Dunwoody City Council approves new city laptops as first CARES Act purchase

Dunwoody City Council approved the city’s first purchase using federal COVID-19 relief funds during its Sept. 14 meeting.

The Information Technology Department requested 83 new laptops for employees to better work from home. About half of those laptops replace desktops, while the other half replace “antiquated” versions, according to a city memo.

The cost of the replacements will be $184,931, according to a quote for the purchase, which is less than the city budgeted for the technology updates.

The city received $5.6 million in Coronavirus Aid, Relief and Economic Security (CARES) Act funds from DeKalb County, which allocated $32.6 million to distribute to its 12 cities.

The council approved an intergovernmental agreement with the county to receive those funds during a special called meeting on Aug. 19.

The city has $633,369 budgeted for public health changes, including personal protective equipment and facility updates; $500,000 for hazard pay expenses; $616,500 for vulnerable population food programs and technology improvements; $1 million for economic grant relief programs; and $2.85 million as contingency.