The Erie County Board of County Commissioners on Aug. 19 approved a Dominion payroll services agreement and fiscal impact form after county staff described vendor fees, implementation details and functionality. The board’s discussion focused on operational changes, including whether the county should keep monthly payroll or move to biweekly pay periods.

County staff said the base price in the fiscal impact is $10.50 per employee per month plus a $1,000 implementation fee. Additional fees will apply for quarterly tax filings and W‑2 processing in later years; the vendor included two years of W‑2s in the implementation price because the county committed before July 1. Staff estimated total annual cost under $12,000. The vendor will provide a paperless timekeeping portal, allow employees to view pay and accrued leave, and produce electronic W‑2s and benefit administration options; staff said ACH and direct‑deposit processing are supported.

A number of commissioners and department leaders discussed the merits of keeping monthly payroll versus moving to biweekly. Supporters of biweekly pay said it makes overtime pay timelier and aligns with best practices used by other public employers; proponents also said biweekly pay improves transparency for employees who earn overtime. Staff and some elected officials warned the switch requires significant internal work — including policy changes, updates to FLSA and Affordable Care Act tracking, vendor coordination and training — and recommended a working group to study timing and rollout.

County staff said the vendor’s implementation can be done this year and the county prefers not to complicate contract negotiations by attempting to change pay frequency midprocurement. Staff also said procurement policy was followed and that a local vendor quote was substantially higher. Commissioners raised backup questions about vendor reliability and contingency plans: staff said Dominion would provide check stock and that payroll distribution is typically ACH/wire with vendor deadlines and that no “escrow” holding account was described in the contract.

The board moved and approved the agreement and authorized the chair and county manager to sign. Commissioners directed staff to form an employee working group to study pay-frequency change and training needs and asked staff to return with operational recommendations on timelines and the effect of a possible transition to biweekly pay.