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Duncan council pledges to 'stop the stigma'

Duncan Banner - 8/17/2018

Aug. 16--During the regular Duncan City Council meeting, city officials showed the community they were committed to ending the stigma of mental health.

DRH foundation and media director Cyndi Crook and executive director of Pathways for a Healthier Stephens County Kim Whaley spoke to the council about stopping mental health stigma.

"The Behavioral Task Force of Pathways to a Healthier Stephens County and Jefferson County initiated a campaign called 'Stop the Stigma OK,'" Crook said. "Many people in our community and world suffer from a behavioral health issue. We believe it is time to not be ashamed if you are one of those (people)."

"Stop the Stigma OK" asks its signees to become advocates for those with mental illness. "We've established a pledge to help stop the stigma -- the pledge says you will provide a voice for those who can't speak for themselves," Crook read. "That you'll have the courage to speak up and challenge the stereotypes and attitudes surrounding mental illness; that you'll serve as an example in changing the way mental illness is viewed; that you'll recognize your own prejudices about mental illness and work towards changing them and that you will choose your words carefully when referencing those with mental illness."

Whaley and Crook brought copies for the council to sign.

"Kim and I and the whole Pathways committee are asking you to sign our pledge and not only sign it -- live it on behalf of those who are suffering with some form of mental illness," Crook said.

Mayor Ritchie Dennington said, "Absolutely."

The mayor, council and city attorney all signed the pledge.

The council then discussed the contracts with Tyler Technologies, Inc for Incode Court System and AdComp, LLC.

According to City Manager Kimberly Meek, Tyler Technologies, Inc. will provide software services, hardware, storage, installation, data conversion, training and consulting. Adcomp, LLC will provide Kiosk Services which includes software services, hardware, storage, installation, data conversion, training and consulting.

Meek said for the utilities the "Payment Card Industry Data Security Standard (PCI DSS) which is better known as credit card payment process.

The method to collect payments needed to be updated to avoid fines and penalties.

The next finding was dealing with the municipal court collections.

"Court collections are manually entered and reviewed by three employees to post business in the court system, cash receipts and the general ledger," said Meek.

Meek said each company had a different function that worked together but both were needed. The city staff uses three different digital systems to post payments. One system is aging as it was purchased in 1998, and the software on it called eCourt, does not interface with the other programs which host the receipting and general ledger.

There is an affiliation with America Express, Discover, JCB, Mastercard or Visa which can fine entities, for compliance violations.

"The privacy and security of credit card information requires any entity that accepts payment from any of the five members as payment for goods and/or services meet the requirements of Payment Card Industry Security Standers Council," she said. "These requirements in summer restrict the physical access to cardholder data, encrypt cardholder information as it is transmitted and secures all storage of information."

The cost would be to Tyler Technologies, Inc. of $31,290.00 per year and to AdComp LLC of $35,224, for a five year contract.

Rebecca Marcano, director of services, said the turn around time for these impairments were varied.

"AdComp said they can have it (J.A.C.K) on the ground in less than 30 days. It would just depend on the integration of the systems," she said. "Utility billing would go first and court would be later because we're working with Tyler. They expect it to be shortly thereafter, they are moving us to the top of their list."

Marcano said J.A.C.K would be installed by the company wherever the city choose. The location for the kiosk has not been chosen at this time. The Council voted to approve the joint item for the technology upgrades.

Judge Joe Enos swore in Deputy City Clerk Christina Johnson and Deputy City Treasurer/Clerk Shelia Norman to office during the meeting.

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(c)2018 The Duncan Banner (Duncan, Okla.)

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