3.6. SR 09-04-2007
REQUEST FOR ACTION
To
Ci Council
Agenda Section
Consent
Item Description
Purchase of Code Enforcement Software
Meeting Date
Se tember 4, 2007
Item Number
3.6.*
Prepared by
Sheila Cartne , Senior Planner
Reviewed by
erem Barnhart, P!annin Mana r
Reviewed by
Scott Clark, Communi Develo ment Director
Action Requested
Staff recommends that the City Council approve the purchase of Comcate Code Enforcement software in
the amount of $3,200.
Backeround/Discussion
The Request Partners software is not meetiog the needs for code enforcement based on the Council's
expectation for case management Staff spent several hours searching and going thtough software
demonsttations of code enforcement software. It is staffs opinion that the Comcate software described
in this memo will meet our case management needs and other code enforcement needs.
Code enforcement software that is user friendly and customizable to our needs is an important aspect of
case management Finding the right software is one of the first steps of implementiog a code enforcement
progtam. It is important to be able to do a search for a property by address and to do reports by type of
case, area, year, etc. A large part of case management is maintaining the information and providing follow
up.
Comcate Code Enforcement Manager is web-based software that provides case management for code
enforcement officials. This software is customizable for individual needs and is available in wireless
format as well. This program tracks code enforcement case files, generates reports, generates automatic
violation notices (customized to our needs), provides a daily inspection report, and can print out a weekly
schedule. You can search by address with this system, which is very important and a time saver. Once you
type in an address with this software, any violations at that address will show up so you won't have
duplicate complaints. A history of the property can also be viewed, which cannot be done with Request
Partners. We can customize our codes in the system to make violation letters easier to use. The reports
that can be printed are very detailed and there are a variety of reports that can be done, i.e.: number of
junk car violations in 2007; open and closed cases; sort by district or neighborhood. Reporting by
neighborhood may help in future community neighborhood projects. This is a snap shot of what
Comcate can do for us.
I have found this software to suit our needs and it is cost effective. At this time, we can receive a discount
because of our location. The regular implementation fee would have been $2,050 but due to our location
we get a discount of $1,050. The annual subscription fee includes updates and 24 hour onlioe and
telephone support.
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In order for our Code Enforcement program to be successful, we need a good tracking system and
information management software, and currendy, Request Partners is not meeting our needs. Comcate
Code Enforcement software is user friendly and will meet our needs.
Financial Impact
Implementation Fee:
Annual Subscription Fee:
Total:
$1,050 (includes two full edit users and one read-only user.)
2.150 (the fee will be adjusted up to a maximum of 5% a year.)
$3,200
These funds would come from unexpended Community Development line items, or if there is not
enough available, the balance would come from Council contingency.
Attachments
. Software literature
Action
Motion by_
Second by _
Vote
Follow Up
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Code Enforcement Manager
Product Datasheet
PQwerinflfheGtwtt>(itizen Commu,,'-iurtion Link
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Comcate's Code Enforcement Manager (CEM)
web-based software simplifies the resolution of
municipal code violations, provides powerful case
management, improves compliance rates and can
increase revenue a sample. Text copy will go here,
this is only a sample.
~ Benefits
. Customizable
. Saves Time
. Wireless Field Access
. Improves Workflow
. Improves Service
. Generates Additional Revenue
. Saves Money
~ Features
. Daily Activities
. Automatic follow-up reminders.
. Generate city's notices at a click of a button.
. Find cases by address or owner through advanced search functionality.
. Identify municipal codes automatically.
. Quickly print future (daily, weekly, monthly) follow-up inspections.
. Improved Compliance
. Issue detailed violation notifications with photo attachment.
. Log complete history of case activity and related communications.
. Communicate requirements and time lines clearly and accurately.
. Reporting
. Extensive standard and customizable reports.
. Sort by case assignment, progress and resolution by
officer, violation and dates.
. Department workload and staff performance monitoring.
. CDBG compliance analysis.
. Export reports to Microsoft Excel.
. GIS Integration (Optional)
. Automatic address verification.
. Automatic input of parcel information, owner information,
and other adhoc information.
. GIS layers of violations on street or regional maps.
~ Selected Clients
Pomona, CA
Bluefield, WV
Hemet, CA
Laguna Niguel, CA
Green Cove Springs, FL
Morrow, GA
Marco Island, FL
Industry, CA
St George, UT
Richmond, CA
Lancaster, CA
San Marino, CA
Rushville, IN
Dei Norte County, CA
La Habra, CA
Rocklin, CA
Bellflower, CA
Indio, CA
(:omcate, Inc. . 44 Montgomery Street., Suite 4200 .. San frandsto, CA 94104 .. T: 415.249.4904 .. F: 415.249.4901 .. www.c:omccfe.tom
Comcate's Talking Points for Code Enforcement Manager
.
Comcate background
Comcate was established in 2001. The Company designs products to meet the specific needs of
public agencies. The founding team including former city managers and combined they had over a
100 years of local government experience.
.
Significant industry recognition
Recently, the ICMA (International City/County Management Association) selected Comcate along
with one of our clients to present a case study at the ICMA wireless forum.
.
Customer quotes
o "Last year we handled over 3,100 Code Enforcement cases. We estimate savings on
average 30 minutes per case, which equates to 1,500 hours or almost the equivalent of one
officer's annual time." John Loomis, Code Enforcement Officer, City of Lancaster
o "Implementation of Comcate's products was easier and faster than I ever could have
imagined.. Pete Guisasola, Building Official, City of Rocklin
.
Comcate's clients rely heavily on Code Enforcement Manager
Over 12,000 Code Enforcement cases were managed last year, and it is growing rapidly.
.
Comcate's product manages all aspects of Code Enforcement
Comcate's Code Enforcement Manager web-based software simplifies the resolution of municipal
code violations, provides powerful case management, improves compliance rates and can increase
revenue.
.
Easy to implement, easy to use
o Code Enforcement Manager is delivered ready to use, quickly. It is very easy to learn, most
users feel very comfortable with the application after just one hour of training.
o At a click of a button, print notices, add attachments, schedule follow-up inspections, access
and edit the case history.
o Assign case to officers and manage case load. At a click of a button, generate department
activity report.
.
No hardware or software to install
Comcate hosts CEM at a secure facility with robust network and power redundancies and round-the-
clock system monitoring. The City does not have to purchase any new hardware or software.
.
Flexible
The City can expand the functionality available to staff by adding additional modules such as CRM
(Customer Relationship Management), GIS (Geographical Information System) and other
functionality if desired.
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Pcwm&fgfhe-GOlIto Cifiu.<tCommunkatiotJ Link
www.romcilte.com
Code Enforcement Manager Highlights
Product Features:
Track and manage municipal code violations
Access I edit case history
Identify violations by parcel
Schedule follow-up inspections with automatic reminders
Manage attachments including photo imaging
Utilize City's existing notices and print
Create notice of violation, request for correction, at a click of a button
Real-time access to case information
Departmental Activity Management:
Assign case to officers
Manage case load
Generate daily activity reports
Departmental activity reports
CDBG compliance analysis
Ease of use:
No IntemallT support required
Web-based, access information from any internet connection
On-line help pages
Easy and fast implementation
Free customer support
Additional Options:
GIS functionalities
CRM-Request Tracking Application
Wireless capabilities
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