Governments and schools continue to pursue paperless initiatives

As organizations and government councils aim to resolve inefficiencies and reduce spending from wasted resources, electronic document management provides an effective solution for more cost-effective record-keeping.

The Glens Falls Post-Star reported that Washington County Treasurer Al Nolette is gaining steady support for his paperless initiatives. In 2012, the news source reported that Washington County used 930 cases of paper, resulting in $25,000 in costs. The County Board of Supervisors Government Operations Committee recently appointed IT Director Karen Pratt to begin evaluating cost-savings for a paperless transition by 2014. Statewide, governments have been deploying digital technologies to store and view documents, allowing officials to gain real-time access to electronic agendas. 

The news source revealed that Warren County recently installed screens for viewing electronic copies of reports and correspondences in board meetings, but still hasn't converted to digital legislation.

However, according to the Glens Falls Post-Star, the success of paperless efforts in New York's Granville Central School district may translate to larger adoption of these initiatives. Each member of Granville's school board is now capable of accessing and sharing information through an electronic system, which Superintendent Mark Bessen told the source will store documents indefinitely.

Paperless efforts are also expected to support legal compliance, as the source reported recent state public information regulations now require any member of the public to have access to paperwork given to lawmakers at an open meeting. Displaying this information electronically on government websites could assist in meeting these requirements.

More efficient consumption of resources
Other school districts are also capitalizing on the advantages to a paperless system. According to the South Jersey Sun News, the Evesham Township School District in New Jersey recently implemented a paperless accounting and HR software program that will be effective within the next couple years. Already, the school has eliminated a significant amount of the paper used for meetings and parent notifications. Business Administrator Dennis Nettleton commented on the decision to go paperless.

"The operations department has been doing things to conserve energy for a long time, but specifically since 2007, there have been a lot of good things happening," he told the source.

Nettleton revealed that the district had recently undergone an energy audit through the New Jersey Energy Savings Improvement Program. This audit helped the district to determine opportunities for cost savings through digitizing records management.

By going paperless, organizations in every sector can become more sustainable while increasing information accessibility and regulatory compliance.

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