Title
Consider/Discuss/Act on an Ordinance Amending the Fiscal Year 2023-2024 Annual Budget to Provide Funding for the Purchase of Electronic Ticket Writers and Printers
Summary
COUNCIL GOAL: Operational Excellence
MEETING DATE: February 6, 2024
DEPARTMENT: Municipal Court
CONTACT: April Morman, Court Administrator
Joe Ellenburg, Chief of Police
RECOMMENDED CITY COUNCIL ACTION:
• Approve Ordinance
ITEM SUMMARY:
• This Ordinance amends the Fiscal Year 2023-2024 Annual Budget by appropriating $152,000 in the General Fund to provide funding for the purchase of electronic ticket writers and printers.
• The Police Department uses electronic ticket writers to issue citations efficiently and accurately to violators.
• Purchasing forty-four (44) electronic ticket writers, fifty-seven (57) printers, fifty-one (51) vehicle cradles and fifty-one (51) power cords allow for greater efficiency and productivity for the Police Department by providing reliable hardware to effectively perform law enforcement duties.
• Hardware is available for purchase from Tyler Technologies through the Sourcewell cooperative Contract No. 090320-TTI.
BACKGROUND INFORMATION:
• In 2016, the Municipal Court purchased forty (40) electronic ticket writers and forty (40) printers utilizing the court’s technology fund. The devices are roughly eight (8) years old and reaching the end of their useful life.
• Common issues Officers experience include:
o Electronic ticket writers frequently crash during traffic stops where the officer is unable to issue a citation and gives the violator a verbal warning,
o Faded print on citations (not legible),
o Unable to print the citation, resulting in voided entries,
o Inconsistencies with exporting the citation from the device to Brazos; the officer makes multiple attempts to sync the device before the citation will dispense to Brazos.
FINANCIAL SUMMARY:
• The budget will be amended by appropriating $152,000 in the General Fund for the purchase of electronic ticket writers and printers.
• Funding for this expenditure in the amount of $152,000 is available in the Court’s Technology Fund.
• The Municipal Court plans to establish a purchase schedule to purchase and or replace 10 electronic ticket writers annually utilizing the Court’s Technology Fund.
BOARD OR COMMISSION RECOMMENDATION:
• N/A