Council tables $200,000 request for county software purchase, asks for broader review

Monroe County commissioners asked the council to approve a $200,000 additional appropriation to cover a portion of a countywide software purchase (total project cost described as over $500,000). Councilors undertook an extended discussion about funding sources, possible use of cumulative capital (CUMCAP) or a software line in an existing bond, and whether to pay in full or finance the purchase.

Angie Purdy and county staff explained that $300,000 is available from a prior bond (originally allocated for other projects such as justice‑building furniture and clerk office work) and that the commissioners sought $200,000 to complete the purchase either as a one‑time payment or to avoid multi‑year interest costs from a lease. County staff said the software budget is spread across projects and that moving the bond dollars into a software line would meet the intent of that bond.

Councilors raised multiple concerns: Councilor Hawk asked whether cumulative capital (CUMCAP) could be used (staff said a $1,900,000 fund balance exists but much of the current $1,000,000 software line is already committed); Councilor Wilts urged transparency on clerk or other projects that would be shifted; legal counsel noted Monroe County Code 2‑70‑38 allows rainy‑day funds to be used for “any other use or purpose determined by the council” but that additional appropriations from rainy‑day require a two‑thirds supermajority. Several councilors proposed tabling the request so they could review all pending commissioner additional requests and funding options.

Councilor Deckard moved to table the request (with a friendly amendment to allow staff to schedule a CUMCAP advertisement if needed); the motion to table passed unanimously. Staff noted that if council wished to consider using CUMCAP it would require advertisement and the earliest meeting to take that up would be April 22.