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Officials warn county accounting system needs replacement; departments resist switch and costs are rising
Summary
County staff said the county's AS/400 financial system is aging and will need replacement within a few years. Staff outlined upfront and recurring cost estimates, department concerns about lost custom reports, and a potential capital plan timetable.
County staff raised concerns that the county’s AS/400 financial system is out of date and that replacement will be necessary within several years, but department heads are pushing back because new systems may not reproduce custom reports and workflows.
Dan (staff member) said the county’s AS/400 is "under a very antiquated system" and warned that in about five years there may be no software support. He told legislators an updated vendor quote showed a lower upfront cost than older estimates — roughly $300,000–$500,000 — but that the ongoing yearly support and subscription costs could be large, possibly $200,000–$300,000 annually. "The ongoing yearly cost would be about $300,000 for support and technology," Dan said.
Dan also described resistance from some department heads who fear losing custom reporting and the ability to ask an in‑house programmer for ad hoc reports. Legislators discussed phasing the purchase through the capital plan over a two‑ to five‑year window; Dan said some vendors now favour a lower initial outlay and higher subscription fees, and that the county should plan for recurring costs.
Separately, data processing requested a $150,000 capital allocation for backend infrastructure upgrades; Dan said the request arrived late and will be evaluated with other capital priorities.
Why it matters: the county’s core accounting and reporting system underpins payroll, billing, and other financial operations. Staff warned that delays raise the risk of unsupported software and growing maintenance costs.
What happens next: legislators asked staff to obtain updated vendor quotes and to include the system replacement in the capital planning timeline so the county can budget for both upfront migration costs and ongoing support. Several legislators urged cross‑department discussions to identify required reports and to plan integration so departments’ needs are met.
Ending: Staff said they will provide updated quotes and integration options to the legislature and recommended beginning capital planning next year to avoid a future service gap.
