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Carpentersville to spend $4,200 on iPads for trustees

Printed agenda packets for the Carpentersville village board are now a thing of the past.

Trustees approved the purchase of iPads at the board meeting Tuesday to give board members the chance to view agenda materials electronically.

Staff members expect to recuperate that initial buy-in with savings in materials as well as wages for office staff and community service officers who print, package and deliver the board packets. Kevin Goethals, Carpentersville's IT director, said the city spends a little more than $5,000 per year producing the packets for board and staff members.

Goethals said the iPads are lighter and more portable than laptops, which were considered. The Apple products will also be cheaper to purchase and maintain.

“The iPad is a more direct, simple solution,” said Village Manager Mark Rooney.

Trustee Paul Humpfer was the only board member to vote against the purchase. He said he would use his own laptop rather than a village-owned device.

The iPads would cost $530 each. Goethals estimated a total cost of about $4,200, expecting to purchase seven but if any trustees opt out, the cost will be even less and the savings more by cutting out the printed packets.

During a short discussion during the board meeting, Trustee Pat Schultz made sure to verify the iPads would only be used for village business. No applications will be paid for with village funds, except those necessary to access the board information.

When trustees leave the board, they will return the iPads to the village to be wiped clean and reissued to the new board members.

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