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COMMISSIONERS' COURT AGENDA REQUEST
PLEASE FURNISH ONE ORIGINAL AND TEN (10) COPIES OF THIS
REQUEST AND DOCUMENTS TO BE REVIEWED BY THE COURT
MADE BY: Judge Tinley
MEETING DATE: June 9, 2008
OFFICE: County Judge
TIME PREFERRED:
SUBJECT: Consider, discuss and take appropriate action on requested Kerr County
funding commitment to Texas Association of Counties for participation and/or support of
to develop a county controlled and owned software system for courts and beyond.
EXECUTIVE SESSION REQUESTED: (PLEASE STATE REASON)
NAME OF PERSON ADDRESSING THE COURT: Judge Tinley
ESTIMATED LENGTH OF PRESENTATION:
IF PERSONNEL MATTER -NAME OF EMPLOYEE:
Time for submitting this request for Court to assure that the matter is posted in
accordance with Title 5, Chapter 551 and 552, Government Code, is as follows:
Meeting scheduled for Mondays:
THIS REQUEST RECEIVED BY:
THIS RQUEST RECEIVED ON:
5:00 PM previous Tuesday
@ .M.
All Agenda Requests will be screened by the County Judge's Office to determine if adequate
information has been prepared for the Court's formal consideration and action at time of Court
Meetings. Your cooperation will be appreciated and contribute towards your request being
addressed at the earliest opportunity. See Agenda Request Rules Adopted by Commissioners'
Court.
~'EXAS ASSOCIATION
1210 San Antonio • Austin, TX 78701 ~~
Karen Ann Norris, Executiee Director
May 15, 2008
Hon. Pat Tinley
700 Main Street
Kerrville, TX 78028-5323
Dear Judge Tinley,
'vVe need to hear frurn you.
Of COUNTIES
~ P.O. Box 2131 • Austin, TX 78768-2131
You are aware from previous correspondence that our CIRA Board has agreed to move
to develop software standards and a statement of work for a county controlled and
owned software system for courts and beyond. Our recently appointed CIRA Software
Advisory Committee feels that if each participating county will commit a tenth of one
percent (.001%) of their General Fund revenue, this will provide the needed funding.
This is a one time fee with all funds needed as soon as 2009 funding is available in order
for work to begin. If you county wishes to be among the supporters of the project, we
are asking that you approve and return the resolution to CIRA before the end of June.
Should you need further information or assistance, please contact Gayle Latham, CIRA
Director, at 800-456-5974 x3654 or by e-mail to gaylel@county.or~.
Even though the path for the follow-on phases may not be clear at this point, the best
way to progress in subsequent phases will become apparent as we go through this
exercise. We need counties with a progressive vision and clear foresight to step forward,
put together their resources and get this done.
Thank you for your interest in the future of county government.
Sincerely,
Woodrow W. Gossom, Jr.
Wichita County Judge &CIRA Board Chairman
512-478-8753 800-456-5974 512-478-0519 FAX www.county.org
TEXAS ASSOCIATION
1210 Saz~ Antorli~~ • ~usiin. TX i$701 ~
Ii~+rren Ann Norris, Ewecuti~•e Director
MEMO
From: CIRA Board of Directors
Re: Proposed County Owned Software Project
Of COUNTIES
~ 1'.O. Buy _'131 • .-#ustirr, ~fX i8i68-2131
In July 2007, the Texas Association of Counties' CZRA Board of Directors received a proposal
from the CIRA IT Advisory Committee to conduct a study to determine interest in and
feasibility of an uttegrated county owned software system to include comprehensive integrated
criminal justice and financial systems. Such a system would:
• Ultimately provide a completely integrated software package that would allow
information to flow smoothly among all the various departments in the county.
• Enable counties to more easily relocate operations to another county in the event of a
disaster.
• Allow counties to have direct input as to the features and functionality of the software
program.
• Standardize information management across the state, thereby allowing free information
exchange among counties and between counties and other levels of government.
• Potentially reduce cost to procure caunty software and, in the long term, reduce annual
maintenance costs.
• Reduce county hardware costs by using aweb-based, hosted solution.
• Allow any new legislative mandates affecting the system to be implemented for all
counties using the system uniformly.
The initial feasibility study was concluded in January 2008. After receiving the report at their
January 30, 2008 meeting, the CIRA Board of Directors approved moving forward with the next
phase of the project, the creation of a Framework or Scope of Work for the proposed project
should a substantial number of counties provide funding.
