Travis County Commissioners Court
August 31, 2004
Item 34
34. Approve contract for provision of computer software programming and support
services with charles siepert, jr.
>> my question on this one that came up it was just blatantly
out there, there may be a very logical explanation why. That -- that are joe
harlow rule. He wasn't on the list. Maybe he's already signed off on this,
in which case this was a quick question. I didn't understand why this was
not done in conjunction with its. Whether there was somebody that ought to
be hired through its through this whole idea of us trying to, you know, consolidate,
coordinate, stuff especially when it comes to programming on systems that
we are trying our darnedest to funnel through its.
>> I will start. Michelle brinkman with the district clerk's
office. I think on this one what has been created is a perception by the limitation
of the title of the posting of the item that doesn't really reflect exactly
everything that's going on here. There are certain things that -- that we
have worked out in our office internally, using primarily microsoft office,
suite of products, to get work done. Things like preparing judgements, for
the court's signature, pin packets, tracking files. Function tracking, also
appeals tracking, all of these things are being done using what -- what is
-- what the system is probably elevating -- calling it a system is probably
elevating it to a level that it's not. These are simple ad hoc programs that
we have put together like any other office would do to do ad hoc -- facilitations
of work. This doesn't rise to the same level of facts or the dms or the ijs
or anything like that. And what we have been able to do, because our management
resources especially have been limited because one of the two managers in
our criminal division is working on facts and has been assigned to that now
for several years, the former manager of the criminal division who is very
conversant in the law, code of criminal procedures, case law, other processes,
has been working for us part-time to assist in these management functions,
which also includes the computer setup. I will say that -- that that doesn't
-- doesn't totally describe everything that he does for us. For example, every
two years when the legislative changes come through, charles is one of the
key persons that we sit with to go over the law and say, now, what do we need
to change procedurally, what do our forms need to look like to comply with
these new laws, we go over that with him. He helps us determine what that
is. Then he takes that and he makes a -- the necessary changes to our forms,
to our mail merge goes, to the simple data bases that we have to effect that.
>> is this person -- has this person always been an outside
consultant on behalf of the district clerk's office.
>> he was a temporary employee, officially retired.
>> from.
>> from Travis County. From our office, he was the manager
of the criminal division.
>> drawing a retime of the check from Travis County.
>> he draws a retirement check, but he was able to work as
a temporary employee less than 900 hours a month. I’m sorry, a year. What
we have found is our need for his support has grown beyond the 900 hours a
year. So what we wanted to do was to move them into a contract status. What
that does is give us the flexibility to use him as is needed for him to be
used rather than on a regular schedule. Right now I think especially exceed
the 900 hours a year that he would be limited to as a temporary employee.
Because he's filling in for a lot of our management functions with the ijs
and facts project going on. And I think he will be able to assist us if some
of the training of the facts implementation once we get to the stage of training
those employees.
>> john, the idea of somebody pulling a Travis County retirement
check and then going from a temporary employee to this, have you all like
taken a look at this and blessed this relationship.
>> well, the -- these -- if I pulled off the federal requirements
and went one by one with michelle and said -- and asked okay, how is he --
in this category, okay, how does he fit in this category, she had enough of
the categories that if we drafted the contract as we have drafted it, then
we are probably going to be okay.
>> is there no person in your shop to do this. 21,000 is
not a little change. It's a substantial amount of money in terms of a portion
of somebody's salary full-time. To be at your beck and call.
>> well, we did not get to look at it up front. But since
it came up this morning, we have visited and it looks like a lot of the things
that he's done for them is using excel and word to build forms for him to
use. Most of those functions will be replacement facts when it comes up. Under
a contract, as I understand, he will be on an hourly basis, that can be limited
once facts comes up, there won't be the necessity to support a lot of these
things.
>> are you comfortable with this.
>> I think this is fine right now.
>> that is helpful.
>> you do have a [indiscernible]
>> I’m sorry?
>> you do have $21,000 up to that amount?
>> yes, judge. Well, for this fiscal year we have set aside
what we feel that we need to go through. Since he was paid out of our temporary
funds, funding this internally by moving those funds from -- from temporary
into a contract line item. So this is all being covered with our existing
resources.
>> you have got money for '05, it's in the '05.
>> yes.
>> okay. It just could be helpful, I’m going to ask this
question all the time. Any time that I see anything, use Commissioner Davis's
expression, the joe harlow note I’m going to ask because we really are trying
to get everything centralized over there for a darped good reason in -- darned
good reason in terms of consistency, and a service delivery plan for all of
our departments.
>> I appreciate that. I will say his services, both in the
former role and this new role is extremely valuable to us because -- because
right now we have a department where there is one manager supervisor and there
are 25 employees. Without this additional resource to assist in this, we would
be in a world of hurt that's a very high management to employee ratio for
one person.
>> move approval.
>> second.
>> any more discussion? All in favor? That passes by unanimous
vote.
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Last Modified: Thursday, October 27, 2005 11:00 AM