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Finance team plans vendor RFP for accounting system; city won’t budget uncertain cannabis tax revenue
Summary
Finance Director Mahoney said the department will issue an RFP in 2025 to replace legacy finance and utility‑billing software with an enterprise package (target implementation 2026) and confirmed the city did not assume state adult‑use cannabis tax receipts in the 2025 budget because the timing and amounts remain uncertain.
Finance Director Mahoney told the Finance Committee that the department will run a formal RFP process to identify a replacement for the city’s aging financial/accounting software and to modernize utility billing and customer portals. She said the administration aims to select a vendor in 2025 with implementation likely in 2026.
Mahoney also said that while Lakewood collects medical‑marijuana dispensary revenue now, state adult‑use cannabis tax receipts are uncertain and therefore were not budgeted for 2025. When asked by council members whether any future cannabis tax receipts should be dedicated to particular uses, the administration said it will evaluate options once receipts are confirmed but that currently there is no reliable figure to earmark.
The finance presentation highlighted the department’s awards (GFOA and state distinctions), the role of in‑house tax staff (11 people processing ~$32 million in receipts) and an upcoming change to an independent external auditor for the next audit cycle, budgeted at an increased cost of about $40,000.
Council members asked follow‑up questions about amnesty/delinquency programs and the city’s capacity to transition to new enterprise software. Mahoney said staff will include utility billing and other stakeholders in the RFP process and expects vendor selection by the end of 2025 for a 2026 rollout.
