In this interview, we spoke with Myra Maravilla, City Clerk for the City of Hermosa Beach, California, about her experience with the procurement process, technology adoption, and daily challenges in their role. Myra shared valuable insights into how her city transitioned to eScribe’s meeting management software, emphasizing the importance of choosing the right technology and involving multiple departments in decision-making. She also discussed the benefits of cloud-based systems, features that have enhanced public engagement, and the ongoing support her city has received from the eScribe team.
What was your procurement process like when signing with eScribe? How did eScribe help facilitate that process?
James was the person who did the demo for us. He was very thorough and captured what eScribe had to offer. James made it easy by simplifying the features for us. Once we decided on the features we needed, the rest of the process was smooth. It didn’t take too long, and we negotiated a reasonable price. Overall, it was a very pleasant experience.
Do you have any best practices or tips for dealing with the procurement process?
As a city clerk, we work with all departments, since each department contributes to the agenda. eScribe is a citywide product. During procurement, we involved representatives from each department, which helped with buy-in. We also had a clear understanding of Hermosa Beach’s needs, thanks to our experience with a previous vendor. That allowed us to ask the right questions and focus on the features we wanted. Knowing our previous system’s shortcomings helped us narrow down exactly what we needed.
Did you use any tools or processes to make procurement easier, like software or buying vehicles to avoid the RFP process?
We went through the RFP process using Planet Bids because we wanted to explore what was out there. Without it, we might not have known about eScribe, so the RFP process worked out well for us.
Can you share an example of a procurement challenge, whether with eScribe or another vendor, and how you resolved it?
Procurement for the clerk’s office is very limited, and since we were looking for specialized software, it’s unlikely we’d get a response from a vendor that wasn’t a good fit.
How has leveraging technology improved your meeting processes?
We’ve been using technology for years, but the key is leveraging the right technology. One big improvement with eScribe is that public comments are attached directly to agenda items. With our previous system, we had to publish a separate portal for e-comments. Now, people can see comments alongside the agenda, staff reports, and attachments. It’s made things easier for the public and the clerk’s office.
What features of eScribe stood out to you the most?
It was several things. I like that it’s 100% cloud-based and includes the public comment feature. I also really like how it handles addendums and revised agendas, making everything clear for the community. The Meetings Pro app is a huge enhancement from what we had before. It’s easy to use, easy to vote, and easy to mark up. Overall, the features have made our process smoother.
What impressed you the most about eScribe outside of its features?
eScribe has been very responsive. Anytime we’ve had an issue, the team has been quick to help us overcome it. That kind of support is very helpful.