Town of Otis Technology Committee
Meeting Minutes
May 18, 2009
Present: Mary Anne Cicchillo, Bob Rocke, Lisa D’Orazio, Howard Levin, Larry Gould, Ernie Lowell
· Meeting called to order at 6:15 pm
· The minutes from the April 21, 2009 meeting were approved with changes.
· The Southern Berkshire Technology Collaborative (SBTC) will no longer be pursuing the 501.(c).(4) non-profit status for two reasons: it no longer has benefit, and Attorney Blair is no longer available. All grant monies will now be funneled through the Massachsetts Broadband Institute, which will be directed by Sharon Gillette, who has a good connection with the Southern Berkshire Technology group. The first meeting for MBI will be June 19th, and Bob thinks the plan is to have it in Otis, but no one at the town hall knows about it yet. The current consensus is the broadband build out will begin in Western Massachusetts, which
will guarantee we will all have FIOS connectivity by 2011. Since Western Mass Electric uses Verizon’s poles here in Otis, and has the GIS locations for them, the Southern Berkshire Technology group will try to get that pole information from WMECO since Verizon has not been forth coming with it.
· All members reviewed the Emergency Contact list provided – no changes or additions were made.
· Town of Otis Employee Handbook – Lisa was able to distribute a copy of the draft for the Computer Usage section of the handbook. Everyone determined it was well written except for a small phrase in one of the last paragraphs. A new language was suggested for that phrase and Lisa will present the change to the Town Administrator tomorrow. The change in verbiage will reduce any liability the town may have appeared to assume based upon the previous language.
· It was determined the initial computers to be replaced under the new technology budget will be one in the Assessor’s office, one for the Highway Dept., and one for the Fire Dept. The computer for COA may possibly be replaced as well. There is one computer in the Police Dept. that is currently attached to the town intranet, but no one is allowed to touch that computer. This may need to be revisited.
· Meeting was adjourned at 6:55 pm.
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