City’s IT Department automates meeting sign-in process

TYLER — Two iPads with electronic copies of the City Council meeting agenda now sit outside the doors of the Tyler City Council Chambers. The new technology is available where dozens of note cards and a pen previously sat in a basket. The iPads allow residents to electronically sign in if they wish to speak on an agenda item during the bi-weekly City Council meeting or the monthly Planning and Zoning Commission meeting. According to a news release, Chief Information Officer Benny Yazdanpanahi challenged the City’s IT technicians to automate the sign-in process and eliminate the cards and stack of papers that used to sit by the doors. “We did this with zero funding,” said IT Specialist Khaled Elsayed as quoted in a news release. “We used tools available to us through our Microsoft licensing.”

The process made it easier for the Mayor and board chairperson to call on the people wishing to speak at the meetings, according to the release. Officials say the process saves the City money on paper, card stock, and printing costs. “I can read the names from the iPad, and I don’t have to sort out a bunch of cards and put them in order during the meeting,” said Mayor Don Warren as quoted in the release. “I no longer struggle to read people’s handwriting. I can see the iPad and call the people in order. It’s very beneficial to running a good council meeting.” Additionally, the technicians added QR codes to a picture by the doorway and the backs of the chairs in the meeting room. The QR codes take meeting attendees to the electronic version of the meeting agenda, alleviating the need for printed copies and savings thousands of pieces of paper each year, according to the release.