Computer maintenance for the Village of Oxford is no longer a family affair as council voted 3-0 Feb. 28 to ‘mutually terminate? its relationship with Next Generation Computers.
Owned and operated by Tracy Miller, Sr. ? husband of village President Renee Donovan ? Next Generation Computers has been paid $185,917 since 2002 for its computer services to the village.
A recent opinion from Oakland County Prosecutor David Gorcyca concerning an incompatible public offices issue in Pontiac motivated Miller to request the termination in a Feb. 2 letter.
Although the situation in Pontiac and the legal opinions and state statute it involves do not apply to his and Donovan’s situation, Miller wrote he wishes to avoid the ‘possible appearance of conflict.?
Acceptance of the termination included language Miller requested ‘recognizing that all maintenance and service has met or exceeded the agreement obligation? and ‘the acceptance and passage of this resolution terminates any further obligation by either party financially, contractually, or otherwise expressed or implied.?
Donovan abstained from the termination vote.
Council also voted 3-1 to ‘enter into a written contract? for computer maintenance services up to $8,750 with the Wixom-based Async Associates until June 30, 2007. The company has a branch office in Addison at 360 Cantley Road.
Approval of Async’s written contract was set aside by council at the special March 7 meeting due to questions. It’s expected to be addressed at the March 9 meeting.
Council also voted 3-1 last week to approve the purchase of computer software up to $8,966 and up to $1,500 for installation, both from Async Associates.
The village needs this software, more specifically its licensing, because it was notified by Microsoft in a Jan. 11 letter that the Microsoft Action Pack Subscription Agreement it had been using for all its software had been ‘cancelled.? Despite having the village’s mailing address on it, the letter was addressed to Tracy Miller.
‘We didn’t renew it (in time),? said village Manager Joe Young. Apparently, the Action Pack subscription deadline to renew was in late August 2005, but Young said he ‘didn’t see anything? from Microsoft about it until the Jan. 11 letter, which he didn’t receive until ?10 days later.?
Young said he doesn’t know why there was a ‘communication gap.?
According to Microsoft’s website, ‘The Microsoft Action Pack Subscription is a benefit that’s available to Registered Members of the Microsoft Partner Program who promote Microsoft software or provide solutions based on Microsoft software and technologies to their customers. With your annual subscription, you will receive four quarterly shipments that contain new software releases . . .?
‘We have an Action Pack, which means we’re allowed to use it for demonstrations purposes ? to try it out if you want to buy it, which is what we’ve been doing,? said Young. ‘It was appropriate and authorized through Microsoft because we (the village) were a partner. As a partner, you can have that.?
Previously, the village had been paying Microsoft through Next Generation Computers to lease and use the Action Pack. ‘We paid Tracy (Miller) who paid Microsoft,? Young said. ‘You still have to pay to use the demo. The trial version, you still have to pay to use that.?
When asked how this demo arrangement came about, Young replied, ‘This was before my time.?
Now, the village must purchase the full, licensed version primarily because it needs the licenses.
‘We’re now in the process of buying it,? Young said. ‘We need to buy it.?
‘To get the license, you gotta buy the software.?
However, because the main issue is the licensing, Young said it still needs to be determined whether when the village purchases the full-version software if it must be installed or if simply possessing the licensing and having it on file is enough to be compliant with Microsoft.
‘Async will determine that,? the manager said.
Young said council approved up to $8,966 for the software because ‘some of them (the software on the individual village computers) may have licenses . . . we don’t know. We’ve got to take an inventory to make sure what we do and don’t have.?
Young said he’s encountered differing opinions as to what needs to be done now.
In its written proposal to council, Async Associates stated, ‘It is not necessary to re-install or update the current environment to become Microsoft compliant. The Village of Oxford needs to simply acquire the appropriate MS (Microsoft) licenses in order to become compliant.?
However, with regard to the existing Action Pack software the village is using, Microsoft wrote in its Jan. 11 letter that the municipality is required to ‘immediately cease use of and destroy all copies of any Microsoft Products provided with or licensed under the (Action Pack) Subscription.?
‘We may ask you to provide a dated certificate of destruction,? the letter stated.