Modesto Council goes to paperless agendas City spends $13K on iPads for top officials.

Ken Carlson Modesto Bee: Dec 9

Vernon's Sister City Gets iPADS

 The digital revolution has done away with paper at Modesto City Council meetings. Council members are now reading their agenda documents on the 9.7-inch displays of iPad computers. The city spent $13,000 to buy 16 of the small touch-screen computers for the mayor, council members and department directors, who received the devices last month.The iPads replace the paper agenda packets that include the reports and support documents for matters before the council. The packets were often 400 to 500 pages."It has eliminated a lot of leafing time," Councilman Dave Lopez said. "It's a lot of paper savings. You are talking about a ream of paper for each person."Features allow council members to go to the page they want with a finger touch or search for a phrase in a document. The iPads are being used at council and subcommittee meetings.Officials can check their city e-mail or search the Internet through the wireless connection at Tenth Street Place or any location with Wi-Fi service, said Kevin Harless, interim chief information officer."It's made it more cost-effective and easier to manage this huge amount of information," Councilman Joe Muratore said.Harless said the city should recover the purchase cost of the iPads within 15 months. The city will avoid the cost of copying and compiling the packets and having an employee drive the packets to council members' homes the Thursday before council meetings.