Town officials say they will look into a suggestion that the town purchase tablet-style PCs that would allow the town’s School Committee and selectmen to go paperless and save money. Selectman Robert O’Regan estimates that some of the informational packets that are distributed to the board before each of their twice-monthly meetings cost the town $55 or more each in staff and copying costs. O’Regan has proposed the town buy tablet-style PCs that would allow the information to be transmitted electronically. “They would have to be secure, because some of the information we receive is sensitive,“ said O’Regan. “We could also fix it so they couldn’t be used for personal business.” Selectman Chairman John Anzivino and Interim Town Manager Joseph Feaster are also agreeable to looking into the idea. Selectman Cynthia Walsh said she is not against the idea if it will save money, but “isn’t interested in any new technology I have to pay for,” noting that she doesn’t have cable TV or Internet access and still uses a rotary telephone. She said she has seen other selectmen pull up documents during meetings on their smartphones, but the type is often too small for her to see, so she would prefer a device that could enlarge the type if necessary.
