Finance committee recommends IT budget

CADILLAC - Seven computers, an antivirus package and membership in a state-sponsored computer purchase program are the first in a series of requests from the newly-formed Wexford County information technology committee.

The 11-member committee has researched the age and functions of county employees' computers and is recommending the most antiquated be replaced. The county would pay for six-and-a-half computers - two for the sheriff's department and four-and-a-half for the prosecuting attorney's office. The other half of the last computer would be paid for by a state-funded crime victim's rights grant.

The computers would cost $5,655; the antivirus package, $1,682; and the membership to a computer purchase program, $325. The committee requested additional money to begin working with a budget and replace additional computers. The money for the IT committee would come from the county's public improvement fund that has $85,293.

Wexford County Finance Committee recommended the IT committee request to the full board, 3-1, with Commissioner Jay Thiebaut voting no.

"We are operating on a first-come, first-serve basis. We have no plan. I have a bad aversion to someone handing me a list at a finance committee meeting and expect me to approve it," Thiebaut said.

However, Commissioner Laura Lee Smit said the computer purchase and the IT committee budget was necessary.

"I don't think you can run a county on bad computers. If it saves time and money, then OK," she said.

The IT committee also was notified Tuesday that Michigan Supreme Court will give the county $50,000 to replace 30 computers in the district and circuit court offices, two computer switches and one computer hub.

The committee also recommended to the full board a proposal for the county to receive $9,113 in state reimbursement and $7,000 for transition homes to send more people sentenced with operating under the influence of liquor-third offense charges to treatment centers and transition houses instead of jail.

The state corrections officials are recommending more inmates be sent to rehabilitation instead of jail. The county used to receive funding to jail OUIL-third offenders, however, the state has reduced the funding to the reimbursements for treatment facilities.