Wasilla budgets for Tyler ERP implementation; council seeks full-cost estimate for dual-system period

Finance Director Cassie explained to the Wasilla City Council that the proposed FY2026 budget includes capital funding for a multi-year enterprise resource planning (ERP) implementation using Tyler software.

What staff said: Cassie told the council the CIP includes a $750,000 appropriation for the current Tyler contract to get through the remainder of the year, covering licenses, implementation and support. Cassie said the contract is "roughly about 1,500,000.0 over the next 5 years." She added that the city will run a dual system (the current Naviline system and Tyler) for roughly two years while payroll and other modules come online, and the city also expects additional licensing and overtime costs during implementation.

Council questions: Council member Crafton and others asked for a fuller accounting of the total cost, including overtime and the additive expense of running two systems. Cassie estimated overtime could be "roughly anywhere from 50 to a hundred thousand dollars," noting the final number varies by department and implementation tasks. Councilors asked which ongoing operating funds would cover license fees after the CIP portion completed; Cassie said Tyler costs will transition to the operating budget while legacy Naviline license fees would remain in the general fund until modules are dropped.

Staff emphasized that the FY2026 CIP request includes licensing and support for modules to bring payroll and an employee portal online in early 2026, with additional modules (planning, business licensing, utility billing) following in later years.

No vote: The ERP funding was discussed as part of the budget-package review; the council postponed the ordinance and did not take a separate vote on the ERP appropriation.