HUNTINGTON BEACH : City Hall to Upgrade Its Computer System

Hoping to improve efficiency and glean more useful data from the millions of numbers that make up the city’s finances, Seal Beach is turning to a familiar source: computers.

The City Council last week approved the purchase of $67,000 worth of computer software and equipment that City Manager Jerry L. Bankston said will make automation of some city programs possible and help officials set service fees.

The purchases include finance and business programs as well as two printers. The new equipment will allow Seal Beach’s existing terminals to work together in a single computer network, making it easier to retrieve and store data, Bankston said.

Before, “we had nowhere near the current programs,” Bankston said, noting that recent work-force reductions required by a tight 1992-93 city budget make having such technology essential.

With it, the city can eventually computerize bills and accounting systems for a variety of programs from business licenses to animal control, he added. Computer software will also aid with payroll and purchasing.

In addition, officials will be able to analyze city services more easily and accurately to determine whether the fees charged are cost-effective, Bankston said.