Proquest LLC
BY JUSTIN STOLTZFUS
Correspondent
West Earl Township supervisors are getting new tablet computers - but they got them on a close vote.
At their Monday meeting, the board voted 3-2 to go ahead with purchasing tablets and data plans in order to improve record- keeping.
Township manager Candie Johnson provided pricing information, saying a set of Verizon Nokia tablets provides the most affordable option. The tablets will cost $499 each.
Johnson said the data plan for all six tablets will be $100 per month.
'What if we don't know how to use a tablet?' asked supervisor Russell Ressler Jr., adding he reads things better on paper.
'I'd like to try it.' said Supervisor Vice Chair John Ford.
Ford said if the supervisors buy tablets in what he called a 'pilot project,' the planning commission and the water authority may also think about purchasing them.
Ford suggested that tablets might ultimately have a lot of value for the board in terms of convenience.
Supervisor Butch Keppley said that in his opinion, it's unlikely that the board would 'break even' on the purchase in terms of a return on investment.
Still, he said, making records digital would enable a better file of historic data for township business.
Keppley asked about an insurance plan in case the tablets were dropped or otherwise damaged.
Johnson said the tablets would have a protection plan, and that the township would also buy strong plastic cases for them.
When asked about his opinion on tablets, supervisor Richard L. Stover simply gave a thumbs-down.
'I'm not going to use it.' Stover said.
Supervisor Chair Dale Wissler suggested Stover's tablet could be kept at the township.
Ressler said record retrieval with the new digital system might not be as easy as anticipated.
Wissler pointed out that most kinds of searches can be done easily with a simple keyword search of an archive - using a person's name or the name of a development project, for example.
The board ultimately voted 3-2 to purchase the tablets, along with a scanner for paper documents.
Ressler and Stover were the two 'no' votes.
Supervisors read back the motion to authorize Johnson to buy the six tablets, with some suggesting purchasing less than six tablets.
When reached for comment Tuesday, Johnson said she plans to buy the six tablets as planned.
For more Conestoga Valley area news, visit: MyConestogaValleyNews.com
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