Software company meets with county officials to clarify its services

BY BROOKS TAYLOR

Mt. Pleasant News

Solutions for Computer Service representatives made the long trip from Spencer Thursday to brief county employees during the Henry County Board of Supervisors meeting on what services they do and don?t provide to the county.

Henry County has contracted with the firm since 1988 for government software and support, and technical services for the software. Solutions for Computer Service does not provide hardware support as the county has Derek Wellington as its IT technician.

Solutions requested the meeting to inform county officials ?how we support and work with customers and what we offer them,? said Greg Davis, founder of Solutions.

The firm began in 1986 by supporting 24 counties with software applications for the major offices. Now, the company supports IBM-platform software applications for 45 counties and one municipal government in addition to providing software and support services to various other industries.

Davis noted the county does not have either the silver or gold managed services (which are at an additional cost) that provide 24/7 on call support.

He said Solutions is working with Wellington to set up some retention policies, noting that the county has some retention problems that need addressing.

Wellington was not at the meeting, and several county officials hinted that he should have attended the meeting.

?This is our problem, not his (Wellington?s) problem,? answered Marc Lindeen, vice chairman of the supervisors.

County Engineer Jake Hotchkiss said he thought communication may be a problem, and Shirley Wandling, county recorder, suggested the county appoint a technical committee. Davis said it would be a good idea for the county to have a contingency plan for when Wellington isn?t available. If a county committee is formed, Davis said, that committee must prioritize problems.

Davis noted that about 80 percent of the county?s software problems can be handled ?remotely,? meaning an on-site visit is not necessary.

The Solutions founder also said there are other firms in Iowa that provide similar services. ?We?re not the only game in town,? Davis said. ?We?re not encouraging you to get another service, but we want to let you know you have options and need to look at those options.?

Supervisors took no action following the presentation.

Sarah Berndt, county coordinator of disability services/general assistance director and director of the multi-county jail transition program, gave her monthly report to the supervisors.

Most of Berndt?s report dealt with the jail transition program. She said that each month she reaches out to jail administrators for input on the program and also will have a monthly meeting with the program?s two coordinators. She also plans to travel with the coordinators monthly to some of the counties included in the program.

?That (jail transition) program is going very well,? Berndt assessed. ?The coordinators have a good relationship with the jail coordinators and everyone in the program works well together.?

Supervisors will meet again in regular session Tuesday, Aug. 30, at 9 a.m., in the Henry County Courthouse.