Administration of Bainbridge’s municipal government is continuing to modernize, employees shared with city leaders Tuesday night.

Most of the changes are centered around the use of computers, which are enabling city employees to share information between themselves and with citizens.

In a presentation to the Bainbridge City Council, employees of the city’s General Administration Division talked about a variety of improvements they are making.

Citations issued by Bainbridge Public Safety may now be paid online at the city’s Web site, www.bainbridgecity.com, and soon, citizens will be able to pay for their water and sewer service online.

Systems Administrator Sterling Widner said some of the technology improvements include a fiber-optics ring that will provide very high-speed Internet access for local schools and municipal offices.

Other planned improvements include ways of electronic information sharing between different city offices; and document management, enabling for example, city employees to print out documents such as blueprints for interested parties.

Tammy White, who had been working as the city’s payroll and benefits coordinator, has been appointed the city’s Human Resources coordinator. White’s role will be to centralize the city’s hiring process, advertise open positions, set up interviews and conduct exit interviews for departing city employees.

The city government netted $19,564 in its online surplus auction for the 2007-2008 fiscal year, Purchasing Agent Brenda Strickland said. This past fall marked the fourth year the city has been auctioning its surplus or outdated inventory online using GovDeals.com.

Accounting Manager Beverly Allen said a fireproof records room has been constructed in the Holley Building, which houses the city’s Purchasing Department on Donalson Street. Financial records are already being stored there and other departments’ records may soon be moved there as well, Allen said.

Other business

In other business, the City Council conducted the following business:

• Adopted, by unanimous vote, an amendment to the city’s retirement plan that allows for a one-time 5 percent cost-of-living adjustment for retired employees with pay status as of Sept. 30, 2008, to take effect starting Jan. 1, 2009.

• Approved, by unanimous vote, renewal of an alcoholic beverage license for Mina Modi, doing business as Roy’s Package Store, 204 W. Louise St.

• Re-appointed, by unanimous vote, attorney Bruce Kirbo Jr. to another four-year term on the Development Authority of Bainbridge and Decatur County.

Bids and Bills

By a unanimous vote, the council approved the following bids and bills:

Bills: $198,873 from Georgia Municipal Association of Atlanta, Ga., for premium on 2009 workers’ compensation insurance policy.

Bids: $687,206.20 from Circle B Contracting of Bainbridge for extension of city sewer service to the new site of the Bainbridge High School off U.S. 84 East; $9,236.57 from Donald Smith Company of Headland, Ala., for change order on water well to serve new BHS to add piping and related apparatuses.