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Planning board receives iPads for packet review; paper packets to continue for now
Summary
The Reynoldsburg Planning and Zoning Board discussed issuing iPads to members for the board portal and agreed to continue providing paper packets at the next meeting while members acclimate; staff outlined login procedures and offered training.
Reynoldsburg Planning and Zoning Board members received iPads for use with the board portal and were told they may not take the devices home; staff said members should practice logging in at home and that the board will continue to receive paper packets at the next meeting while members become comfortable with the tablets.
The change is part of the city's rollout of a digital board portal (CivicPlus) intended to replace paper packets. A city staff member explained the procedure: "The intent is you log in to the board package at home. There's a board portal and you can mark up stuff, make notes, things like that. And then when you come in, you can pull it up. We'll still be projecting the applications on the monitor in front of you but the intent is basically the iPad will replace the paper packet." The staff member added that board members "cannot take the iPads home" and that iPads will be set up at meetings.
Staff noted a few operational points: the email used to log in must be the original address on file with CivicPlus; if members have login problems they should email staff with the address they are using so staff can check with Molly Prasher, who "manages CivicPlus which is the board package." The staff member also said Molly Prasher was on vacation that week but would return the next week to provide clarification if needed.
Board members and staff agreed to keep paper packets at the next meeting and to treat the transition on a meeting-by-meeting basis. The staff member offered in-office help for anyone uncomfortable with the iPad: "If anybody is uncomfortable using an iPad or something like that, you're welcome to set up a time and we can help folks come in and and learn." There was no formal motion or vote; staff will continue the rollout and present the iPad option again at a future meeting for the board to decide whether to discontinue paper packets.
No public comment was recorded on the technology rollout during the meeting. Staff closed the discussion by reminding members who need password resets to have access to their email while at the meeting so they can receive reset messages, since the iPads cannot leave the building.
