Mahoning Co. to purchase updated computer system

The new computer system will enable wire transfers of money.

STAFF REPORT

YOUNGSTOWN — Mahoning County commissioners have agreed to purchase a new, completely digital computer system for the county’s accounting, purchasing, human resources and payroll functions for $1,815,580 from a New England firm.

The system, known as MUNIS, which will serve all county government departments, will come from Tyler Technologies of Falmouth, Maine.

County Auditor Michael V. Sciortino said he hopes the new system will be operational in the fall of 2009. It will replace the $4.5 million PeopleSoft system the county has had since 1999.

“This is a necessary business transaction expense that we have to go through about every 10 or 11 years with the improvements in technology,” Sciortino said after the commissioners unanimously approved the purchase Thursday.

Just as banks make wire transfers, the new system will enable the county auditor’s office to make wire transfers of the money the county collects in property taxes directly to recipient communities and school districts, rather than having to print and mail paper checks, he said.

With wire transfers, “We make that transaction happen quicker and it gets directly to the bank accounts of those recipients quicker,” Sciortino said.

“It’s a great piece of technology, definitely allowing us to do a little bit more with less, especially in this tough economic time,” he said, adding that the new system will cut paper and postage costs and make government more efficient and accountable.

The new system will be paid for by a $3 million bond the county sold two months ago, which has a 10-year payback period. County departments will be charged for the new system under a cost allocation program over the next several years, Sciortino said.

The MUNIS system has been serving Ohio counties for more than 10 years, Sciortino said. The system has been installed in Franklin, Lake, Fairfield and Portage counties in Ohio, he told the commissioners.

Tyler, which focuses exclusively on providing software and services to the public sector, has nearly 7,000 clients nationally.