By allowing ads to appear on this site, you support the local businesses who, in turn, support great journalism.
Flowery Branch slow to commit to pricey IT upgrades
Placeholder Image
Flowery Branch officials, in need of major upgrades to the city’s technology, are taking extra time to decide on a contract with a company that could offer what one council member described as Mustang-level IT support.The council was scheduled to vote Thursday on a contract with Sophicity, trying out the company’s computer services for three months before committing to a full year.The company has offered a nearly all-inclusive package to cities throughout the state, including managing city websites, centralizing city records and offering 24-hour technical support and other upgrades. Flowery Branch staff say they need to make some major improvements to computer servers, which they say are unreliable.New Finance Director Jeremy Perry told council members the current servers have crashed at least three times since he took over finances for the city, causing in one instance more than a day of down time.He also described issues with backing up servers, which may be as many as 10 years old.City staff and council members agreed the city needs the upgrades, but some council members were concerned with the cost of the proposal.They postponed a vote on the contract until they have a chance to review their options.Sophicity would charge the city $3,000 for a three-month trial. A year’s contract with the company would cost nearly $18,000.
Register to read. It's free.

Read this story and many others for free. 

For access to subscriber-exclusive stories, visit gainesvilletimes.com/subscribe.

Cherokee Bluff High coach charged with DUI, going 94 in a 70-mph zone
JOSHUA TRAVIS
JOSHUA TRAVIS
Cherokee Bluff High School’s boys basketball coach was charged last week with driving under the influence, going 94 mph in a 70-mph zone and failing to yield to an emergency vehicle on Interstate 985, according to court documents
Read this subscriber-exclusive story

Keep reading this and other subscriber-exclusive stories! Click the button below to choose your plan.

If you believe you have reached this message in error, ensure you have logged in and then contact our customer care team

Subscribe now