Fayetteville council going paperless; info now online

Fayetteville residents now have electronic access to the same information provided to City Council members before each meeting.

The packet, as it’s called, is available in Adobe PDF format on the city’s Web site: www.fayetteville-ga.gov. In addition to providing an agenda for the meeting, the packet also features city memos and other data as background information for council to consider and refer to.

For Thursday’s meeting, for example, residents could get a peek at the proposed sign plan for the Summit Point commercial, residential and office development off Ga. Highway 85 south. The packet also included a rendering of the proposed changes to the Mowell Funeral Home, which is planning to expand its operation.

In the soon-to-be old days, the council packet was only available in paper format. But now the city council is working towards a paperless system with it’s E-Council program, and the online council packets are a by-product of that program, said City Clerk Judy Stephens.

The program involves issuing a portable tablet computer to city council members so they can access city files at home online instead of having to trudge down to City Hall to get a copy in person. Council members will also be able to answer e-mail from home if they wish.

Going to the paperless system definitely has its advantages, Stephens said.

“It will save us a lot of money because you wouldn’t believe how much people I use to make copies,” Stephens said.

Council members will be trained on the computers later this month as staff plans to roll out the system by the first city council meeting in May.

To access the downloadable packet, go to www.fayetteville-ga.gov, click on the link to “City Services” and then the link to “Mayor, City Council and Staff.” Then click on the link for “Minutes and Agendas” and finally click on “Mayor and Council Meeting Packet” to download the PDF file.