The creation of a Framework is best described as the amalgamation of a Best Practices Business
Process Model and a Data Standazds Model that will provide a uniform and consistent
approach to how counties communicate information between departments, agencies and other
counties. It should be noted that a Framework is not a software program, but instead a
roadmap for developing a software solution. The development of this Framework is a first st
in a long term approach to solving the complex problem of justice management software.
51`?-~7ti-87:>3 $0(}--4:~(i-;~9-r~1 :~12-176-ti`?1 Fat • tiv~4'~1'.c~~Llnt~.clr~j
Why develop this Framework, rst? Inefficient softwaze solutions and soaring software budgets are
a consequence of each county acting independently to solve their unique software issues. This
correlates to counties utilizing different vendors and business processes in day to day
operations. The challenges to both the existing software vendors and counties are complex and
can best be characterized as the result of a software vendor designing a 'standard' software
solution for'non-standard' business processes that differ between counties,. Therefore, the first
step in a strategic plan to address these issues will be to create a Framework Model that will
impact the business processes involved in the justice management system.
Developing this standard Framework and making it publicly available will create the following
opportunities for counties:
• Existing vendors will have the opportunity to'standardize' their solution around county
business practices.
• New software vendors will be encouraged to create software solutions to meet the needs
of counties, thus creating more competition and more choices for counties.
• This standard Framework may provide the opportunity for counties to partner to
develop a Comprehensive Integrated Justice Management Software Package for counties
by counties.
We recognize that the success of this program will be contingent upon the strong commitment
from a substantial number of counties and county officials from many county offices.
Developing a Framework or Scope of Work for a CIJMS solution will include a comprehensive
business process analysis as well as a detailed system design. Preliminary cost estimates are
between $600,0 - $$00,000, and the process will take 9-12 months. Once this Framework is
complete, various options become available including the development of a CiJMS hosted
software solution. Preliminary estimates for developing software are $10M - $12M over an 1$
month period; however these aze cleazly good faith estimates and the cost could be substantially
higher contingent upon the final Framework and Scope of Work.
We have established June 1~ as a target date for commitments of support for the Framework
development phase of this project. Before we can proceed, all funding would actually need to
be received before the end of 2008. Timing, therefore, is critical and counties committed to
participating must plan to commit funding to meet their budget cycle requirements for 2009. In
addition, funding for this project may be available for 2008 through special projects or other
special county funds. Your county will benefit by investing in the development of this
Framework to influence the development of common business practices to improve efficiencies
and control costs. There is a sense of urgency in moving this project forward, in addition to a
long term benefit from this program that will be shared by all counties.
For more information, please contact Gayle Latham, CIRA Director, at 1-800-456-5974x3654, or
by e-mail to gaylelC~'county.org.
2
Per Jeannie:
A tenth of one percent (.001 %) of Kerr County General Fund reserve would be:
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°~~I%
i7~o~}~`~j
~`~3t)l~5 ~I.7
0*f]t31%
'i 7 (1 i ~ °
RESOLUTION
A Resolution of Kerr County Commissioners' Court to participate in developing a scope of
work that can be used to develop justice system software.
Whereas, The County Information Resources Agency (LIRA) was created by Texas counties
for the purpose of working together in using technology to make county government
more efficient and effective; and
Whereas, The delivery of governmental services can be improved through the utilization of
standardized integrated software; and
Whereas, As the first phase of a project to define, and potentially develop, a standardized
integrated software system for county government, the CIRA Board has agreed to
work with its Members to define the work flow and processes of the various offices
that make up the justice system and, based on these processes, prepare a uniform
Scope of Work that can serve as a basis for integrated justice system software to meet
the needs of any county, regardless of size or location; and
Whereas, Development of the Scope of Work will cost approximately $800,000; and
Whereas, Member is interested in obtaining effective integrated justice system software and
understands that system requirements and business processes must be defined and the
Scope of Work prepared to effectively provide for the county's needs; and
Whereas, To achieve its aim, Member sees substantial advantages in joining with other counties
to fund the development of the Scope of Work; and
Whereas, Both CIRA and Member understand and agree that this resolution is non-binding, and
that no commitment of Member will be binding and valid until Member has:
1) executed an interlocal agreement to participate in the Statement of Work project;
and
2) appropriate the necessary funds in the county budget;
NOW THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED, as follows:
The Commissioners Court of Kerr County supports the development of the Scope of Work and
intends to contribute amount of by October 2008.
ADOPTED THIS 9th DAY OF JUNE, 2008
Pat Tinley, County Judge
H. A. "Buster" Baldwin, Commissioner
Precinct 1
William H. Williams, Commissioner
Precinct 2
Jonathan Letz, Commissioner
Precinct 3
Bruce Oehler, Commissioner
Precinct 4