The Lee County Finance Committee on Thursday moved to send a request for additional funds for a premium data conversion with Tyler Technologies to executive session for further consideration.

Circuit clerk Amy told the committee the premium conversion would transfer more of the county’s historical case data into the new system than the basic option, reducing manual re‑entry of records. "If we go with the basic conversion ... we would have to manually enter in accounts receivable in approximately 5,500 cases," Amy said.

The clerk’s office presented the premium option as a way to preserve fines-and-fees records, warrants and hearing dates and to avoid lengthy manual work across the clerk, state’s attorney and probation offices. Amy said the full request covers conversion services, travel reimbursement, multistage reporting and the first year of SaaS fees. "That is everything. That's full data conversion. That's, travel reimbursements. That's, multistage reporting. That's everything," she said.

Committee members pressed for schedule and payment detail after Amy explained the implementation would run roughly 18 months and that payments are tied to completion of staged milestones. The clerk said the county would likely owe the first‑year SaaS fees 30 days after the project start date; the committee was told that could amount to about $164,000 if the project begins soon.

County Administrator Jeremy said the county previously budgeted $1 million in capital anticipating a multiyear project and that the premium conversion request would effectively add roughly $500,000 to capital needs. Treasurer Reid explained the county’s operating reserve and capital commitments and said next year’s budget will likely carry the largest share of payments.

Members asked that departments provide a clearer payment timeline and that Amy report invoice receipts to the finance committee as invoices are presented. The committee moved the request to executive session; the motion was made by Bibb and seconded by Kitson, and the voice vote carried.

The clerk said some departments expect to split the cost of a proposed project manager internally; that project manager position was not included in the Tyler proposal and would be procured separately if approved.

What happens next: the administration and clerk will bring detailed stage invoices and a start‑date timeline to the finance committee and to executive session for final action.