A county councillor says he is uncomfortable giving his county-issued computer to another municipality for service.
Coun. Peter Boyles said his laptop was in need of repair recently and since the Municipality of the County of Pictou purchases technical support from the Town of New Glasgow, he was required to leave it with them along with his passwords.
Boyles said he refused to leave his laptop with the town because he didn’t feel comfortable with another municipality having full access to his computer. He suggested that the county should look at hiring its own technical support people rather than purchasing it from another municipal unit.
County staff said the municipality pays $63,000 a year for contract technical services which includes everything from computer repair to problems with its servers. Staff also said that municipal staff are bound by a code of conduct but they couldn’t expand on what that code involved.
Coun. Randy Palmer said he didn't have a problem leaving his iPad with a technician but if it has to left at the reception desk, it would be best to have the technician call for the password.
Boyles said would like the topic put on April’s committee meeting so he would have time to find out more about the code of conduct. He also suggested it would be worth council’s time to investigate how much it would cost for the county to have its own technical people rather than purchasing it from another unit.
