10/14/1993

STAFF UPDATE
October 14, 1993

Notes Update We've installed the single server and two user version of Lotus Notes. It's called their starter package and lists for $995. Sally found an educational discount, though, and purchased it for $495. JimF will attend Notes training October 15 and begin developing test applications. Sally has found the educational discount will apply to our later purchases. Ten copies of the software lists for $4,950, but with the discount the price is only $1,300.

* TML Gaming Committee The TML gaming committee presented a report at the TML board of directors meeting on September 24th in Knoxville. I thought you would be interested in the detailed report Ed Young prepared for an earlier meeting of the committee. It summarizes the advantages and disadvantages of gaming (gambling).

* Hazardous Material Transportation Enclosed is a memo from TEMA explaining a training program for hazardous material incidents. Ray Crouch has more information.

* Telephone Surveys We've enclosed the latest library telephone surveys. These include: billing for garbage collection, work order lists, and sidewalk maintenance.

Local Government Leadership Program CGT conducted the third annual LGLP in Knoxville the last week of September. City participants included: Bill Brinton, City Manager, Bell Meade; Carol CarterEstes, Councilmember, Jackson; Charles Goforth, Planning Director, Bartlett; Dan Hammer, Vice Mayor, Johnson City; Jerry Kuhalda, Councilmember, Oak Ridge; Bob Murray, City Manager, Mount Pleasant; Bob Polk, City Manager, Savannah; Norman Rone, Mayor, McMinnville; Carl Shrewsbury, Administrative Assistant, Cleveland; and Richard Tidwell, City Administrator, Martin.

As you get a chance, you might check to see if you can help them put into place what they learned about managing change.

* Unfunded Federal Mandates! We're enclosing a copy of a resolution adopted by the TML Board of Directors about Federal unfunded mandates. It is part of a national campaign by NLC culminating in National Unfunded Mandates Day October 27.

* Clinton Health Plan We've enclosed a preliminary analysis prepared by NLC on the Clinton Health Care Plan.

Benchmarking One way to continuously improve is to check yourself against competitors. MTAS doesn't have very many competitors. But the Municipal Research & Services Center for the State of Washington is very similar. Their library is the one we share the most resources with. Carol and I are going to visit them to see what we can learn to improve in November.