Hamilton County Assessor of Property Marty Haynes speaks to county commissioners.Hamilton County commissioners have about $375,000 in software expenses on their table Wednesday.
Last week, they reviewed an $85,000 technology upgrade for the Hamilton County Assessor of Property and a $284,322 records management suite for the Hamilton County Sheriff's Office.
"This is a records management system that we've needed, wanted for about 15 years," Don Gorman, director of administration for the sheriff's office, said of the annual agreement with TriTech Software.
For much of that time, the sheriff's office has used the software in conjunction with the Chattanooga Police Department, but the CPD recently selected another records management system, Gorman said.
The TriTech package includes licensing fees, training workshops, mobile applications and maintenance.
Commissioner Joe Graham asked if the measure would allow the sheriff's office to be more independent.
"We need to do this to stand on our own," Gorman said.
Commissioners also will consider putting $6,420 toward a similar purchase by the Signal Mountain Police Department. The money will come from travel dollars allocated to District 2 Commissioner Jim Fields.
"What this will do is allow the Signal Mountain Police Department to store their records digitally and give them easier access when they are researching different crimes and different situations on the mountain," Fields said.
Hamilton County Assessor of Property Marty Haynes highlighted the need and funding for his office's requested technology upgrade.
"We have tablets our appraisers use in the field, and this upgrade to the software will allow those tablets to be much more efficient than what they are now," he said.
Haynes said the upgrade agreement also locks in pricing for annual licensing and support fees with Patriot Properties Inc., which has provided software services for the assessor's office since 2011.
The annual service agreement is $69,995 with a 3 percent annual increase over the next five years, according to the agreement.
Haynes presented a full page of enhancements created by the upgrade, including the ability to have all assessment years in one database and to make property assessment comparisons based on age, description and size. It connects multiple parcel transactions through both sales and deeds.
In the field, tablets will be able to better measure the dimensions of structures, he said.
The money for the upgrade comes from savings made in the current budget year, Haynes said.
"We are working very hard to be fiscally conservative with funds allotted in last year's budget," he said.
After the meeting, Haynes said the technology investment is part of his promise to modernize the office and support appraisal work in the field.
Contact staff writer Paul Leach at 423-757-6481 or pleach@times freepress.com. Follow him on Twitter @pleach_tfp.