County finance: Six months, $106,500 will launch New World software system

Another six months and another $106,500 and Whitman County’s five-year old accounting software will be ready for use.

Chris Nelson, county information technology director, told commissioners Monday she would need that much more time and money to make the system, developed by New World Systems of Troy, Mich., work.

Nelson said New World officials have given her several dates when they would be willing to come to the courthouse to train employees on the new system.

“They are very keen on getting this up,” Nelson said of New World brass.

Commissioners assigned Nelson the responsibility of installing the new software in May, shortly before they fired Bev Divine as finance director.

Failure to implement the software was one of the key reasons commissioners cited when they fired Bev Divine as finance director.

The software was purchased in 2005 for $331,600. Since then, software updates, annual licensing and maintenance fees have cost the county an additional $234,980.

“That’s exactly why we did what we did,” said Commissioner Pat O’Neill. “We’ve spent how much on this and have nothing to show for it.”

And now another $106,500 will be needed to bring the system up, said Nelson.

“Well, obviously it keeps adding up. We’ve invested a lot of money in it,” said Commissioner Greg Partch. “We need to get to a point where it’s up and running and we can start getting something for our investment.”

Nelson said the county will need to buy new servers for the system, buy additional licenses for use of the software and pay for New World staffers to travel here and train county employees to use the system.

Nelson said the system could be able to “go live” by the middle of February. She had previously predicted a system switchover by Jan. 1.

Partch said Pend O’Reille County bought the company’s accounting system early in 2009 and looks to beat Whitman County in turning it on.

Pend O’Reille is scheduled to turn their New World accounting system on Jan. 1.

To aid Whitman County’s switch from the current system to New World, the county last week entered into a professional services contract with Brandon Burch, formerly a programmer in the information technology department.

Burch was contracted at a rate of $75 per hour plus travel for the work.

Nelson said she will likely offer a similar contract to Sharon Roberts, who formerly worked in the finance department, to key accounting information into the New World system. Nelson said less than 10 percent of accounts had been readied for the New World transition.

The software as originally purchased did not perform unique Washington state public accounting functions. Only after Prosecutor Denis Tracy threatened litigation in 2007 did the company modify the software to perform those functions.

Commissioner Michael Largent asked Nelson if New World was planning to provide any “freebies” to the county.

Nelson replied no such offers have been made by New World officials.

Also Monday, Nelson reported to commissioners on purchasing upgrades to the recording systems in county meeting rooms.

Staff has complained equipment to record public meetings has gone on the fritz of late. Nelson said repairs to the system would be $7,200.

Using her department’s asset acquisition would mean the county would not be able to pay for any more updates of software or operating systems this year.

Commissioners discussed the possibility of adding $7,200 to that budget or putting off the other upgrades until next year.