Policies and Procedure Manual

TOWN OF LADYSMITH

POLICIES AND PROCEDURE MANUAL

Preamble

Information technology and systems are used for governing and administering in Town of Ladysmith. The Town Council promotes and supports the use of technology and systems when used in an appropriate and effective manner.

The intent of this policy is to address the issues related to the responsible, legal, ethical, courteous, and appropriate access and use of the Town’s Information Technology and Systems. Access granted to users of the Town’s systems is a privilege and not a right. Before being granted access, users must be made aware of and agree to the various conditions and rights associated with using the Town’s systems.

Definitions

Policy

The Town Council recognizes the need to provide Information Technology and Systems for all staff and council members, as required for administering the Town’s affairs. This policy applies to all Town of Ladysmith employees, contractors, consultants, temporaries, council members, and volunteers.

Procedure

1Responsible, Legal, and Ethical Use

Individual users of Town of Ladysmith’s information technology and computer systems must do so in a responsible, legal, and ethical manner. For example, the following activities and uses constitute a sample, but not all-inclusive, list of inappropriate uses:

Vandalism of any kind (attempt to harm or destroy equipment, data, performance; attempt to breach security system; attempt to upload or create malicious programs such as computer viruses, etc.);

For profit business activities not expressly authorized by the Town Administrator;

Product or service advertisements (excluding Town products or services);

Political lobbying;

Uploading / downloading illegal information;

Copyright violation as defined by Canadian and International Copyright Law;

Duplication, storage, or transmission of inappropriate information including, but not limited to pornographic materials, hate literature, bomb-building instructions, racial slurs, etc.;

Participation in pyramid schemes;

Revealing of information protected under the Protection of Privacy Legislation.

2Network Etiquette

Users of Town of Ladysmith’s information technology and computer systems must learn and use proper Network Etiquette. Examples of network etiquette include the following samples:

Being aware of and using acceptable electronic communications convention (being polite, use of appropriate language);

Not harassing other users (local or global);

Not sending chain letters;

Respecting the privacy of others.

3Microcomputer and Terminal Use

Microcomputers (PC) are used for a variety of administrative purposes while terminal emulation software (running on PCs) may be used to access administrative systems. Town of Ladysmith encourages and supports the use of this technology in its schools and offices.

3.1Incidental Personal Use of TOL Systems Permissible

Town of Ladysmith information systems are to be used only for Town of Ladysmith purposes including educational, learning, administrative, and research activities. Incidental personal use is permissible if the use: (a) does not consume more than a trivial amount of resources that could otherwise be used for Town of Ladysmith purposes, (b) does not interfere with worker productivity, (c) does not pre-empt any Town of Ladysmith activity, (d) does not involve solicitation, (e) is not associated with any for-profit outside business activity, and (f) will not potentially embarrass Town of Ladysmith.

3.2Automatic System-Lock Process

If there has been no activity on a computer terminal, workstation, or microcomputer (PC) for fifteen (15) minutes, the system must automatically blank the screen and lock the session. A manual electronic locking mechanism may be utilized in place of or in addition to an automatic process. Re-establishment of the session must take place only after the user has provided the proper password. It is recognized that this procedure may not be practical for all computer systems in that the technology may not be capable of supporting this requirement. For this latter case, the user must log-off the computer station prior to leaving it unattended. This requirement helps prevent unauthorized disclosure of information and unauthorized system usage resulting from authorized workers leaving their computers logged in, unattended.

4Electronic Mail Use

Town of Ladysmith encourages and supports the use of electronic communications in the course of administering the Town’s affairs and operations.

4.1Using an Electronic Mail Account Assigned to Another Individual

Users of Town of Ladysmith computing facilities must not use an electronic mail account assigned to another individual to either send or receive messages. If there is need to read another's mail (while they are away on vacation for instance), message forwarding and other facilities must instead be used.

4.2Privacy Expectations and Electronic Mail

Users of Town of Ladysmith computing facilities must treat electronic mail messages and files as private information. Electronic mail must be handled as a private and direct communication between a sender and a recipient.

5Internet Acceptable use

Access and use of the Internet involves electronic mail use and multimedia (text, graphic images, sound and video clips, interactive voice, interactive video, interactive chat-lines) web use. Unrestricted Internet access is available for all authorized users of Town of Ladysmith computer networks (i.e. owners of a valid user-id). All Information Technology and Systems policy and procedure statements that are agreed to by authorized users apply to use of the Internet.

All users of the Internet must be holders of an authorized TOL computer user-id. User-ids are obtained according to the procedure outlined in the Information Technology and Systems Access and Use Policy.

The Town Council encourages and supports the use of Internet on-line resources by administrators, support staff, Town volunteers, and Council members within the procedures outlined in the Information Technology and Systems policies.

6Obtaining Computer Accounts

All users of Town of Ladysmith computer networks must have an authorized user-id. In all cases, an approved computer account authorizes the user for access to one or more of electronic mail, the Internet, and the local site network. Extraordinary access may be requested by writing to the TOL Management.

6.1Administrative Staff Computer Account

All administrative computer users must request their computer account using the Town’s approved ADMINISTRATIVE COMPUTER ACCOUNT APPLICATION FORM. The development, review, and maintenance of this form are the responsibility of the TOLCC.

7Termination / Reinstatement of Computer Accounts

7.1Termination: For violation of policy

Computer account privileges will be revoked and the account disabled or removed by the System Administrator if they believe that a violation of an Information Technology and Systems policy has been violated.

7.2Termination of relationship with the TOL

The appropriate System Administrator will disable computer accounts when employees, contractors, or volunteers leave the Town.

7.3Termination: By request of proper authorities

Computer accounts will be disabled and / or removed immediately upon request by appropriate authorities. An appropriate authority includes the original authorizer of the account (e.g. immediate supervisor, Town administration, etc.).

7.4Reinstatement

Computer accounts may be reinstated by special request to the TOL Management. If the request is approved in consultation with appropriate authorities, the TOL Management may consider the reinstatement of the account.

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