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Schuylkill Township favors ClearGov after demos; staff to complete five‑year budget before software rollout
Summary
Supervisors said ClearGov performed better in demos than Synario, with an estimated annual cost of $24,000–$25,000 plus a setup fee; the board directed staff to complete a five‑year budget by August while continuing to evaluate software options.
At a May 28 workshop the Schuylkill Township Board of Supervisors discussed options for new budgeting and capital‑planning software and agreed to continue developing a five‑year budget while staff evaluates software choices.
Supervisor Jonn Callahan said recent demonstrations indicated ClearGov offers a cleaner interface, stronger budgeting and long‑term planning tools, and better public‑facing transparency features than Synario. Callahan said the township should expect an estimated annual cost of about $24,000–$25,000 plus a one‑time setup fee of roughly $7,500 for ClearGov.
Supervisor Bob Cooney and Supervisor John Kiernan emphasized the strategic‑planning features as the most valuable part of any system and suggested a phased implementation that prioritizes strategic planning before accounting functions. Township Manager Laurie Getz said staff is preparing the five‑year budget the board requested, with a target completion date in August, and that there is insufficient time to build and implement a new platform before that budget is produced, because the completed budget would need to be imported into any new system.
Supervisor Danielle Jouenne recommended staff continue preparing the five‑year budget while continuing to evaluate software options. Resident John Mraz urged prioritizing systems that integrate with QuickBooks to limit duplicate data entry and improve staff efficiency.
No formal purchase or contract award was made at the workshop; staff will complete the five‑year budget and report back to the board while continuing software evaluations.
