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In-house tech cheaper?Aug 12, 2011 (The Decatur Daily - McClatchy-Tribune Information Services via COMTEX) -- The Morgan County school board heard a proposal Thursday night to hire a full-time technician to replace its computer services contractor. The proposal, if accepted, would end a 19-year association with Mitchell Computing Services Inc. Technology Director Lee Willis said he made the proposal as a cost-saving measure. He said an end-use computer technician/trainer would make $37,880, including salary and benefits, on the highest step of the school system's salary schedule, but he expects the actual amount would be lower. Federal funding would pay $19,000 of this salary, so the cost to the general fund would be $18,880. Willis said the school system has paid $27,952 to Mitchell so far in fiscal 2011. Mitchell made $63,010 last year and $133,932 in fiscal 2009 from the county. Willis also wants someone who can act as a trainer and do more ongoing routine maintenance to avoid major problems before they occur. "Most of the time right now, we reacting and just putting out fires after they start," Willis said. Superintendent Bill Hopkins Jr. said computer services are consider a professional service under state law that do not require the school board to seek bids. Owner Chris Mitchell said Willis' numbers were not all for the work his technicians did. They also included parts, which Mitchell included at cost to the school system. There were several times insurance paid the county back for its services. Mitchell said his company hasn't raised its rates for the county in 10 years. It also doesn't charge the county for mileage or technicians' travel time to schools, which can be as much as two hours. 'Your choice' "We work when you ask us to work," Mitchell said. "It's your choice on how much you spend with us." Mitchell said his company of five employees can fix more problems than one on-staff employee. He said other school systems with on-staff technicians have complained about response time. Pleased with work School board member Carolyn Wallace said she was against contracting computer repair services at one time, but she has been pleased with Mitchell's work. She said she likes that Mitchell can attack a major problem with several employees if needed. Willis said he "has no problem with the quality of work that Mitchell does." School board member Jeff McLemore, a former Lacey's Spring School principal, said his only problem is the contractor will only do a job listed on a work order during a visit. Mitchell said he would be glad for his technicians to do more work at one school because it would save his company money. School board President Tom Earwood said he appreciated Willis' cost-saving proposal, but he wanted to study the issue before making a decision. Hopkins said the meeting was the first time he had heard the presentation. He said he wants to study the issue before deciding whether to make the proposal a recommendation. To see more of The Decatur Daily, or to subscribe to the newspaper, go to http://www.decaturdaily.com Copyright (c) 2011, The Decatur Daily, Ala. Distributed by McClatchy-Tribune Information Services. For more information about the content services offered by McClatchy-Tribune Information Services (MCT), visit www.mctinfoservices.com. |