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scanning potential within Orange County and automating processes. This would achieve space <br />savings, retrieval efficiencies, information protection, and ability to analyze data, ability to <br />increase the efficiency of the intake process, and the ability to leverage opportunities to share <br />information. The staff convened a Scanning Work Group with Social Services Director Nancy <br />Coston, Health Director Rosemary Summers, Janet Sparks, Clerk to the Board Donna Baker, <br />and CIO Todd Jones. The group engaged peers across the State and the country to look into <br />projects that had been successful and projects that had failed. One finding was that the scale of <br />magnitude of scanning operations varies enormously from department to department. DSS has <br />literally hundreds of different forms, each of which would potentially require its own scanning <br />and indexing approach. It is estimated that DSS has tens of millions of sheets of paper that <br />would be potentially subject to a scanning operation. The other key finding was the importance <br />of properly resourcing any scanning project. The majority of the work would be outsourced to a <br />third-party vendor and there would still be an enormous amount of work that would have to be <br />undertaken by County staff. <br />Todd Jones said that the group recognized that what would be most helpful would be to <br />embark on a relatively modest-scale pilot program, which could serve as a model for some of <br />the larger projects. The Child Support Enforcement document load would be fairly modest in <br />size, with about 250,000 documents, but there is enough complexity and it would be a nice <br />small-scale version of some of the other departments. The group recommends working with <br />vendors to try and scope what it would take to perform this project. <br />Chair Jacobs pointed out that there is reimbursement from the State. Todd Janes said <br />that the County would only bear a third of the cost. <br />Commissioner Carey asked about haw much space the documents take up at this time <br />and Janet Sparks said that there are 11 file cabinets. <br />Commissioner Gordon said that Countywide, that every department should be <br />automated to the extent possible and be paperless. Todd Jones agreed that it is critical to stop <br />the creation of paper going forward. He said that the goal with Child Support Enforcement is not <br />just the scanning aspect, but figuring out a system of retrieval that will also be used going <br />forward. He cautioned that there is not a one size fits all approach to automation. <br />Rod Visser said that this is one of those things where IT can be part of the solution, but it <br />cannot be done by IT alone. <br />Commissioner Gordon said that her question relates to when Orange County will begin <br />to be automated. <br />Commissioner Foushee said that there is value in this project, but it seems to her that <br />this would not move the County beyond where it is much because there will always be a need to <br />scan more documents. She asked at what point the scanning stops and data entry begins. She <br />said that with scanning documents there is no opportunity to go back and update. <br />Gwen Harvey said that the group tried to scale down to a project that was manageable. <br />Chair Jacobs said that the Board may still want this to come back before the break in <br />December with information about how to begin the automation process. <br />A motion was made by Commissioner Carey, seconded by Commissioner Foushee to <br />adjourn the meeting at 10:20 p.m. <br />Barry Jacobs, Chair <br />David Hunt <br />Deputy Clerk to the Board <br />