SALAMANCA - Salamanca City Central School District is leveraging the power of Internet to radically improve the governance process while saving time, taxpayer dollars and the environment. The new eGovernance initiative will replace the old and costly method of compiling, printing, binding and distributing paper agenda packets by hand. The remarkably powerful, easy-to-use solution will enable the district to maximize the effectiveness of their board meetings with increased transparency, providing a basis for better and more open communication with the public, while dramatically increasing productivity and saving thousands of dollars annually.
The paperless meeting solution, called "BoardDocs," was initially developed in 2000 for a Georgia school district. Since then, nearly 600 governing bodies nationwide have adopted the system. By making meeting agendas and supporting documents available on the Internet, Salamanca City Central School District will be able to distribute documents associated with board meetings more quickly and efficiently, at a dramatically reduced cost to the district.
Electronic distribution will not only save time and resources, it will also provide unprecedented public access via the Salamanca City Central School District's Web site to agenda items and other board-related information. This process will allow interested parties to review information prior to board meetings. After the meeting, individuals can review the agenda items and see what action was taken by the board, complete with voting results. All documents associated with the meeting are automatically archived and can be accessed by meeting date or by using the system's comprehensive search feature.
Salamanca City Central School District will also use the BoardDocs technology to publish the policies and procedures of the district online for the public to easily view. Previously, paper versions of the manuals were distributed and maintained throughout the district. Now, by publishing online, the district will assure that all interested parties have access to the most current and historical meeting information immediately. Online distribution will also drastically reduce the expense of distributing policies and procedures.
Additionally, BoardDocs will increase the amount of time board members have to review agenda information, enabling them to better prepare for meetings. Under the old paper system, the meeting packet could not be distributed until every document had been prepared, submitted and approved. Once all the documents were submitted, staff members would typically spend two days assembling the documents into packets before distributing them to the board members. Through the MetaSearch feature, board members will also have access to best practices from other districts that are using the system, allowing them to gain important knowledge about initiatives other boards have considered and implemented.
The new eGovernance features can be accessed via the district's website at www.salamancany.org. For questions regarding the new eGovernance initiatives, contact Robert J. Breidenstein, superintendent.
BoardDocs was developed in partnership with K-12 administration and board members. It uses a structured, collaborative work flow that is specifically designed to meet the unique needs and legal requirements of public school boards, county commissions and municipal governments.
For more information about BoardDocs, call 800-407-0141 or visit www.boarddocs.com to experience the premier paperless governance solution firsthand.