TOWN STAFF REPORT RECOMMENDATIONS
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Consider approval of Resolution 24-28 to implement an Enterprise Resource Planning Software System and authorize the Town Manager to execute the contract (Cayce Lay Lamas, Director of Finance)
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STAFF: Cayce Lay Lamas, Director of Finance
BACKGROUND:
The Town of Westlake needs to replace its current enterprise resource planning (ERP) software system, which is roughly twenty (20) years old. The ERP system is a financial software responsible for managing financial all activities, budgeting, reporting, utility billing, and payroll. The Town approved a contract with STW in 2004 to implement the current system. STW was sold to OpenGov, who has decided to sunset the software and stop support. While OpenGov has not provided a formal end-of-life date, it is the prudent approach to replace the outdated software with a modern, robust platform on a time frame dictated by the Town.
The Town adhered to purchasing laws and released a request for proposal (RFP) in February of 2024 to solicit bids from software providers. Five (5) vendors submitted proposals, four (4) of which contained all outlined modules. These four (4) were scheduled for demos with a cross section of staff. From this pool, two (2) were selected as finalists for in-depth demonstrations and discussion on the implementation process. Ultimately, Caselle was the choice by staff to replace STW.
DISCUSSION:
The current ERP software is not meeting the needs of the Town. Many processes are heavily manual, with many basic financial functions occurring outside the software. The excessive work required to perform these functions as the Town continues to grow has created an unsustainable burden on staff and greatly limits the ability to provide timely, accurate service.
Caselle's software includes all functions currently provided by STW plus a significant number of additional or improved offerings. Integrated or automated functionality planned as part of the implementatio...
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