That makes a lot of sense. We just can't be dumping requests on your operation and expect you to make it work properly or perform well if you don't get the additional money. And I don't know, maybe Charlie McPherson or the President would know if other departments have a similar situation as they grow, and your growth is sometimes not known, especially right now with the change in this Administration. You're getting new employees that were never here before and you're expected to provide them the equipment that they need to do their work, but you're not given the money to make it work. So I don't know, Madam President, Madam 828 2/15/00, Operating Budget, Bill 000005 Chair, I know Mr. anderson indicated that he's being asked to add computers, he's being asked to add a lot of things as the weeks and months go by, but he's not given the additional money to support that growth. That's not right. And I'd rather not have a computer at all if it's not going to work well. Like upgrades to equipment, I'm hearing people constantly complaining. As a member of City Council, if I'm not able to have good equipment, I sometimes wonder what it must be like to be in the trenches and try to work every day for this government. If a member of City Council has a computer that they tell me that those people put in the trash at home. So I think what we need to -- we need to know how monies can be added to -- Charlie, we need to know how monies can be added to Brian Anderson's budget when 500 new computers are requested and dumped on him and then he doesn't have the money to make it work.
You're 829 2/15/00, Operating Budget, Bill 000005 welcome. (Rob Dubow comes forward.)
And if this is your way of telling us that you need a new computer, we will take note of it. (Laughter.)
I have to repeat that all over again? The question is this, and is not a planted question, this is just a question. Mr. Anderson's organization has a budget of close to $13 million. The Street Administration's got a lot of ideas in changing government, the way it looks, adding people, adding offices. He is asked to provide government 200 new computers, 500 new computers. Well he's expected to do that with $13 million. He's not given a budget that has the ability to grow when he's asked to grow IS system. That funny look on your face, didn't I explain that? 830 2/15/00, Operating Budget, Bill 000005
No, I actually -- I understood the question. I'm just not really sure that that -- (Mr. Dubow confers with Mr. Anderson.)
Obviously the first approach is that Brian will try to manage his resources to meet our needs and then we'll work with him to look and look how his budget can accommodate that.
I just can't figure how a man walks in here with a budget and then is expected to add 500 or 200 or 300 computers and expect to make it work with the budget that he came in before those 500 computers were added to the IS system. And we're just throwing numbers around. I don't even know if 500 --
Well, Mr. Anderson made a statement. You want to make it again since Mr. Dubow wasn't here? 831 2/15/00, Operating Budget, Bill 000005
Well, the 500 was just an example of what's happening when departments add to the network and add users and employees and we buy new computers. We have -- you know, the mechanism we have is developing a justification statement in the budget to try to get the extra funds that we feel is needed to properly support this growth in the network. And you asked me if I had a chance to get something funded what would I get, and I feel that that is our biggest challenge, keeping up with the demand that employees have across the City for support of this network and all of the software systems that are required to run it.
Yes. I'll still go back to my initial statement which was -- I mean, we don't -- the 500, I think, was just an example that Brian was giving for potential.
Could me a thousand, could be 100, could be 50, could be 10. And I don't think we're going to add money on speculation. I 832 2/15/00, Operating Budget, Bill 000005 think we want to look at where his budget goes, what needs actually are and where we see him now is the budget he has to accommodate his needs.
That's not what he said. He said -- and I'm not going to speak for him. He said he would like to have a system where when there's growth that the money is there to cover the growth. He's not asking you just to throw a pile of money at him. He wants a mechanism that if he has to add a thousand computers that he doesn't have to do it and put something else on hold to support those 500 computers or 900 computers or 50 computers. He wants to have a process that pays him for that extra support.
Well, there is a process. And if he gets to the point where he really needs to add 500 computers and that becomes clear to us and becomes clear that he can't accommodate that within his budget, then we go through the transfer ordinance process. But don't put the money in his budget up-front in case something happens later.
Again, you didn't hear what I said. I said I didn't want to just a 833 2/15/00, Operating Budget, Bill 000005 pile of money or transfer ordinance, I would like to recommend a mechanism that's there to support his need. If he has a need to service or support 200 computers, then it doesn't require a transfer ordinance, that there's some business transaction that adds the money that he needs to his budget.
I'm not sure that we're -- I guess we're obviously not communicating right here. What I'm say is I think that what his budget now meets his needs as we know them. If nine months from now his needs are different, he has a mechanism.
