Committee approves GFOA engagement for ERP selection; city plans $2.9 million budget for software purchase
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Summary
The committee approved contracting GFOA for consulting on a citywide ERP replacement and began planning a $2.9 million multi‑year budget for purchase and implementation, with staff noting vendor support for the current system ends after 2030.
The Government Operations Committee approved a sole‑source engagement with the Government Finance Officers Association (GFOA) to provide consultant services for selection and implementation of a new Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) system and discussed budgeting for a $2.9 million procurement and implementation plan expected in FY 2027.
Larry (city staff) said Saint Charles’ current Infor Lawson ERP lacks critical public‑sector functionality — including native fund accounting — is on‑premises and will lose vendor support after 2030, making replacement urgent. He described a phased approach and said the city is proposing a $2,900,000 line in the FY 2027 capital plan for purchase and implementation.
Mike Muja, deputy executive director at GFOA, outlined the firm’s municipal ERP work and described a roughly year‑long consulting engagement to map business processes, identify requirements, draft a detailed RFP and statement of work, and help hold vendors accountable during procurement and contracting. “ERP projects in local government tend to be some of the most difficult projects…not because of the technical challenges involved in the software, but the amount of change involved in changing business process,” Muja said.
Council members pressed staff on the $2.9 million figure, funding sources and whether the city could perform the assessment internally. Staff said the number reflects prior vendor proposals, data‑migration risk and multi‑year planning; funding would come roughly 60% from enterprise funds and 40% from capital funds. Staff and GFOA argued external, experienced consultants provide objectivity and reduce the risk of costly change orders or project failure.
A motion to approve the GFOA engagement was moved and seconded; roll call recorded one recorded no vote (Banguard) and the motion carried. Council requested regular updates on implementation and asked staff to quantify expected recurring savings and budget impacts during procurement.
Why it matters: The ERP touches finance, payroll, utilities and other core functions across the city’s approximately $250 million budget; replacing an aging system before vendor support ends is time sensitive and costly.
What’s next: Staff will complete the consulting engagement, work with GFOA to develop an RFP and evaluation process, and return with procurement documents, cost breakdowns and periodic implementation updates.
