The Citizen, 2015-12-17, Page 22PAGE 22. THE CITIZEN, THURSDAY, DECEMBER 17, 2015.
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Fleet GPS tracking
approved by NH
North Huron Township’s snow
removal vehicles will be tracked in
an attempt to realize savings and
provide better documentation
regarding vehicular activities.
During North Huron Council’s
Dec. 7 meeting, council approved a
motion recommended by Director of
Public Works Kelly Church that will
see Fleet Complete provide tracking
units and services through a program
called the Fleet Tracker GPS
Solution.
In Church’s report, he explained
that the system could provide many
benefits including fuel savings,
improved maintenance tracking and
more detailed log-books.
He also reported that the
information obtained can be
provided to insurance companies
and allow staff to deal with
complaints from ratepayers more
efficiently.
Ten vehicles will have the
hardware installed for the program
under a three-year contract with
Fleet Complete. The program costs
$40 per vehicle per month during the
seasons when the snow removal
vehicles might be active and $15 per
month in the off-season. A $50 credit
will also be applied by Telus,
presumably the company that
operates the GPS software, for each
unit installed.
Prior to council approving the
motion, Councillor Brock Vodden
asked if there was any consideration
given to having all the municipality’s
vehicles on the system. Church
pointed out that in his report, he does
state that other department vehicles
could be added to the program.
Vodden then went on to say that
while the program seems great, staff
would need to be careful to make
sure that it didn’t lead to
micromanaging employees.
Chief Administrative Officer
Sharon Chambers stated that the
solution would be helpful in
adhering to Bill 8, an act that
promotes accountability and
transparency in governments.
“[Church] and I have had some
discussions about this and the tool
will help us prove we’re adhering to
policies,” she said.
Reeve Neil Vincent stated that
Huron County had implemented a
similar program and it had yielded
positive results.
“When the county went to a
similar type of program, it allowed
us to document where and when the
snow plow equipment was used and
when something was done,” he said.
“This is more or less a fool-proof
system. Insurance companies look at
this as something that can prove
when a road was plowed, salted or
sanded.”
Vincent said the program was
instrumental for the county as it
helped when adjudicating claims
when someone slid off a road and
claimed it was the fault of the road
conditions.
Council approved the proposed
recommendation for 10 vehicles.
By Denny Scott
The Citizen
Solo
Students at Hullett Central Public School performed their Christmas concert on Dec. 9 and
sang about Christmas around the world. Shown above crooning the concert away are, from left,
Tyler Boven, Carleigh Dale, Taylor Wharton and Eli Baxter. (Shawn Loughlin photo)
Bath Products
398 Queen St.,
Blyth
519-523-4276
New software to be purchased
The purchase of a new payroll
software program upgrade will save
hours of work for North Huron
Township staff, according to a report
from Clerk Kathy Adams.
The upgrade for the payroll
software, called Paymate Clarity
Software, was approved for
purchase during a North Huron
council meeting last month.
Adams reported to council that the
software would make it much easier
for staff to keep track of their hours
for specific projects which will, in
turn, save weeks of work at the
end of the financial year for
the township.
“The township currently uses
Paymate Acclaim as their payroll
software,” Adams stated in her
report. “Upgrading to the Clarity
version of Paymate would provide
job costing automatic cost
allocations. This would allow for the
distribution of wages of employee
hours amongst different departments
and cost centres within that
department. This would significantly
reduce staff time processing manual
journal entries.”
The upgrade, which will cost
$4,105 after discounts, will be paid
for out of a fund the municipality
has kept for Workplace Safety and
Insurance Board (WSIB) during a
period when the township
was self-insuring itself for
WSIB claims.
Maintenance on the software will
also increase to $945 a year from
$295.
Councillor Trevor Seip asked
exactly how much of a difference
this new software would make.
Adams reported that it would likely
save staff two weeks of work,
however Chief Administrative
Officer Sharon Chambers said that
didn’t really explain why the
software was so important.
“The biggest benefit is getting true
costing on where staff are spending
their time,” she said. “Right now,
payroll doesn’t allow us to do that.
We base our numbers on an
estimate. For council’s purpose, we
can see where costs are
accumulating and allow you to make
[better informed] decisions.”
Councillor Bill Knott asked if the
software would also identify “in-
kind” work that the municipality
does for events like the annual
reunion of the Huron Pioneer
Thresher and Hobby Association
Reunion in Blyth or the Wingham
Musical Muskrat Festival.
Adams reported the software
would allow staff to be assigned to
four or five different cost centres, so
if a public works employee is
helping with a recreation and
facilities project, the year-end
reports will display that.
Chambers said in her experience
there are specific project codes
definable in the software, so projects
like those mentioned above can be
tracked separately.
“We want that detail,” she said.
“That’s how we want to set it up.”
Seip then asked if using the WSIB
funds was a risk and if the
municipality would need them in the
future.
Director of Finance Donna White
explained that there is always a risk
in that, but that the fund contained
$45,000, more than enough to cover
the $4,105 expense.
Councillor Brock Vodden said he
felt the software was an important
advancement for the township.
“I think this ability to allocate
funds, whether it’s one department
or 10, is really, really important,” he
said. “We spend so much time trying
to cost projects out when people
come from all different areas. I think
of the [Wingham Trailer Park], for
example. The price is almost worth
itself on its own there.”
Council approved the purchase of
the software upgrade.
By Denny Scott
The Citizen
Christmas around the world
Hullett Central Public School’s annual Christmas concert
was held on Dec. 9 and featured Christmas as it’s
celebrated around the world. Many people have a figure like
Santa Claus, shown here being portrayed by Justin Fleet, in
their holiday mythos. With Fleet is fellow Kindergarten B
classmate Corbin Hoonard. (Shawn Loughlin photo)
Read
Rhea Hamilton Seeger’s
Gardening column as well
as other Rural Voice
contributors on the
Huron Home and Garden
Guide
section of our website
www.northhuron.on.ca