I would suggest the two of you talk and get back to me because I understand it differently than you do.
Thank you. The Chair recognizes Councilwoman Brown.
Thank you, Madam President. I'm 45 days old here in Council. Do 834 2/15/00, Operating Budget, Bill 000005 you have a pamphlet or a description of services and information that your office provides that you make available to the public who is simply interested in the work of your office?
Could you please make one available to the Chair and she'll see that I or we receive that? On under executive direction, you have budgeted a position called architectural standards. Can you explain what that is?
Yes, I can. One of the many things that we're challenged to do in the City is we implement technology across the City, we need to make sure that it's implemented in a structured and standardized way. To do that, we need a group of people that can go out look at new technology and to find those standards. So that position is for someone that will come in and do that.
And then finally, I'm always encouraged and pleased when I see efforts underway that enhance or augment educational activities. So the 400 computers that 835 2/15/00, Operating Budget, Bill 000005 you plan on putting in Class A recreation centers is great news. How do you plan to maximize their use in terms of training of either Recreation Department personnel who then train young people and just the general maintenance of computers when we know what comes with a lot of young people using that type of equipment?
That's a very good question. When we looked at the program, we obviously wanted more than just putting computers in a room. There are several programs that we're looking at from the third ever had to the sixth grade we have a whole library of educational software that's available for kids to come in and use. For the adults, as you probably have heard, one of the fastest grow industries is the industries of information technology. There are over 500,000 jobs available currently. The prediction is by the end of 2001 there will be over a million jobs available. There's a major shortfall in skills related to these jobs. We need to create an awareness about these jobs. When you ask children what they want to be when they grow up, none of them say computer 836 2/15/00, Operating Budget, Bill 000005 technologist. There's no awareness about this new industry and these new jobs and this new market that's growing. When you ask what their driver is, they say money. When you ask 12th graders what driver is, they say money, money, money. So one of the things we wanted to do is make, number one, a better awareness about where the industry is going. We have a major change going on. The other thing we want to do is there are computer-based training programs that we would like to implement as well as mentoring in workshops. And we have some success in other areas where we've had high school student going through these programs. Actually, I had two working on Web development team that came out of the School District's twilight program. But we'd like to set up these certification programs in the recreation centers.
So when you say "we," you mean your department handling all those types of activities?
We are also identifying partners that include IBM, Microsoft, as well as Cisco and some of the other major corporations that have a vested interest in developing skills, IT skills.
Thank you. Are there any other questions? (No further questions.)
The next department is the Records Department to be heard. (Records Department witnesses come forward.)
Good afternoon. Please identify yourself for the record and proceed with your testimony. COMMISSIONER DECKER: Joan Decker, Records Commissioner. And with me today is Jeanne Reedy, Acting Deputy Commissioner. I know you 838 2/15/00, Operating Budget, Bill 000005 have my testimony, so I will not be reading it.
You will summarize, I believe. COMMISSIONER DECKER: Three short comments. We have no backlog. We recorded more than 204,000 documents last year, more than any other county in Pennsylvania. We returned --
Isn't this the first time in years that you're current? COMMISSIONER DECKER: This is probably several years ago. I think a year ago, yes, actually two years now that we've had no backlog. We returned documents with an average of three days, which is really a dramatic improvement in comparison to the early mid-90s and our performance really exceeds the performance of other Pennsylvania counties. This past year Fiscal '99 we collected approximately $108 million and that included transfer taxes, recording fees, and copies of documents. I'd be happy to answer any questions that you may have.
I think it's wonderful. Congratulations. 839 2/15/00, Operating Budget, Bill 000005
No more shoe boxes? COMMISSIONER DECKER: No more shoe boxes. Our customers are very happy.
That's very good news. COMMISSIONER DECKER: Good way to end the day, right?
Congratulations, and thank you for your patience. Sorry you had to wait so long. COMMISSIONER DECKER: Thank you.
The committee will stand in recess until tomorrow, Wednesday, February 16th at 9:00 a.m. Thank you very much. (Adjourned at 6:00 p.m.) - - - 840 C E R T I F I C A T E I HEREBY CERTIFY that the foregoing proceedings of the Council of the City of Philadelphia of Tuesday, February 15, 2000, were reported fully and accurately by me, and that this is a correct transcript of same. RE: COUNCIL COMMITTEE OF THE WHOLE BILL NO. 000005 __________________________________, JOSEPHINE CARDILLO, Registered Professional Reporter