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Marshall County approves switch to new county financial software; board authorizes contract
Summary
The treasurer and auditor presented a conversion to Lao financial software to replace a legacy DOS-based system; commissioners approved the agreement and directed a signature, with initial costs of roughly $133,000 this year and annual maintenance near $62,700.
Marshall County commissioners voted March 2 to approve a contract to replace the county’s aging financial system and to begin converting county treasurer and auditor records to a Windows-based vendor described in the meeting as Lao.
Treasurer Wendy Tapia and County Auditor Angie Birchmeire told the board the county currently operates on a DOS‑based system last updated in 2010 and has experienced outages and duplicated work that drive manual reconciliation. Birchmeire said the recommended vendor would reduce duplicate entry, integrate timekeeping and financials and provide on‑site support during conversion. She estimated an additional appropriation of roughly $133,000 for 2026 to cover conversion costs, annual maintenance around $62,700 (which would include the current timekeeping system), and suggested using available CUMCAP funds to cover the one‑time expense.
"This new system will automate many manual entries and reduce errors," Auditor Angie Birchmeire said, calling the conversion a "herculean task" but one that would streamline daily operations.
Commissioners discussed the early‑commitment discount, implementation timeline (conversion could begin around April 1 and take approximately three months), and the possibility of consolidating tax and financial modules later. The board approved the contract and directed the commission president to sign on behalf of the county.
County leaders said they will seek the early‑commitment discount and coordinate funding authorization with the county council. The conversion schedule and a followup amendment to the agreement are expected to appear on a future agenda.
The action follows multiple reports that the county’s back‑office systems create extra workload for both treasurer and auditor functions and that vendors familiar with Indiana county financial reporting recommended the proposed system.
