From Fiber to Cyber

About the Program

Category: County Administration and Management (Best in Category)

Year: 2011

“From Fiber to Cyber” describes the Benton County Board of Commissioner’s office transition from a paper-based agenda and meeting packet system to an almost entirely digital meeting system. Utilizing software that was already on hand, the Board of Commissioners’ staff designed and implemented procedures that have significantly reduced the ongoing costs of the regular business meetings, saved staff time and virtually eliminated all associated waste. A similar system’s purchase “off the shelf” cost upwards of $10,000 in initial costs and ongoing maintenance fees; the staff’s conversion, on the other hand, was achieved with an outlay above normal costs of less than $1,500 and no recurring fees while saving $14,000 per year. The transition has improved the turnaround time of document distribution, increased accessibility of materials for elected officials and freed staff to accomplish more tasks with time that had previously been absorbed by simply standing at a copier and filling binders.