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Harrison County defers decision on HarrisGov tax software after county staff object
Summary
County staff urged commissioners to cancel a 6-year contract with HarrisGov, citing slow support and high fees; commissioners heard disputed cost figures and legal counsel has been asked to review the contract before any final decision.
Harrison County commissioners on Oct. 9 deferred action after a lengthy debate over whether to move forward with HarrisGov as the county’s tax-assessor software vendor.
Tax office staff represented by Miss Cook urged the court to cancel the HarrisGov contract, describing repeated delays in service, an onerous $265-an-hour callout rate and training problems that she said left office staff “not wanting to go on HarrisGov.” Cook said Southwest Data, the county’s prior vendor, had been responsive and that staying with HarrisGov could mean paying for software the office could not reliably use.
“Southwest Data has never charged us for any call-out fees... they repair or fix or change any requests from us normally within 24 hours,” Cook said. She told the court converting to HarrisGov felt “backwards” for staff who collect county taxes and said the office has experienced prolonged response times and training issues since December 2024.
County staff and commissioners countered that exiting the HarrisGov contract could trigger substantial costs. County attorneys advised there is no clear legal cause to cancel without exposure; several commissioners cited an estimated penalty or committed payments totaling about $400,000 over six years if the county breaks the contract. Commissioners also noted HarrisGov services are used by the appraisal district (CAD) and that some CAD representatives reported fewer problems.
Commissioner discussion focused on comparative costs and operational risk: Cook said Southwest Data’s annual service would be “less than $24,000 a year,” while the court heard a $400,000 six-year figure for HarrisGov. Commissioners asked for more precise numbers and for HarrisGov representatives or working staff at the CAD to be invited to discuss technical issues.
Rather than vote, the court deferred the item for additional legal review and follow-up, asking county counsel to examine contract terms and potential liabilities. No final contract action was taken during the Oct. 9 meeting.
