Worcester County approves Tyler permitting software with $193,500 annual maintenance

Worcester County Commissioners on Sept. 2 voted unanimously to approve the purchase of permitting and licensing software from Tyler Technology, a county official said during the meeting. The motion to approve was made by Commissioner Matresick and seconded by Commissioner Fiore.

County staff told commissioners the system will move permitting to an electronic platform, allowing applicants to log in, check permit status, receive staff questions and complete tasks online. "As you log in, anybody applying for a permit will be able to log in, see the status of their permit, where it's being held up for," a staff member said during the discussion.

The commissioners heard implementation will begin quickly but take time: staff estimated roughly three months to start setup and about 12 to 18 months for full completion as different permit types come online at different times. The staff member added training and buildout will be required before departments can use the system.

Commissioners asked about cost and operations. Commissioner Bunting asked whether the annual recurring cost of $193,500 was the full ongoing expense; staff replied annual maintenance covers cloud storage, processes, maintenance and upgrades, and does not include internal staff time for implementation and ongoing work. Commissioner Metresick said he has seen the product in a neighboring jurisdiction and praised the potential for reduced phone calls and faster, more uniform information to the public.

The motion approved the procurement and associated contract negotiations; commissioners did not vote on a detailed payment schedule during the meeting. The vote was unanimous.

Implementation and training timelines, the contract's setup cost, and the exact internal staffing cost estimates were discussed but not specified in the record. Commissioners and staff said those details would be addressed during contract negotiations and the implementation phase.