Meeting Details: The Automatic Data Processing Board (ADP) met in special session at 2:00 PM on Feb 23, 2023 in the Appraisal Office, 231 Main Street, Suite 1A, Chardon, OH. Virtual access was available via MS Teams and the agenda was provided in advance. This observer attended in-person.
Board Attendance:
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Auditor/Chief Admin - Chuck Walder
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Board of Elections - Michelle Lane, Director, and Nora McGinnis, Deputy Director
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Clerk of Courts - Sheila Bevington
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County Commissioner - Tim Lennon
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Engineer - Joe Cattell
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Prosecutor - Jim Flaiz
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Recorder - Celesta Mullins - ABSENT
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Sheriff – Chief Deputy Tom Rowan
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Treasurer - Christopher Hitchcock - ABSENT
ADP Staff Attendance:
Other Government Representatives:
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Pam McMahan - Fiscal Office Manager, Auditor’s Office
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Ron Leyde – Chief Deputy Auditor. Attended virtually.
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Scott Daisher - Administrator, Board of Elections
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Jim Mausser - Finance Mngr., Mental Health & Recovery Services (MHRS). Attended virtually.
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Adam Litke - Administrator, Geauga Public Health District
The special meeting was called to order by Frank Antenucci at 2:02 pm.
Minutes: Meeting minutes for the Jan 9, 2023 Organizational meeting and the Jan 9, 2023 Special meeting were approved without edits. Observer Comment: Minutes for the December 20, 2023 Special meeting were not presented for approval. Per Ms. McMahan these will be included for approval at the March 14, 2023 Regular meeting. Reviewer Comment: As of Feb 26, 2023, ADP meeting minutes are posted online through December 6, 2022.
The following actions were taken:
APPROVED - ADP Equipment list for December 2022.
APPROVED - ADP Purchases list for December 2022.
APPROVED - Auditor Tyler Tech annual software ($342,000). Mr. Walder explained that this expenditure related to the project to transition to the cloud-based version of the New World ERP system (software as a service - SAAS).
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This will be a two-year project and in the first phase they will move all of the current modules to the cloud.
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In the second phase, they will de-feature those parts of the software not utilized which is expected to generate ongoing software cost savings. Mr. Walder gave the payroll module as an example since the county is in the process of outsourcing this to ADP Payroll services.
APPROVED - BOE KNOWiNK Electronic pollbooks ($90,800). Mr. Daisher (Board of Elections) explained that many of their poll pads have an operating system that can no longer be updated as required by the Secretary of State.
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The new systems have extended battery lives, integrated printers and flip stands for easier signature. He stated that there may be funding provided by the State to partially offset this cost.
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Mr. Walder noted that the quote from the vendor was for $113,000; Mr. Daisher clarified that an additional $35,000 will be necessary at a later date to update remaining BOE poll pads and ensure compatibility across the population.
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Mr. Daisher also noted that the de-functioned poll pads may potentially be available for auction or donation.
APPROVED - Engineers Dell Technologies Laptops ($34,235).
TABLED - Griffin Technology Microsoft Exchange Licensing to support Mental Health & Recovery Services (MHRS) email service domain ($1,358). Mr. Mauser (MHRS Finance Director) stated that this was to enable board members to have domain email accounts.
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Mr. Walder asked why Microsoft exchanges were being acquired since it is likely they will soon become obsolete and unsupported by Microsoft.
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Mr. Mausser explained that their IT service provider, John Griffin, recommended this purchase but was unable to attend this meeting on short notice.
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Mr. Flaiz asked why MHRS maintains their own email domain managed on different servers from other county agencies.
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Mr. Walder responded that some county agencies maintain their own IT functions, as permitted by ORC 307.846, while also contracting with ADP for various services and contracts. Such agencies are still required to come to ADP for approval of all IT-related purchases. MHRS has such a contract with ADP.
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Mr. Flaiz questioned why MHRS is permitted to have such a contract.
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The Board voted to table this request until more information could be gathered on the matter. Observer Comment: ORC 307.84 states that after the first meeting of the ADP board, no county office may purchase, lease, operate, or contract for the use of any automatic or electronic data processing or record-keeping equipment, software, or services without prior approval of the board. There appears to be uncertainty as to whether MHRS is defined as a county office vs. a health district that is subject to the rules set forth in ORC 307.846.
DISCUSSED - Non-Agenda Item re: Water Resources transition to county email.
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Ms. McMahan passed out a copy of an Feb 2, 2023 email from Michael Kurzinger of the Department of Water Resources to Mr. Antenucci and others within the ADP team, explaining that Gerry Morgan informed Water Resources not to move forward with the project to transition county email to MS Office 365 until the mediation by the Ohio Supreme Court between the Board of County Commissioners (BOCC) and ADP was resolved. Observer Comment: Mr. Morgan is the County Administrator and reports to the County Commissioners. The mediation referenced is being conducted under a free program offered by the Ohio Supreme Court and is ongoing.
TABLED - Hannon Company Electric Maintenance Services for Department of Water Resources ($32,000).
INFORMED - ADP 2022 Annual Report. Mr. Antenucci explained that this item was a notice that the report is being prepared and will be provided to the Board before the first Monday of April. Observer Comment: ORC 307.845 requires that the Annual Report be filed with the ADP Board and the BOCC by the first Monday in April each year. This Observer noted the Annual Report for 2021 is not posted on the ADP website. ADP is checking on this.
APPROVED - Auditor IT Personnel transferred to ADP. Mr. Walder notified the Board that the Auditor department had hired two IT personnel since January 2023.
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These hires were made under the 24 month agreement whereby the Auditor’s Office separated from the ADP Board and now operates independently of the ADP Board as a result of cuts in the ADP budget by the BOCC as discussed at the January 9, 2023 Special meeting. Observer Comment: Please see January 9, 2023 Observer Corps Report where this matter is described.
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Since the $240,000 of funding related to the addition of three IT personnel to address cyber security gaps was restored by the BOCC, Mr. Walder recommended transferring these 2 employees from the Auditor’s Office to ADP. This was approved by the Board.
Discussion of the other contested funding of approximately $900,000 to cover capital and other costs related to cyber security and under consideration by the BOCC ensued. Mr. Lennon noted that he felt this matter was heading in a “positive direction.”
Public Comment – Mr. Litke of the Geauga Public Health District thanked the ADP staff for their assistance during the transition of the GPH website to the new Wordpress website environment. Shelly Lewis, President of the LWV Geauga, inquired about the timing of the resolution of the capital funding for cyber security by the BOCC. Mr. Lennon reiterated that the matter was moving in a positive direction and that the Commissioners are working to resolve it. Ms. Lewis also asked that the Appointment area be restored, noting that in a recent BOCC meeting, Mrs. Blair stated that particular section of the website was no longer available following the update to the new website. Mr. Walder stated ADP is happy to make any changes that the Commissioners request.
Next regular meeting: March 14, 2023
More Information about ADP: https://adp.geauga.oh.gov/
Minutes when posted are available here: https://adp.geauga.oh.gov/meeting-minutes/
Virtual Meeting Information: contact Pamela McMahan at pmcmahan@gcauditor.com
Observer: Carol Benton
Editor: Anne Ondrey
Reviewer: Shelly Lewis
Submitted: 2/24/2023
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