Loading...
HomeMy WebLinkAbout08/24/1999 COW agenda COMMITTEE OF THE WHOLE AGENDA Meeting Location: Meeting Date and Time: Mount Prospect Senior Center Tuesday, August 24, 1999 50 South Emerson Street 7:30 P.M. I. CALL TO ORDER - ROLL CALL I1. ACCEPTANCE OF MINUTES OF AUGUST 10, 1999 II1. CITIZENS TO BE HEARD IV. EMPLOYEE COMPUTER PURCHASE REIMBURSEMENT PROGRAM The Employee Computer Purchase Reimbursement Program has been offered twice before to assist employees in purchasing computers for their personal use and enhancing their knowledge of technology for use at the Village as part of their assigned work tasks. When the Program was offered in 1994, 64 employees participated in the Program and over $126,000 was loaned out. Based on the success of the Program, it was repeated in 1997 with 57 employees participating and a little over $120,000 loaned out. The change in technology and the proliferation of computers at the Village necessary to perform various work tasks has kept the interest in the Program extremely high among the employee population. The Program is structured in such a way that the employee must submit a request for a computer purchase and meet specific criteria prior to the actual purchase. Once the purchase is completed, a receipt is forwarded for processing along with the completed application form and the employee is reimbursed by the Village. After the reimbursement, the employee makes periodic payments back to the Village through a payroll deduction. A very detailed promissory note must be signed by the employee to participate in the Program and payment is required of any loans prior to termination of employment. In the previous two rounds in 1994 and 1997, there were no instances whereby an employee defaulted on a loan payment at the time of an employee's termination. Since employee interest has remained extremely high and the cost to the Village is minimal, staff is requesting the Village Board consider renewing the Program beginning September 1, 1999 through November 30, 1999. Participation in the Program is not limited to a specific employment status as long as the employee has completed their probationary period and can complete payment within two years of the reimbursement. Employees are offered minimum computer requirements for consideration to ensure their investment is worthwhile to both them and the Village. The Village has struggled with computer training opportunities on a regular basis and allowing employees to undertake a self-teaching program at home has been very beneficial to the Village and has significantly increased general computer knowledge. The software recommended is also consistent with the types of Programs utilized by the Village in its day-to-day operation so any use of the programs at the employee's home will have a direct benefit in the workplace. Assistant Village Manager David Strahl will be available to answer any questions regarding this program. NOTE: ANY'INDIVIDUAL WHO WOULD LIKE TO ATTEND THIS MEETING BUT BECAUSE OF A DISABILITY NEEDS SOME A CCOMMODA TION TO PARTICIPATE, SHOULD CONTA CT THE VILLAGE MANAGER'S OFFICE AT '100 SOUTH EMERSON, MOUNT PROSPECT, ILLINOIS 60056, 847/392-6000, EXTENSION 5327, TDD #847/392-6064. V. VILLAGE NEWSLETTER FORMAT CHANGE There has been a general discussion underway regarding the overall appearance of the Village Newsletter since 1996. Trustees undertook a review of various Newsletter formats from other communities and offered comments in an effort to improve the appearance and readability of the existing format. Once this initial data was gathered, it was forwarded to the new the Public Information Officer who came on board in 1999. Since the Public Information Officer (PLO) has come on board, Maura Jandris has undertaken numerous communications projects including the Y2K Newsletter and the public seminars related to the Y2K issue. With the completion of those tasks, she has spent considerable time reviewing the Village Newsletter and has drafted a mock-up version for review by the Village Board. The Newsletter is the only regular communication received by residents and businesses in the community; therefore, it is critical that the Newsletter is readable and visually appealing to encourage attention to the information the Village is trying to communicate. The PlO is charged with coordinating a comprehensive communications strategy to improve the overall information flow on behalf of the Village to the community. The details of the strategy are outlined below: 1. Revise the Village Newsletter to improve readability and to inter-relate information to the Village Web Page and MPTV. 2. Develop a Village Web Page as an adjunct to the Village Hall allowing residents to access information and undertake Village business without a physical trip to the Village Hall. 3. Enhance MPTV to include Newsletter and Web topics and improve timeliness and overall appearance of productions. 4. Implement a community information line which would allow residents and other interested persons access to general Village information without actually having to contact a Village staff member. 5. Implement an automated call system, which would notify targeted groups of residents of meetings or other relevant information concerning Village operations. 6. Selected Village staff have published e-mail addresses on the Village Web Page and business cards. 7. Implement a bi-weekly informational update of Village activities to local newspapers and the general public. 8. Implementation of a documentation imaging system in which various public documents would be available to the Village's Web site for downloading. The Village Newsletter is the cornerstone of the overall communications program and the mock up that has been drafted contains standard locations for various pieces of information so the reader knows where specific items of interest will be located throughout the Newsletter on a consistent basis. Staff is requesting the Village Board consider the overall appearance of the Newsletter mock-up. Staff is also requesting direction from the Village Board regarding the number of colors to be included in the production. The number of colors included in each issue production has a direct impact on the actual cost per issue. Staff has recently received RFPs from area printers and that information will be provided to the Village Board as part of the discussion. Once the direction from the Village Board has been received, it is anticipated that the new format will debut with the January-February 2000 issue of the Newsletter. Assistant Village Manager David Strahl and Public Information Officer Maura Jandris will be present to facilitate discussion regarding the proposed Village Newsletter format change. Wt. VILLAGE MANAGER=S REPORT Wtt. ANY OTHER BUSINESS Will. ADJOURNMENT H:\GEN\Cow~genda\082499 COW Agenda.doc