The Butler County commissioners will consider purchasing a software upgrade that will allow people to register for recreation programs online.

At Wednesday’s meeting, Lance Welliver, director of the parks and recreation department, told the commissioners the new system would benefit residents and the county.

The commissioners will consider the $3,480 upgrade by RecDesk Software at their meeting Sept. 19.

The new software would let people register for admission and programs at Alameda Waterpark, dek hockey, other recreation programs and events, Welliver said.

“We hope to have this up and running by the end of the year so it’s ready for next year,” Welliver said.

Currently department staff can take payments and registration in person, through the mail or over the phone, he said.

The software includes calendars that come with customer profiles. The calendar will show each person what programs they registered for, he said.

In addition, the software allows the department to notify people if the pool is closed or a program or activity is canceled, Welliver said.

“This is long overdue,” Commissioner Leslie Osche said.

Welliver estimated that the cost of new membership cards would push the total expenditure to about $5,000.

Cell phone, social media policies

Commissioners will consider a policy governing the use of mobile phones at election voting precincts and an employee social media policy.

“You can have a cell phone and take a ballot selfie,” solicitor Mike English said, summarizing the proposed mobile phone policy.

It would prohibit people from taking photos of other voters or their ballots, he said.

The policy would amend a 2008 policy that prohibits use of audio and visual devices at polling places. Changing the old policy stems from federal court case decisions and guidance from the attorney general’s office, English said.

He said no issues or problems led to creating the proposed policy.

The policy would allow voters to take photos of themselves and their ballots after they vote and post them on social media sites.

“That’s a thing people do apparently,” English said.

The proposed social media policy spells out what employees can share through social media and what social media they can use while they are working, English said.

He said the policy is being proposed to bring the county up to date with social media use and not in response to a problem.

“We feel we didn’t have a solid policy,” Osche said.