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Council to consider consulting contract for five-year technology strategic plan
Summary
City staff requested approval to contract consulting services to produce a five-year technology strategy including policies, prioritization and budget recommendations; council asked whether AI policy and staffing gaps would be part of the work.
Marion staff asked council to approve consulting services to prepare a five-year strategic technology plan at the Sept. 2 work session, saying the effort will inventory existing systems, identify staffing and hardware gaps, and recommend priorities and budget estimates.
IT staff said the project would be a seven-month engagement led by the city manager as sponsor and the IT director (Terrell) as project manager, with finance and IT forming the core project team and all departments acting as stakeholders. The work would include foundational policy recommendations, including guidance on artificial intelligence usage and implementation, and produce a recommended prioritized five-year budget for technology investments.
Council members asked whether the scope would include AI policy and whether the plan would identify staffing gaps or replacement needs for end-of-life systems (IT staff noted the city's ERP product is at end-of-sale and needs planning). Staff said the consultant (Barry Dunn if approved) could start immediately if the council approves the contract.
No contract was approved at the work session; staff planned to place the item on the consent or Thursday agenda for further consideration.
