[bouldercouncilhotline] Hotline: Appropriate Technology-2

[kohls at bouldercolorado.gov]

Sender: Cowles, Macon

Here is another exchange I have had with a citizen on the same subject. When apprised of the whole truth--the context--people are supportive, not critical, of the City's providing councilors with appropriate technology.
Macon Cowles


On Jan 22, 2011, at 12:36 PM, Ben B. wrote:

Dear City Council Members, I was surprised to see that you are considering an additional council perk in these tough times. Trying to justify a top of the line ipad as a savings of paper is just ridiculous and an insult to your constituants' intelligence. As someone who owns both a laptop and an ipad I can tell you that the ipad is not meant as a business tool. Is it "cool" and "fun"? Sure, but that doesn't justify the use of public funds to buy one for each council member. Actions like these by the Council drive a wedge between the Council and the community. Many of whom are just struggling to get by. You are all significantly paid and if you want an ipad by all means buy one, but not at the tax payers' expense.

Sincerely,
Ben Bowen


To which I responded:

From: Macon Cowles <cowles.bouldercouncil at gmail.com>
Date: Sun, 23 Jan 2011 20:56:00 -0700
To: Ben Bowen<benjbowen at gmail.com>
Subject: Re: ipads?

Dear Ben, thanks for writing. iPads are not something that the Council asked for. This was staff's idea, thinking that this would save the city $10,000 a year, and that the technology would permit us to handle the 800-1,000 pages of reading that we do of City memos and documents and ordinances each month.

You mentioned that we are "significantly paid." That is not the case. We are paid for up to four meetings per month, at $170 per meeting. That is the cap on Council pay. I spent, during the first two years of my Council service, 120 hours per month on City business, meeting with constituents and responding to email and phone calls. There are numerous meetings each month that we attend, and there is not additional compensation for those.

I wish that the City would just provide us with a small reimbursement for technology and office expense, and let us choose our own equipment. As it is, the only support we are given for office expenses and technology is the monthly basic service for the iPhone. We are required to furnish our own computers, internet service and ISP hookup, fax, land line and the like. The City stopped providing councilors with computers, faxes and phone lines about ten years ago.

Last year, I spent about $700 on software. This included a periodic upgrade of Microsoft Office and Adobe Acrobat. I use all of it to do City Business. In addition to the Council meetings here, I represent the City on the Denver Regional Council of Governments which is a minimum of three Denver meetings a month. DRCOG went paperless two years ago, to save $60,000 a year in copying and mailing expense. So I take my laptop to Denver for the meetings.

I might well prefer to have a Macbook Air to an iPad. I don't know. But I would rather check it out myself and make that decision.

We work really hard for the people of Boulder. My first two years on Council, I spent an average of 120 hours per month on City business. I have had to cut down on City hours, and ramp up my work again because I have to support my family.

The Camera makes it sound as though we are on a lark, and just love to get a gadget like the iPad for the hell of it. But that is not the case. I want to get appropriate technology.  I don't think most people would have a problem with my making my own choice of operating system and hardware to do the business of the City--as long as I am being conservative in what I spend. I do take that responsibility very seriously.

I would like to know what you think, after hearing my perspective on this.

Thanks.

Macon Cowles


On Jan 24, 2011, at 9:18 AM, Ben wrote:

Thank you for the response Macon. The article made it seem a lot less justified which is unfortunate. It sounded like a luxury perk in a time when a lot of people are struggling. I also stand corrected on the salary comment. I was recalling the high compensation received by the city manager, not the city council. Thank you for your public service. -Ben
Sent via BlackBerry by AT&T


To which I responded:

Thank you, Ben. I appreciate the exchange we have had, and thank you for your kind words.

Macon