Committee clarifies capital language to allow permitting software and digitization work

Town staff asked the Capital Planning Committee to support clarifying previously approved capital language so it can fund permitting software replacement and broader digitization efforts.

Mike (town staff) said the town currently runs permitting on an in‑house system maintained by one person who may retire; a development agreement that would have funded scanning has slipped, leaving staff without a reliable external funding timeline. He told the committee the intent is to expand the authorized language to permit funding for scanning, digitization, process improvements and off‑the‑shelf permitting software; staff emphasized this is a re‑scoping of existing appropriation rather than a new request for additional money.

Committee members asked clarifying questions about whether the change requires new money (staff said it does not) and how the reworded language would affect scanning and the fee review underway for building permits. The committee included a clarification for technology/digitization in its roll‑call recommendation for the special town meeting warrant.