MONROE - The city could be getting automated time clocks - if an ad hoc committee can determine what will work for each of the city's departments, and how to pay for it.
At its meeting Monday, the Information Technology Committee did not give the go-ahead to purchase an automated system. The ad hoc committee instead opted to pursue a strategic plan in the next 60 days or sooner that can work for all city departments with a solid price that could potentially be rolled into the 2016 budget.
An automated system would cover 110 full-time city employees. The Monroe Police Department has used its own automated system for at least five years, and would not be affected by a future switch for other city workers.
No decision was made on how to pay for product, called iSolve TimeForce. There is no money set aside for initial start-up cost of $7,800, or the additional annual cost of about $5,000.
Rob Jacobson, Monroe's technical services director, said he spoke with city department heads and all are on-board with an automated time clock system - except the Monroe Fire Department whose personnel can't necessarily take the time to clock-in before heading out on a call.
Fire Chief Daryl Rausch said he was concerned if the system would allow him to go in after the fact and punch in firefighters' times. Rausch said that although the automated clock-in works over mobile phones, his firefighters don't bring them in the trucks.
"Maybe this is a 2016 project," Jacobson said.
There was also discussion of including a security system with "proximity cards" that could be swiped over devices to unlock buildings. Jacobson said iSolve is not a "canned product," meaning any facets the city wants to include should be available, but the proximity cards would likely be another project on its own.
Rausch said he wants to have a clear discussion with the company to make sure he has the utility to go in days afterwards and log in his employee's times. Rausch said this is especially important in the case of weekends or late night fires when he may not go back to the fire station afterwards.
At its meeting Monday, the Information Technology Committee did not give the go-ahead to purchase an automated system. The ad hoc committee instead opted to pursue a strategic plan in the next 60 days or sooner that can work for all city departments with a solid price that could potentially be rolled into the 2016 budget.
An automated system would cover 110 full-time city employees. The Monroe Police Department has used its own automated system for at least five years, and would not be affected by a future switch for other city workers.
No decision was made on how to pay for product, called iSolve TimeForce. There is no money set aside for initial start-up cost of $7,800, or the additional annual cost of about $5,000.
Rob Jacobson, Monroe's technical services director, said he spoke with city department heads and all are on-board with an automated time clock system - except the Monroe Fire Department whose personnel can't necessarily take the time to clock-in before heading out on a call.
Fire Chief Daryl Rausch said he was concerned if the system would allow him to go in after the fact and punch in firefighters' times. Rausch said that although the automated clock-in works over mobile phones, his firefighters don't bring them in the trucks.
"Maybe this is a 2016 project," Jacobson said.
There was also discussion of including a security system with "proximity cards" that could be swiped over devices to unlock buildings. Jacobson said iSolve is not a "canned product," meaning any facets the city wants to include should be available, but the proximity cards would likely be another project on its own.
Rausch said he wants to have a clear discussion with the company to make sure he has the utility to go in days afterwards and log in his employee's times. Rausch said this is especially important in the case of weekends or late night fires when he may not go back to the fire station afterwards.