Committee moves case-management software ordinance to consent after finance staff outlines scope and cost

The Akron Budget and Finance Committee voted to place an ordinance on the consent agenda to authorize the mayor or his designee to issue requests for proposals and enter into contracts for a case-management and database system for the Akron Citizens Police Oversight Board and the Office of the Independent Auditor.

Committee members heard from finance staff that the software would centralize how oversight cases are recorded and tracked and that the one-time cost is being charged to a citywide finance code rather than to the oversight board’s operating budget. Finance staff said the purchasing division is preparing the RFP.

Finance staff member Mr. Fricker said, “So this is the, case management software that we talked about during the budget hearings that will allow them to, enter all the data that goes along with all of the cases that they are tracking.” He told the committee the line-item used is a citywide “other” code that captures contractual and government obligations, not a specific operating division.

Committee members asked whether the project would connect to a requested data-analyst position for the oversight board. Councilman Fusco asked whether the personnel cost had been included in the labor figures; committee staff replied that the analyst position had been budgeted in the labor portion, while the software cost would be charged to finance’s citywide other code. A salary figure of $45,000 for the data analyst was discussed during questioning; staff said it was their understanding from budget hearings that the analyst would manage data going into the system but that no personnel requisition had yet been submitted.

IT staff were identified as available to help configure and implement the software if needed. Purchasing staff were reported to be preparing the RFP now; no purchase contract had been awarded at the committee meeting. The ordinance was placed on the consent agenda and the committee vote to approve consent carried.

Next steps: the RFP process will continue through the purchasing division and the ordinance proceeds on the consent docket for council consideration. The committee did not set a procurement timeline during the discussion and the final contract amount and vendor were not specified in the meeting record.