Brainerd City Council Considers New Software to Enhance Data Management
BRANERD — The implementation of advanced software is poised to optimize the management of data requests within the city of Brainerd.
During the council’s meeting on August 4, members assessed a proposal from city staff to acquire NextRequest, a specialized program designed to monitor and respond to data inquiries. In the year 2024, the city addressed 1,616 such requests, while 939 have already been recorded in 2025.
Anticipating an upward trajectory in both the volume and complexity of data requests in the near future, staff indicated that the existing method is increasingly burdensome.
Finance Director Connie Hillman highlighted in her correspondence to the council that the current process necessitates labor-intensive tracking of response deadlines, maintaining request records, and fulfilling inquiries that span multiple departments.
The proposed NextRequest software aims to streamline this process by tracking requests and facilitating communications, thereby providing documentation to demonstrate compliance. Incoming data requests would be submitted via a designated portal, enabling seamless redaction of sensitive information—an enhancement over the current, arduous manual methods.
The financial implications of acquiring this software entail an initial licensing cost of $10,788 for the first year, escalating to $11,327.40 in the second year, with an additional implementation fee of $1,500.
Police Chief John Davis remarked on the evolution of data requests over the past two years, noting a marked increase in complexity and a tendency for some requests to appear to seek inadvertent lapses within the police department.
Although Davis acknowledged the competence of current staff in managing these inquiries, he expressed concerns about potential errors arising from the intricate nature of inter-departmental requests. The proposed software incorporates mechanisms designed to mitigate such risks.
In conjunction with the request for NextRequest, staff also sought approval for the procurement of PERFORM, a program intended to enhance employee performance evaluation and tracking. This software entails a one-time implementation fee of $4,634, paired with an annual licensing fee of $10,418.25, which escalates to $14,585.55 in its second year.
Before finalizing the purchases, council member Gabe Johnson requested a comprehensive inventory of the city’s current technology subscriptions, including associated costs and usage status, to gauge the overall software expenditure.
The council instructed staff to assemble this information for a forthcoming meeting.
In Additional Council Business on August 4:
- Ratified the appointment of Jacob Engebretson as a lineworker, effective August 11, at a rate of $49.98 per hour based on Step 4 of the wage grid.
- Approved the final payment for the Buffalo Hills gully remediation project, totaling $64,571.29.
- Awarded a contract for the M Street outfall replacement project to Tretter Excavating, amounting to $116,141.
- Authorized a sewer study in south Brainerd, awarding the contract to Short Elliott Hendrickson for $15,710.
- Authorized the sale of a retired police vehicle, with an estimated value of $14,000.
- Approved a conditional use permit for the construction of a fellowship hall on Northwest Third Street, to be managed by Lakes Area Christian Fellowship.
- Approved a variance request to construct a 6-foot fence in the front yard at a residence on Riverside Drive, despite council member Gabe Johnson expressing concerns about potential precedential implications.
- Approved a conditional use permit and variance request for an extension to the Brainerd Fire Hall.
- Granted conditional approval for Loon Fest, a music festival scheduled for September 19-20 at Mills Field in Memorial Park.
THERESA BOURKE is available at [email protected] or 218-855-5860. Follow her on Twitter at www.twitter.com/DispatchTheresa.
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