HomeMy WebLinkAboutNB 7 H.P. 2640 B CRT 01-05-81DATE:
December 30, 1980
NEW BUSIN~-qS
NO. 7
Inter-Corn
TO:
FROH:
SUBJECT:
HONORABTR MAYOR AND CITY COUNCIL
RON NAULT, FINANCE DIRECTOR
AUTHORIZE PURCHASE OF H.P. 2640 B CR~
The installation of the computer in the Finance Department has greatly increased our
ability to carryout our departmental functions. Because of the nature of the various
functions and the increased workload since the water system acquisition, we are
severely hampered by the lack of available CRP's for computer input. This problem is
co~pounded by the lack of reliable hardware support. The Department currently bas
two ADD's ~gent 100's, only one of which is operational on a regular basis. The
other one has only been up two weeks out of the past nine months. We have requested
several loaners and they have also malfunctioned. They have brought our CR2 back
twice and it ~.~.~tediately crashed and was taken back for repair. We are not the only
system with this experience. I 'm not at all happy with the equil~ment or the
maintenance support. A survey of other users indicates the same problems of
reliability and service.
The computer system as currently installed was intended to be expanded by at least
one CRT in Finance and by two CRT's for Water Billing.
I believe this to be a reasonable design at relatively minimum expense. ~he CR~ for
the Finance Department was a consideration to be addressed during next year's budget
hearings. The CRT's for Water Billing would be considered only after a complete
analysis of the billing function ar~ alternatives are addressed. I'm requesting that
the Council consider the inmediate purchase of one CRT for the Finance Department.
The Hewlett Packard 2640 B has recently been reduced by $700. This is one of the
best CRT's that H.P. manufactured and fulfills the major need that ~ currently have,
reliability. The H.P. 2640 B has an excellent reputation of reliability. It also
has two features that can reduce processing errors. One is Blocked Formating. The
entire input is formated with the user-supplied information left blank. A relatively
untrained user could input payroll with few errors and develop confidence with the
equipment. The other is "Roll DowTf'. The CRT stores all input until all Urocessing
is complete. This allows the operator to "Roll Down" previous input ar~ make
corrections inmediately. But, the main thing is that it always works. On the rare
occasion that it stops, H.P. is out i~mediately and you are back in operations very
quickly.
The cost of the 2640 B is $2,300 (reduced from $3,000). The cost of another ADD's
100 is approximately $1,300. The cost difference is easily made up on the
dependability of the H,P. equipment.
We are currently arranging a loan of a C~ from another PADS User to replace our Gne
down machine until we can get it fixed or replaced. If w~ can have three operational
CR~'s, we will be efficiently utilizing Staff time and making effective use of our
computer capabilities.
The Financing of this purchase could be added to the same loan from the Worker's Cc~p
Fund as the computer. The $2,300 will not adv. ersely impact the repayment period.
It is reconmended that the Council. authorize the purch_ase of one H.P. 2640 B for
$2,300 and that the appropriation be made from the self-insured Worker's Compensation
Fund. The loan would be set up for three years, at appropriate interest, with option
to repay more or pay off early without penalty.
Finance Director