Plans to computerize the scheduling of meetings and events around town will have to wait a bit longer while other options are considered.
Parks Commission Chairman Bill Paecht has requested the town approve scheduling software for use in helping streamline schedule park usage.
As a side benefit Paecht said the software would be useful to boards and commissions in Town Hall for scheduling meetings and other events.
Effectively, the software Paecht wants to put in place is a reservation system that would prevent double bookings and make looking up events easier. It would integrate with the town Web site to give residents a quick and easy view of what is spaces and times are available, as well as any upcoming events.
First Selectman Paul Roy praised the concept of a publicly accessible calendar system.
“Not only will we be able to schedule parks for use but our meetings can go on it,” Roy said. “Anything we schedule in town can go on it.”
“One of the biggest problems we have is with scheduling” Paecht said to the Board of Selectmen.
To get the system up and running, the Parks Department would have to shell out $1,785 and then an annual service charge of $295.
First Selectman Paul Roy said the money would come directly from the department budget. There would be no additional cost to the town.
That price tag would get the system installed so residents could easily access it from home computers. However, anyone who wants to reserve a picnic area or a gazebo in one of the town parks would still have to submit paperwork in person. The system does not allow for remote reservations.
Paecht said that is because proof of insurance and other forms are often required to reserve space.
To make the scheduling system work, one or two people would have to be in charge of all date entries. Paecht said someone at Town Hall would be in charge of that.
Selectman John Conroy Jr., seemed to think the price tag was a little high for what the system offered. He suggested looking into a feature of Microsoft Outlook to handle scheduling which he felt operates in a similar manner to what Paecht was proposing.
Paecht said he would review Outlook as an option and see if it is a good alternative.
In the meantime Paecht has assured the Selectmen the software he has been eyeballing suits the needs of the department and is in use in neighboring communities.
“I talked to other towns and looked into three different programs and this was the top rated,” Paecht said.
