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Payroll vendor disputes inflated cost estimates; vendor says pay‑entry fee is $14 per employee per month
Summary
County staff and a payroll vendor debated the expected cost for a new pay‑entry and benefits administration package. Vendor Tim Emerson said his company’s fees are an $80 monthly base and $14 per employee per month (vendor also quoted COBRA/FSA/HSA service fees separately). Commissioners authorized vendor access to county systems for technical
County staff and a payroll vendor discussed the scope and cost of a proposed pay‑entry and benefits administration service during a Sept. 22 Bourbon County meeting, with the vendor disputing higher aggregated cost estimates previously circulated.
Vendor’s pricing and services
Tim Emerson, representing the vendor, told commissioners the basic line‑item pricing for the pay‑entry service is an $80 monthly base (per employer identification number) plus $14 per employee per month. Emerson said the vendor’s quote covers payroll tax filing, check/direct‑deposit processing, and integration services with employee‑benefit platforms, and that other benefits‑administration fees (for COBRA, FSA or HSA administration) are additional but expected to be modest for Bourbon County’s employee counts.
Clerk and treasurer review
County Clerk Susan Walker and Treasurer Jennifer said they had reviewed the vendor materials. Walker and staff had prepared a conservative estimate for first‑year implementation that included a potential custom file‑feed or integration cost for the county’s benefits vendor and a $2,200 pantry (setup) cost referenced in vendor materials. Walker said some county internal processes — for example, legacy longevity calculations, exceptions for sheriff overtime rules, and employees who require printed checks — would need manual handling or special configuration during the transition, which would increase implementation complexity.
Commission direction and technical next steps
Commissioners authorized Emerson to coordinate with county staff and with the county’s municipal‑software vendor (CIC / Tyler Technologies) to verify integration feasibility and to give the county contact information for technical personnel. The board also asked that county staff and the vendor coordinate a meeting with CIC to confirm whether a direct file feed can be built (CIC told staff a one‑time integration setup fee and an annual maintenance fee might apply in some cases).
No contract yet
The commissioners did not sign a contract at the meeting. They asked for documentation and clarity about recurring and implementation costs and asked the vendor to provide a contact at CIC so county IT staff can test the proposed integrations. Commissioners also asked for detail about special cases such as garnishments, sheriff overtime arrangements and employees insisting on printed checks so no gaps occur after a transition.
Ending
The board directed staff to circulate the vendor’s documentation and to set up a follow‑up technical meeting. Commissioners emphasized they want a clear, itemized estimate per cost category before any contracting decision.
