Computer Consultants.

The Budget Ways and Means Committee held their regular meeting Monday evening in City Hall. The agenda included interviewing and hearing presentations from three different consulting firms, which were asked to attend and present their proposals for assessing the City’s computer needs.

The three firms were Ultreya from Lee Summit, Missouri, Choice Solutions and Neotech, both from Joplin. The committee discussed the three presentations and agreed that Ultreya offered the most for a bid of $14,300 for the City’s computer needs assessment.

"I liked Ultreya," said Committee member Jackie Boyer. "They did the best with what we requested."

Boyer stated that their references needed to be checked first before making the recommendation to Council.

City Administrator Tom Short stated that no funds were budgeted for a computer assessment. He said that the City hasn’t paid a Public Works Director’s salary since is was vacated in November and that perhaps it could be the resource of funds needed for the computer assessment.

Currently the City of Carthage is using an outdated DOS system and would like to switch to Windows that would allow the City’s computers be linked together.

According to Tom Short the City needs computer software that is progressive and that will last into the future. He explained Windows would greatly help with the government recommendation of accounting practices.

In other business, Short reported on the goals and priorities of the fiscal year 2005 budget.

"Basically it will be very conservative," said Short. "Department heads and outside agencies have had to tighten their belts. Everyone is watching their budget."

Tom Short also reported to the committee that the 1% sales tax revenue is up 3.21% above last year at this time. The half percent transportation and Capitol Improvement sales tax are both up 2.64%, making the combined total of the 2% sales tax up 2.93% from last year.

I see this little logo on products from time to time. "As Seen on TV." I suppose at one time or another that may have impressed folks some, but considerin’ with a couple hunderd channels out there, most ever’thing has been seen on tv.

I was seen on tv at an early age. My Cub Scout troop went up to onea those Saturday afternoon "Little Rascals" telecasts. The camera would pan the bleachers set up for the hunderd or so kids between the "Rascals" episodes. ‘Course none of us got to see the program ‘cause it was live. No time delays in those days.

The station had two "personalities" at the time. They did ever’thing from the news and weather to the kid shows and live commercials. Only black and white back then, so there couldn’t be anything off color.

This is some fact, but mostly,

Just Jake Talkin’.

by

Carthage Printing

HERE’S A TIP

By JoAnn Derson

• "I used to tuck love notes into my husband’s lunch box at least once a week. He never said anything about it, so after about six months, I stopped. He asked me at the end of that first week where his note was for the week and jokingly asked if I still loved him as much. He was so adorable that I have done it ever since. He takes a briefcase to work now instead of a lunch box, but there is always a note for him so he knows how much I care." — Vivienne in Long Beach, Calif.

• Schedule a date night with your husband once a week, even if it is just snuggling on the couch to watch a movie uninterrupted after the kids go to bed. Get a babysitter at least once a month. Your marriage needs as much attention as your children do.

• "My girlfriend and I wasted so much time figuring out where we wanted to go on weekends or what restaurant to go to. She cleverly solved the problem with a little glass jar to which she attached a notepad and a little pencil. Whenever we hear of a restaurant we’d like to try or an activity that sounds fun, we write it on a piece of paper, and into the jar it goes. When we are going out, it is fun to pull a slip of paper from the jar and go there. We always have a good time and are never stuck for ideas." — Jason S. in Indianapolis