Putnam County IT requests modest equipment increases; agency says storage upgrade cut costs

Tom Lannon, who led the information-technology review, told the Audit & Administration Committee that the tentative budget includes $140,692 for general computer equipment and that a separate line for equipment over $5,000 (servers and storage) fell because an older SAN lease ended and was replaced at lower cost.

"52630 was equipment over 5,000...we purchased a new sand at a substantial savings," Lannon said, explaining that storage-price declines enabled the department to update infrastructure while reducing lease costs. Lannon also discussed a higher hourly service rate from a vendor but offset by fewer billable hours, which yielded an overall cost reduction.

The department requested $317,453 for other computer services and continues an Esri contract for GIS consulting and training (about $8,000). Lannon said some equipment lines remain in other departments because state reimbursements or grant rules require purchases be made from those departments’ budgets; he said final approval still routes through his office to ensure compatibility.

Lannon offered to provide legislators with a Munis/Tyler report listing purchases and new machines over the past year. "I can create a report on all IT, all technology that was purchased in the last year," he said.

Why it matters: IT capital needs and server reliability affect multiple county services, including emergency services and social-services case management. The committee sought clarity about which purchases are county assets and which are state-owned or grant-funded.

Next steps: Lannon to produce a technology-purchase report and to continue oversight of purchases routed through the IT approval workflow.