High-tech will help to make planning more streamlined
By Nathan R. Huff
Los Gatos' town government is preparing to leap onto the high-tech bandwagon, but will most likely wait until the wagon passes "safety inspection" before committing to new technology.
The Planning Department in particular is hoping to make the application and data-collection process easier by digitizing plans and records. Part of applicant fees already go into a fund set up to build a document management system, which will allow the Planning Department to scan, digitize and then review on a computer all applications and recent file histories.
According to Town Manager David Knapp, by 2001 or 2002 the department should be able to start collecting information in digital form, cutting storage needs and file retrieval times.
"We've tried for a couple of years to do this, but whenever we look at the technology, it's not there yet," Knapp said, explaining that what is now available is rapidly becoming obsolete. "We want this thing to operate smoothly."
The town already has its computer systems linked to copiers and software to print envelopes with the postage included, which cuts the amount of staff time needed to handle the massive amounts of mail the town sends out.
Eventually, Knapp said, planning applicants will be able to submit their proposals online, if they choose. Digitized files may also be available online for public review.
The question of technology replacing jobs inevitably comes up with such advancements, and Knapp said over the next 10 years the total staff in Los Gatos will probably go down. However, he said staff reduction would be a result of attrition, not layoffs, and many jobs will just become more technologically oriented.
"I don't think anyone who currently works for Los Gatos has to worry about their jobs because technology will take it away," Knapp said, adding that the town is currently running 10 employees short.
"It's harder and harder for us to get employees," Knapp said, "because our pay scale doesn't match what's happening in the market place."
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Los Gatos, California Since 1881
