By David Purvis-Fenker
david@nmpaper.com
WABASH COUNTY – Higher productivity and fewer opportunities for mistakes were the reasons why the Wabash County Assessor asked for $122,800 from the Commissioners at their Aug. 22 meeting.
Wabash County Assessor Kelly Schenkel presented information to the commissioners regarding a new CAMA software package costing $122,800 for her office. According to Schenkel, the Assessor has been with the same company, Thomson Reuters, since the mid-1980s.
“We’re just to the point where there’s something better out there. There hasn’t been something better for a long time, but XSoft now has 53 counties, so that tells you something,” she said.
According to its website, XSoft is an Indiana-based corporation that designs CAMA software. Their product, called INcama, includes a variety of features that, according to Schenkel, will increase productivity and reduce mistakes. Additionally, the maintenance cost of the XSoft package is cheaper than that of their current software.
“Right now, we’re paying $2,900 for the maintenance fee for the personal property, and then we’re paying $3,750 for the sales disclosure program each year, and then [Thomson Reuters] we’re paying $19,621 per year,” she said.
“XSoft would be $20,000 altogether, so it would be saving almost $6,300 per year on the maintenance fee.”
She gave the commissioners copies of a contract from XSoft with a breakdown of the installation and maintenance costs.
XSoft demonstrated the software to the Assessor’s office two weeks ago over a period of about six hours. Schenkel said that XSoft’s software automates a number of steps that currently are not, which she said will help reduce the number of mistakes made. Additionally, XSoft’s software package is one system, whereas the Assessor’s current software requires two systems for their work. It also works with their GIS software, making soil assessments simpler.
“Another nice thing about this system is that it is Indiana-only. They’re out of Indianapolis, and they’re just taking care of Indiana,” she said.
Schenkel said that XSoft would like to have the installation and data transfer finished by December, if possible. According to Schenkel, only Wabash, Whitley and Huntington counties still use the Thomson Reuters software in the Northeast District of the State of Indiana. The other counties in the district use XSoft.
Chairman Barry Eppley said that they wouldn’t say no at the meeting, but that the commissioners need to review the request.
“We need to look into it, but I don’t see that we have the money right now,” Commissioner Scott Givens said.
The commissioners unanimously voted to take the request under advisement.
In other news, the Wabash County Purdue Extension Office requested a new countertop. The current countertop at the front counter is pulling apart and is held together by tape, so they would like to improve the look of their office with a new one.
“The quote I got is from Builder’s Mart, at $400,” Purdue University Extension Director Teresa Witkoske said.
Additionally, the office is looking into painting the cabinets the countertop would sit on.
The commissioners unanimously approved the request, and suggested asking the courthouse maintenance staff about installing the countertop.
Wabash County Sheriff Bob Land reported that he had 95 inmates in the Wabash County Jail, 48 in Miami County and four in Elkhart County. The daily average at the Wabash County Jail was 89, and it saw 31 new inmates. The Sheriff’s Department transported 17 inmates last week to the Department of Corrections.
There are currently two open jail positions, and there will be one more after Sept. 18, and another after the first of the year. Land said that all positions will be filled from within, with no new staff being hired.