Vote: approved

Item Text

25. EXCEPTION TO TECHNOLOGY FINANCE PROGRAM FOR REFRESH PURCHASE OF SUPERIOR COURT E-COURTROOM DESKTOPS Approve an exception to the Technology Finance Program (TFP) to allow the Superior Court to proceed with the purchase of e-courtroom computer equipment through a one-time expenditure from fund balance in the Superior Court Special Revenue Fund (259). Total cost estimated not to exceed $105,000. In addition, pursuant to A.R.S. §42-17106, transfer expenditure appropriation in the amount of $105,000 from Non-Departmental (470) Non-Departmental Grants Fund (249) Non-Recurring (0001) Potential Expenditures from Fund Balance line to Superior Court (800) Superior Court Special Revenue Fund (259) Non-Recurring (0001). Also decrease the revenue appropriation in the Non-Departmental (470) Non-Departmental Grants Fund (249) Non-Recurring (0001) by $105,000. Court Technology Services (CTS) requests approval to purchase 114 new e-courtroom desktops to replace PCs purchased between 2002 and 2005 inclusive. Nine of these “e-courtroom configured” desktops are needed immediately to complete new courtroom conversions now under construction. The Judicial Branch in Maricopa County is in the process of converting nine of its JAVS (Jefferson Audio Video Systems) e-courtrooms to the latest FTR (For the Record) hardware and software. All major purchases for this project have been procured and the funding for installation is approved. The final piece to complete this conversion is to replace the old desktops that operate the FTR software. A similar JAVS to FTR conversion was completed in the summer of 2008. Because there was a delay in replacing the existing desktops for this conversion, the old desktops were used to operate the new FTR software. There were constant problems with the system because of the inadequacies of the old PCs. These old PCs were six to seven years old. The new FTR software is very sophisticated software and requires more memory, disk capacity and speed than the old PCs can provide. Court reporting or court recordings are part of the Judicial Branch’s core services. This service cannot be compromised. Problems with the automated recordings (e-courtroom) will either delay the court proceedings or require that a court reporter be called to manually record the trial or hearing. Either alternative will cost the court delays and more money. (C-80-09-012-2-00)