Proposal to Provide $185,000.00 in the Capital Budget

Year 2000 Allocation for Clerk's Year 2000 Related Issues

The Strategic Policies and Priorities Committee recommends the adoption of the Recommendation of the Budget Committee embodied in the following communication (March30, 1999) from the City Clerk:

Recommendation:

The Budget Committee on March 29, 1999, recommended to the Strategic Policies and Priorities Committee, and Council, the adoption of the joint report (March 18, 1999) from the Chief Financial Officer and Treasurer and the Commissioner of Corporate Services, wherein it is recommended that funds in the amount of $185,000.00 be provided with the Year 2000 Capital Budget allocation to address the Clerk's Division's Year 2000 and related issues.

Background:

The Budget Committee had before it a joint report (March 18, 1999) from the Chief Financial Officer and Treasurer and the Commissioner of Corporate Services, providing details of funding for the Clerk's Division to adequately address Year 2000 and related issues in delivering the required level of Information Technology support.

(Joint Report dated March 18, 1999, addressed to the

Budget Committee, from the Chief Financial Officer and Treasurer

and the Commissioner of Corporate Services.)

Purpose:

This report provides details in response to a request by the Budget Committee to report back on providing funds, in the amount of $185,000.00 in the Capital Budget Year 2000 allocation, so that the Clerk's Division may adequately address Year 2000 and related issues in delivering the required level of IT support.

Funding Sources, Financial Implications and Impact Statement:

Funds are available within the Year 2000 budget contingency.

Recommendations:

It is recommended that funds in the amount of $185,000.00 be provided with the Year 2000 Capital Budget allocation to address the Clerk's Division's Year 2000 and related issues.

Comments and/or Discussion and/or Justification:

During the 1999 Operating Budget Preliminary Review, the Budget Committee requested the Chief Financial Officer and Treasurer and the Executive Director of Information and Technology to report back on providing funds, in the amount of $185,000.00 in the Capital Budget Year 2000 allocation, so that the Clerk's Division may adequately address Year 2000 and related issues in delivering the required level of IT support.

The Clerk's Division identified a reduction of three (3) FTE's in Information and Technology support as part of their strategy to achieve the 1999 Budget reduction target with the consequence of a slower response for the end-users.

Clerk's has attempted to arrange its Information and Technology resources to minimize the long term impacts on end-user support; however, it is becoming evident that the Clerk's/Council IT resources will become increasingly involved in the Year 2000 project as the year progresses.

Therefore, in order to allow the Clerk's Division to provide adequate IT support for Clerk's/Council, it is recommended that funding, in the amount $185,000.00, be provided within the Capital Budget Year 2000 allocation for 1999. This funding will allow Clerk's to maintain the existing end-user support levels for the remainder of 1999 and prepare the software and hardware infrastructure for Year 2000.

Conclusions:

In order to allow the Clerk's Division to maintain adequate end-user information and technology support to the Division and Members of Council, it is recommended that the sum of $185,000.00 be allocated from the Year 2000 Capital Budget as a one-time cost to support the demands placed upon the IT support staff to support the Year 2000 rollout in 1999.

Contact Name:

Jim Andrew

Information and Technology Division

392-8421