ADMINISTRATIVE REPORT

Date: November 25, 1998
Author/Local: C. Robbins/7535
RTS No. 00262

CC File No. 1365

TO:	Vancouver City Council
FROM:	General Manager of Community Services
SUBJECT:	DOMINO Imaging System - Operational Savings

RECOMMENDATION

A. THAT Council approve the reduction of positions and operational savings identified in Appendix A, in order to achieve most of the savings required to pay for the installation of the Document Management Imaging System (DOMINO).

B. THAT Council instruct the General Manager of Community Services to report back by the end of 1999 on the specific source of the savings to cover the shortfall of $119,000 covered as a charge to Community Services Budget for 1999.

POLICY

Council approves the creation and deletion of regular positions.

BACKGROUND

In March of 1996, Council approved the acquisition of Phase I of a Document Management/Imaging System (DOMINO) for Community Services. One of the conditions of Council’s approval was that the General Manager report back by the end of 1998 as to the specifics of the operational savings that were promised to pay for the DOMINO installation. These were projected at $500,000 annually.

The financial plan approved by Council for the repayment of the loan for the installation of the DOMINO system was based on the principal that support and replacement costs can be accommodated over the lifetime of the technology being purchased. The financial plan used a combination of ongoing operating cost savings and increased revenues to ensure that the Imaging System would be paid for over its anticipated seven year life.

DISCUSSION

Scope The system captures documentation related to the Central Property Files (i.e. address related files) that include permitting and By-law enforcement activities. Over 1,000,000 images have been scanned and are stored on the system. At present, there are approximately 300 Community Services staff that have access to the DOMINO system. In addition, access has been installed on a trial basis in the Clerk’s office and Legal Services.

Benefits The benefits already realized include:

· concurrent multi-user access to property file information
· desktop (quick) access to information
· security of documents
· reduction in the requirement for written reports, updates
· document sorting/searching capability
· offsite backup for emergency restoration
· significant reduction in misfiles
· less paper = more space

Future enhancements in progress:

· acceptance of electronic data ( wordperfect documents, e-mail)
· centralized fax-in
· fax-out directly from the desktop
· forms development
· internet access (subject to appropriate security measures)
· capture of “other” documents that are not address related

Savings

The efficiencies gained throughout CSG attributed to the installation of the DOMINO system and to other initiatives have enabled a redistribution of duties and functions within workgroups that have freed up some full- time positions.* The elimination of these positions will result in an annual savings of $242,600. In addition to the positions identified, there are other operational savings such as a reduction in temporary help of $36,400, a reduction in the annual auto allowance of $65,000 and approximately $37,000 in savings resulting from a foregoing of the 1% increase on non-salary objects of expenditure.

*Human Resource Implications:

All of the positions identified in Appendix A have been vacated through attrition, with the exception of one current Clerk II position. Discussions are currently in progress with the incumbent of that position concerning the options for employment elsewhere in CSG in keeping with the terms of the Collective Agreement.

As the operational and staff savings totalling $381,000 falls short of the projected $500,000 that was anticipated in 1996, it is recommended that Community Services Budget be charged $119,000 for one year, subject to the General Manager reporting back to Council in December of 1999 as to the specifics of the permanent savings equal to this amount, for the year 2000 and beyond.

A copy of this report has been forwarded to CUPE 15.

APPENDIX A

Staffing:

Position No. Description Annual Savings

4340 Clerk II $ 36,059
362 Clerk V 52,510
4339 Clerk Typist II 33,264
982 Systems Analyst 63,081
-- Residual from former

Director of Permits & Licenses* 57,686

$ 242,600

* as approved by Council in March of 1997

Operational Savings:

Description Annual Savings

Temporary Help $ 36,400
Auto Allowance 65,000
1% non-salary 37,000
Community Services Budget Charge for 1999 119,000

$ 257,400

TOTAL ANNUAL SAVINGS $ 500,000

* * * * *

(c) 1998 City of Vancouver