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Information Systems outlines Munis cloud migration, staff savings and trade-offs if merit/COLA is required
Summary
Jeff Hassett, Information Systems director, said organizational changes will produce significant personnel savings but warned that mandated merit/COLA would force drawing from capital projects (Munis cloud migration, network upgrades). He recommended better procurement practices and selective hardware deferrals.
Jeff Hassett, director of Information Systems, told the committee that his budget is roughly two-thirds personnel and that projects including a Munis cloud migration, network upgrades and security improvements account for the bulk of planned capital work.
Hassett said earlier organizational changes will reduce personnel spending in 2025 (about $210,000 in-year savings) and that he expects to be about $385,000 below the 2025 personnel budget in 2026 due to retirements and not replacing certain FTEs. He emphasized, however, that merit and cost-of-living (COLA) directives are the "wild card": if commissioners require both, the department would need to dip into project funds to cover payroll increases, slowing or delaying cloud migration and other prioritized projects.
On procurement and operations, Hassett said many county software and services are contracted and have escalation clauses (for example, a 4% Google licensing increase). He plans to pursue more RFP-based purchasing for large volumes to capture discounts he estimates could yield at least a 10% improvement versus stick-to-contract pricing.
Hassett proposed conservative hardware-life extensions (e.g., extend laptop rotations from 3 to 4 years where practical) but cautioned that warranty lapses increase repair/replacement risk. He asked the committee to provide guidance on county priorities if projects must be curtailed to maintain payroll.
