Riverhead planners propose electronic permitting and large-scale digitization to cut FOIL time and generate subscription revenue

Riverhead building department staff and a document-scanning vendor presented a proposal on June 25 to move the town from paper permits and basement file storage to an integrated electronic-permitting system and a full digitization of historic building records.

Bob, who the presenter said was recently named head of the building division, and Heather, who the presenters identified as an administrator in the building department, described the department’s workload and the operational problems caused by paper records: roughly 1,200 permits per year, about 1,200 FOIL/record requests, nearly 1,500 inspections and roughly 3,800 counter visits, the presenters said. “When you submit an application you don't need to physically deliver the paper,” the presentation stated, describing a portal that would digitize submitted documents automatically and reduce staff time spent retrieving paper files.

Staff estimated direct labor savings from digitization (time spent processing FOIL-like requests and retrieving paper files) and from remote inspections that would cut travel time across Riverhead’s 68 square miles. Presentation slides shown to the board modeled annual personnel-time savings and projected additional revenue from modest growth in permit volume (staff estimated a conservative 3% increase in permits and an additional $45,000 in annual permit revenue). Staff estimated first-year implementation costs in the transcript (system initiation and vendor setup) at about $106,190 and ongoing annual software/maintenance costs at roughly $72,000; a larger digitization project to scan historic basement files was estimated in the presentation at about $1.55 million with annual hosting fees near $34,000. Presenters said the combined program would likely pay for itself in about five years given conservative assumptions.

The board also heard a vendor briefing from Mr. Siri, whose firm specializes in municipal scanning and indexing. Mr. Siri described indexing by tax-map ID and by permit number, options for redaction at point of scan or within the records-management system (Laserfiche), and a state-preferred contracting path through the New York State preferred-source program (NYS preferred source / NICE) that can simplify procurement. “Siri has been in business for 25 years. I've been in the industry over 40 years and our core business is scanning documents, digitizing records,” Mr. Siri told the board.

Council members and staff discussed implementation issues staff said would have to be resolved before committing: a timeline (staff and vendor estimated roughly a year to 18 months, depending on file preparation), indexing and redaction rules to protect sensitive information, how to sequence digitization (bulk scanning versus more deliberate quality control), training and form building for the permitting portal, and a proposed subscription model for high-frequency users (attorneys, title companies and contractors) modeled on neighboring Southampton that would create ongoing access revenue. Staff said they will refine cost estimates, work with counsel on redaction and privacy requirements, and return with an implementation plan and budget recommendation.

No formal purchase or contract vote occurred during the work session; staff said they will bring a formal procurement recommendation back to the board once specifications, redaction rules and final costs are confirmed.