefits.

“You realize that is completely contrary to everything we believe in,” said MacPherson.

Another cost-cutting proposal was put forward by member Stephen McKinnon, who questioned the town’s insurance deductible on motor vehicle policies, saying in most cases it was $500.

McKinnon said there would be a savings if the deductibles were adjusted, pointing out a 1967 trailer didn’t need a $500 deductible.

Pavadore said the town’s fiscal year 2010 budget is $70 million, with a deficit of more than $1 million.

wickedlocal

Sunshine or Mushroom Farming?

It is understandable that a reporter for the Brockton Enterprise might not be familiar with the protests about Middleboro's PTWS (Pathetic Town Web Site) that has gone on for more years than one remembers.

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In 2007, the Middleboro IT Director, Roger Brunelle, husband of a computer inept Selectwoman Marsha Brunelle, announced that he would include a CALENDAR of public meetings in the PTWS.

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Not done!

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At a recent BOS meeting, Selectwoman Marsha Brunelle used the terms "blog" and "email address" interchangeably, refusing to publish her personal blog address for the public to send comments to her. Someone needs to explain that a second email account can be established. The same can be said of Selectman Steven Spataro, currently running for re-election.

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Lest anyone believe the CALENDAR is a trivial matter, take a look at where public meetings are posted and the disarray on the current bulletin board.

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The Public Meetings are posted in the lobby of the Bank Building. That lobby is locked in off hours. So, let's say, you're sauntering down the street on the weekend and want to review posted meetings. You best remember to bring your binoculars because you can't view the posted meetings otherwise!

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The Middleboro Gazette does an admirable job of listing meetings that are posted in their edition that is published on Thursday. But, let's just say a meeting is posted after the Gazette goes to press. It's posted nowhere else other than the cluttered and inaccessible bulletin board.

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Maybe that complies with the Open Meeting Law, but it sure doesn't make it convenient, nor very public.

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Until voters protested the failure of the Middleboro Board of Selectmen to make Executive Meeting Minutes available, as provided in the Public Records Statute, it was never done. Compliance with that statute was accomplished over the protests and whines of the BOS who initially suggested passing along the cost of Town Counsel's review made sense.

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Executive Meeting Minutes were released and posted once. We're still waiting for the regular reviews specified in the law.

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Previous attempts to motivate the BOS to create a new and improved replacement for the PTWS have been met with resistance.

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Town residents have offered to create one for FREE. Those offers have been ignored.

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Town Meeting Warrants have been posted on the Library web site, to the credit of the Library Director, in the past because they haven't been posted on the PTWS.

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Transparency?

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In fairness to one of the departments that has worked to post forms and information on the PTWS, I must correct the following comment ---

Middleboro, West Bridgewater and Whitman do not make property assessments available on the Web.
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On the PTWS that goes beyond user unfriendly toward user hostile, the Assessing Department has posted the information. You just can't easily find it unless you know it's there.

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Middleboro voters have elected dinosaurs who resist change and modernization.
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Clearly, Kyle Alspach is unfamiliar with Middleboro Mushroom Farming.

PTWS: Pathetic Town Web Site

The Middleborough Web Site is down.
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Does anyone know anything about it?
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Was someone watering the mushrooms again?
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When I went in earlier today to examine the BOS agenda, I noticed a heading about Executive Sessions and wanted to review it more thoroughly.

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Has anyone taken a look?

Middleboro: Home of Mushroom Farming

Just when you think Middleboro might be moving forward, making progress and moving into the appropriate century, you realize that the dinosaurs have prevailed!

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The PTWS (Pathetic Town Web Site, a label not originating with me) has long been the butt of jokes and frustration and letters to the BOS and the Middleboro Gazette.

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For comparison, MMA offers City and Town Web Sites

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Both the Middleborough Public Library and the Middleborough Public Schools offer user friendly formats with pertinent information.

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A review of the Selectmen's Meeting Minutes, historically available on line, seems to indicate that minutes have not been posted since is that July 2008?

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And those minutes are posted in doc format.

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It would appear that if you miss a meeting because you're on vacation or out of town, you need to submit a Public Records Request, wait for the retrieval of the pertinent documents and pay for them as well.

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So much for transparency in Town Government! And the Board of Selectmen haven't noticed.

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Offers of free assistance to replace the PTWS have been ignored or rebuffed by the IT Director.

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As part of the discussion regarding the Community Preservation Act (CPA), a search for information about the actions of other communities produced Open Space Plan Massachusetts.

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Other municipalities actually provide information that is available to the public.

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Not so Middleboro, Home of Mushroom Farming!

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More than a year ago, the IT Director announced that he would add a Calendar feature to the PTWS. If you want to know what meetings are scheduled, you must travel to the Bank Building to review the bulletin board, but don't forget binoculars. If the lobby is locked, you'll need them. And don't plan on the visit being brief because the bulletin board is disorganized and confusing, so time is required for review. Or to find out what meetings are scheduled for only the following week, you can buy the Middleboro Gazette. So, if you want a Calendar format that actually projects public hearings or future schedules, don't look for it because it's never been important enough for the BOS or IT Director to provide.

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Even the Board of Selectmen has never found it important enough to post their future agendas of public hearings prior to the 48 hours mandated by the Open Meeting Law.

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All of the above ignores that Executive Session Minutes were requested more than a year ago, as is appropriate under the Public Records Law.

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One interesting fact posted on the PTWS is the following:

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The area that the town covers is 68.1 square miles.

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Former Selectman, Lincoln Andrews made the unsubstantiated statement as fact during the January 12, 2009, Board of Selectmen's Meeting, that 7 Square Miles of the Town was preserved as Open Space.

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Those who attended or watched might recall Mr. Andrews' unnecessary outburst when I asked, through the Chairman of the Board, the source of the "fact."

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And Mrs. Duphily, who pays little attention to facts, rushed to defend the fiction.

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But then, this is Home of Mushroom Farming! Don't allow facts to intrude in your opposition or support when it's convenient.

Computers and Water

Does anyone know anything about the pipe breaking in the basement of Town Hall in December?
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Did it destroy any computer equipment?
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Isn't that where the Town's computer equipment is?
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Is that the best location?
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What would happen if the Town's equipment in the basement got ALL WET?
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Does the Town have a Disaster Recover Plan in place for the Town's computer records?
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What happened the last time the system crashed? Does anyone remember how much that fiasco cost the Town in terms of manpower to input the information that was lost?
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More importantly, isn't that where the MUSHROOM FARMING is done?

Since we're talking about it ........

Since perusal of the OFFICIAL MIDDLEBORO TOWN WEB SITE, a perennial topic of bile and jokes, has arisen, where's the CALENDAR that the IT Director indicated would be added in October 2007?

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He said October. Did anyone ask what year?
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Maybe when the Middleboro Board of Selectmen, who seem mostly technologically inept themselves, discuss the IT budget, they could ask.

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Or the interim Town Manager who doesn't seem to know how to turn on a computer.

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Maybe someone could show the IT Director how to do it?
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