News Talk 94.1/AM 1600 Where The Upper Cumberland Talks
Sparta Aldermen approved the purchase of a new computer operating software for city officials and employees Thursday night.
The total proposal cost annually, $31,850. City Administrator Tonya Tindle said the city will be reimbursed for a percentage of the cost as the city will not use all of the functions the software offers. Tindle said the city would eventually have to move from its current software as it is outdated.
“They are going to stop supporting,” Tindle said. “We will be able to use it but if we have any problems within the next year or two they won’t help us with the problems and we are not software IT people.”
Tindle said the new software will have a portal for departments and employees to access forms and pay stubs while also having a module that will automatically close out work orders. Mayor Jerry Lowery said not only will the software help the city’s office be more efficient but, eventually, also allow people to pay property taxes online.
“This happens every year,” Lowery said. “People are wanting to pay their property taxes online and I mean we need to be able to do that, so that will happen and I just think it will be a good thing for us.”
Tindle said it would take six months for the company to convert the software for city employees. Tindle said if the city was going to purchase the new software, now would be the time to do it.
“It’s imperative that we don’t do this in June,” Tindle said. “Because that’s our year-end close and it is horrible anyways so if they can get to us in six months and it is window based. That in itself is going to be so much easier to learn, so we are hoping we will be able to have it converted and everybody using it and used to it before we close out the year next year.”
Aldermen Hoyt Jones said the software would be a good thing for the city. Tindle said the software is from the same company they already use called Local Government Corporation.
In other business, Aldermen approved the hiring of a Brush Truck Driver and a Sanitation Truck Driver for the Solid Waste Division.
