JOHNSTOWN - The Fulton County Department of Social Services is proposing a two-year capital project totaling nearly $135,000 to replace the agency's aging computer equipment.
DSS Commissioner Sheryda Cooper proposed the project to the Board of Supervisors' Social Services Committee last week. That panel recommended approval to the board's Capital Projects Committee, which will consider it July 13.
"Currently, we have 160 computers patched into the state system," she said. "We have several different models throughout the department."
The project will involve replacement of computer hardware, not software, she said. The state provides software to DSS, she said.
Cooper proposed a capital project calling for an expenditure of $76,362 for 2012 to replace DSS computers. Another $58,296 would be spent in 2013 to complete the job. She said the reimbursement formula involves the county paying 25 percent of the project's cost, the state paying 25 percent and the federal government paying 50 percent.
County Administrative Officer Jon Stead, the county's purchasing agent, said the state used to provide the bulk of this type of computer equipment funding.
Cooper said her department has a variety of hardware such as Gateway and Dell personal computers. The newest computers in the department will be five years old at the time of purchase, and more than half of the computers are older than that.
Cooper told supervisors that as the state has been creating new applications and updating several of its systems, the processing time in working with the applications has "significantly slowed."
"It is frustrating for staff because it is slow," Cooper said.
She said an upgrade of equipment will help.
She said DSS wants to upgrade the computer equipment over two years - 90 desktops in 2012 and 70 desktop/laptops in 2013. She said it may be cheaper to buy all the computers at once.
The state is trying to be more "Internet friendly" with the public being able to access social services benefits, Cooper said. She said the state wants more people to apply from home on their personal PCs for their benefits.
Michael Anich covers Johnstown and Fulton County news. He can be reached at johnstown@leaderherald.com.