By ADAM ATKINSON

CANTON -- The town board here at their Wednesday meeting began discussing the possibility of hiring an outside consultant to conduct an efficiency study on the town's human resources practices and other internal business.

Councilmen also expressed the need to strengthen their tech security and streamline their computer systems by establishing a network and possibly a mainframe system. Outside consultants may be called in to assist with that as well.

David Button, town supervisor, said the last formal efficiency study which looked at ways to better human resources functions was done in 2004.

Button said outside consultants could help update town employee job descriptions, suggest training and cross training between departments and possibly provide guidance on what other municipalities are doing to improve same. “(It would be) how we might do it faster, better, cheaper,” he said.

“In 2004, job descriptions were done, but they have changed, they’ve changed with technology. I really feel that we need to update job descriptions,” Button said.

Councilman Bob Washo pointed out that job descriptions and protocol manuals are usually written up by the employees themselves.

Button agreed but said he thought the town needed a “czar” to prod people to get that done. The supervisor suggested the board craft a request for proposal (RFP) and present it to various consultants to find out how much a study would cost.

Board members discussed reaching out to human resources professionals at St. Lawrence University and perhaps Penski staffing services for advice on the issue.

Button said he would supply the town employees with the 2004 job descriptions for their review and revision by July 7 and then bring them back to the board for further assessment.

During the discussions, questions were also raised if a separate study should be done soon to assess the strength and efficiency of the town’s tech systems.

The board unanimously felt the systems were “vulnerable,” and would benefit from a master list of passwords to individual computers for use in emergencies and the utilization of a dedicated mainframe.

Washo expressed the importance of “having complete cyber security.”

“It just seems like we are sitting ducks,” he said.