County IT conversion drives spike in software budget; 'go-live' set for Nov. 11

County staff told commissioners the IT-software feed budget for 2026 rose substantially because the county will pay for two systems during a transition year. Chair (S1) said the 2026 line was previously $300,000 but "that's jumped to 5.75" in the presentation because the county will be paying for two systems simultaneously this year; participants said net data costs should drop in the following year.

Clerk (S3) confirmed the county's plan for a parallel run and gave a firm date for implementation: "We're gonna be going live November 11, and we will be" using both systems and comparing results as the county transitions. Officials warned that the rollout would not be a single fully live system immediately; several offices (county clerk, district clerk, county clerk, JP offices, district attorney and the jail) will use both systems during the migration.

Officials discussed budgeting for conversion costs as one-time capital-style expenses distinct from recurring maintenance and licensing fees. Chair (S1) said conversion costs are akin to a capital investment and suggested careful treatment of those costs when considering tax-note financing and contingency levels. No final funding decision for conversion costs was made at the workshop; staff will provide further detail before the next meeting.