Chelan considers software overhaul with online problem-reporting portal

CHELAN — Residents could report potholes, graffiti and other problems through an online portal and track the city’s response under a proposed software overhaul presented to the Chelan City Council on Oct. 13.

Finance Director Heidi Evans recommended moving several city functions onto OpenGov, consolidating financial management, budgeting, utility billing and other work now spread across separate systems.

The proposal calls for approximately $337,307 in implementation and software costs in 2027, followed by annual costs of $113,592 in 2028 and $119,271 in 2029. Council took no action. Evans said a fuller presentation with OpenGov representatives is expected at the next regular council meeting.

The proposed resident reporting portal, described as a 311 request system, would route problems to the appropriate department and allow residents to check their status. Staff could document completed work, creating a record of repairs and maintenance.

Evans said that approach would simplify reporting for residents who may not know which city office handles a particular problem.

The proposal describes an online portal rather than a telephone service reached by dialing 311. Existing phone and email options would remain available, Evans said.

Utility customers would also gain a consolidated account portal where they could review billing information and make payments. Currently, the city maintains customer account information in one system and processes online payments through another.

Evans said the city’s aging financial software no longer meets its needs, requiring staff to move information between programs and maintain records in multiple places.

For example, a vendor contract can pass through separate systems for intake, signatures, records retention and payment. OpenGov would bring those functions together and connect contracts with payments and related grant information.

The proposal also includes tools for finding and managing grants, soliciting bids, tracking contracts and maintaining city assets. Public Works already uses OpenGov’s asset management software, and the proposal would expand its use in Public Works and Parks.

For financial reporting, the city would replace separate accounting and budgeting systems with a shared platform. Staff anticipates that change would reduce reconciliation work and allow residents to see spending information more promptly through a public transparency portal.

Evans proposed paying the first-year cost from the city’s general fund capital account, which she estimated would have an approximately $5 million balance at year’s end.

The proposed 2027 operating budget already includes existing software subscriptions because the city would need a transition period with both systems. Beginning in 2028, OpenGov costs would move into operating budgets as older subscriptions are eliminated.

Staff identified approximately $106,000 in annual subscriptions that could be replaced or consolidated, including budgeting software, the current financial system, online utility payment services, electronic signatures and forms software.

Compared with those identified costs, the proposed second-year OpenGov subscription would require approximately $7,600 in additional annual funding. Evans said that amount is expected to come from Public Works operating or capital accounts because the added functions would support those operations.

Council members asked about the challenges of transferring data from older software and requested examples of other cities’ resident-facing systems. Evans said implementation costs account for assistance with the transition, though some staff involvement would be necessary.

The proposal would not replace every specialized city program. Payroll would remain in a separate system, as would parks reservation software used for facilities such as the RV park. Those operations would still feed financial information into the city’s accounting system.

Evans said staff would coordinate the implementation schedule, with the timing determining whether preparation of the 2028 budget could move to OpenGov.

Andrew Simpson: 509-433-7626 or andrew@ward.media