Agenda - 03-21-2006-7b - Laserfiche WebLink

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ORANGE COUNTY BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS ACTION AGENDA ITEM ABSTRACT Meeting Date: March 21, 2006 Action Agenda Item No. ~%-L~ SUBJECT: Report on Field-grade Mobile Computers and Printers for the Building Inspections Division DEPARTMENT: Planning and Inspections PUBLIC HEARING: (Y/N) No ATTACHMENT(S): INFORMATION CONTACT: PowerPoint Slides -Mobile Field Grade Craig Benedict, Planning Director/ Computers Susan Mellott, Cade Enforcement Supervisor, 919-245-2585 Commissioner Steve Halkiotis, 245-2125 Pl1RPOSE: To receive a report from the Building Inspecticns Division on a proposed system of mobile field grade computers with integrated (CPS) Global Positioning System, printers, and associated docking devices. BACKGROUND: The Building and Inspections Division processes around 20,000 field inspections per year, handwrites the results of the inspections while in field, and then manually enters this same data into the permit system at the end of each day. Approximately 2,500 employee hours per year are spent in the office typing inspection results. Field grade computers would allow the results to be typed and printed one time, while in the field. A legible copy of the inspection results would be left for the customer, and the data would be downloaded into the database automatically at the end of the day.. This more efficient reallocation of staff time would be used for absorbing additional inspection workloads and enhancing customer service. The Inspections Division would be able to assist in the maintenance of the Emergency Management/911 address field verification program, which is nearing completion at a cost of about $200,000., As Inspections staff goes to all construction sites within Hillsborough and Orange County jurisdictions, they can capture geographic coordinate data about the exact locations of new structures and update the 91 1 address database accordingly. Additionally, Inspections offered to capture the well GPS locations that ERCD had been plotting, when time permitted for Environmental Health, as well as septic system sites, as the Inspection staff is regularly on site and can save ERCD staff site visits specific to GPS capturing. The field grade computers would improve customer service, staff efficiency, communication and public safety, through sharing of data through the enterprise GIS and Permits Plus (Orange County permitting software). Further details of customer service, efficiencies, etc. are outlined in fhe PowerPoint presentation.