Lavonia City Council To Go To Tablets

By MJ Kneiser, WLHR Radio, Lavonia

Lavonia City Council members and Mayor Ralph Owens will be moving into the 21st century with some new high-tech equipment.

At the Lavonia City Council meeting earlier this month, City Manager Charles Cawthon put forth the idea of ordering tablets for each city council member and the mayor.

Cawthon said it would make life easier for council members and help them to keep better track of their city and meeting related files.

“We use an inordinate amount of paper trying to prepare your council packets,” Cawthon said. “The second issue is tyring to go back and find documents that may be six months old or older. What a lot of councils are going to is a tablet to keep your files and all your data you get now in electronic form.”

Cawthon cited a number of scenarios where using a tablet would make life easier for council members such as sending and receiving financial reports and minutes.

“It would help you be more effective in your role,” Cawthon said. “For instance you could access your city email on your tablet. There are other things you can do. It wouldn’t just be for city council paperwork.”

Cawthon estimated it would cost the City about $3,000 to purchase tablets for all five city council members.

Councilman Eddie Floyd is for the idea and noted it would increase the council’s ability to communicate with Cawthon.

“We do use a lot of paper,” Floyd said. “This would make it a lot easier and I think we should go forward with your search.”

Other members agreed and, after more discussion, the Lavonia City Council voted unanimously to have Cawthon find a tablet provider.