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Local governments in Valley to consider sharing services on computer network
By Denise Dick
BOARDMAN
For about 30 years, a computer network has been providing Internet, payroll services and other technology to Mahoning County schools. Now there’s an effort to offer the same services to area governments.
John LaPlante, executive director of Area Cooperative Computerized Educational Support System, said the Ohio Department of Development has available $9 million through a Local Government Innovation Fund for grants to feasibility studies of collaboration and shared services for local governments.
ACCESS, a council of governments owned by school districts in Mahoning and Columbiana counties, already provides shared services so it’s taking the lead to determine if other governments want to pursue a similar arrangement, LaPlante said.
A meeting is set for 8:30 a.m. Friday at Mahoning County Career and Technical Center for townships, municipalities and county departments to learn about the proposed study. Interest will determine whether to move forward.
“We’re trying to see if there’s interest in replicating what we’ve done for schools for local governments,” LaPlante said.
ACCESS provides email, Internet, payroll services and student services such as report cards and attendance data for all Mahoning and all but two Columbiana school districts.
It allows districts that may not otherwise be able to afford such technology to still have it.
Districts are charged based on their number of students. All districts participate in decision making.
Grants would fund studies for about $100,000. If the study determines a shared-services arrangement is feasible for local governments and there’s sufficient interest, the development department has money available through loans for infrastructure.
Jason Loree, Boardman administrator, said that up until a few years ago, his township was part of ACCESS, linked through the Boardman schools.
But the township was told it could no longer be a part of the network because it wasn’t an educational institution.
“I am all for listening to see if it can be a cost-saving measure,” Loree said.
When the township had to leave ACCESS, Armstrong offered free Internet so that’s going to be hard to beat, but if there are services other than Internet that may be provided through a new agreement with other governments, Loree said it’s worth exploring.
ACCESS has discussed the idea with the Mahoning County Educational Service Center, county auditor’s office and the Youngstown/Warren Regional Chamber.
“ACCESS is providing for us another way that school districts can share a service and maintain control over a lot of costs of that service,” Ron Iarussi, Mahoning County ESC superintendent, said.