Council Members to Receive iPads

Members of the Alexandria City Council will return from summer recess in September outfitted with new Apple iPads.

The iPads will replace laptops council members use on the chamber dais to review memos, other documents and perhaps the occasional headline or sports score.

In January, Councilman Rob Krupicka requested looking into iPads as a way to save paper and photocopying costs. Krupicka has used an iPad in council chambers for several months.  

According to a city memo, the iPad2 was demonstrated to each member of the City Council.

“It was determined that the iPad2 could be a practical replacement for the dais laptops, which have reached their end-of-life,” the memo read. “The cost to replace the dais laptops is approximately $11,200. On the other hand, the estimated cost to replace them with the iPad2 is $6,580.”

In order to properly support the iPads, city IT staff recommended installing wireless Internet access in both the chamber and the adjoining council workroom on the second floor of City Hall.

“If council cuts down on paper there is a big savings,” Krupicka said in an email. “Also, the public can benefit from better wireless access in City Hall.”

According to the memo, the cities of Williamsburg, Norfolk, Hampton as well as Loudoun County have already outfitted their council members with iPads.