Agenda Item No. 8
CITY COUNCIL STAFF REPORT
TO: Honorable Mayor and City Council DATE: April 28, 2025 FROM: Matthew Bronson, City Manager
PREPARED BY: Kristin Eriksson, Assistant City Manager
SUBJECT: City Technology Systems Upgrades Update
RECOMMENDATION
Receive an update on the City’s efforts to upgrade technology systems to promote efficiency and innovation for City operations.
BACKGROUND
One of the Council’s newly adopted broad, multi-year goals for the upcoming FY 2025-27 budget cycle is Financial and Organization Sustainability to ensure fiscal responsibility and operational viability and promote a culture of innovation and customer service. Staff have long been working on these objectives in both the current and prior fiscal years including implementing several new technologies to improve efficiency and enhance customer service and transparency. This report provides information on the City’s initiatives to implement several new technology systems including Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) financial system, Enterprise Permitting and Licensing (EP&L) system, Budget system, and Asset Management system.
ERP Financial System
The City’s previous financial system had several deficiencies including limited functionality and reporting ability, difficulty in securing support for system errors and issues, and an outdated platform that exposed the City to security risks. In 2022, the City used one-time American Rescue Plan Act funds to purchase a new Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) system to host the City’s financial functions, including general accounting, payroll, utility billing, timekeeping and business licensing, as well as code enforcement functions. The City issued a request for proposals and ultimately selected Tyler Pro ERP. Staff worked with Tyler to implement these functions, which is anticipated to be completed this fiscal year after initial implementation began in January 2024.
The new ERP system provides several benefits to both City staff and external customers. The system is cloud-based and provides a full suite of finance and productivity software to improve internal processes. Transitioning to a cloud system has also provided the City cost savings compared with hosting the system onsite using City servers and other hardware. The system allows access to Tyler’s support team to assist with any challenges, making it much more costeffective for the City to access support when needed. Furthermore, deployment of the ERP system has provided customers with an online portal for utility billing and business licensing payments, providing a more efficient, transparent customer experience.
Staff Report: City Technology Systems Upgrades Page 2
April 28, 2025
Enterprise Permitting and Licensing System
In addition to the ERP system, the City contracted with Tyler for its Enterprise Permitting and Licensing system. The Community Development Department soft-launched the Enterprise Permitting and Licensing (EP&L) system in December 2024 with full implementation in January 2025. Initial results have been very positive, and Community Development has seen success in offering greater public accessibility, streamlining the permitting process, and enhancing staff efficiency. The system offers a list of services including a public portal known as the “Grover Beach Citizens Portal.” The Citizens Portal allows applicants to submit permit applications online, track permit status in real-time, and communicate with staff. This self-service portal extends beyond permit issuance and allows contractors or property owners to request inspections during construction. This has reduced the volume of in-person and phone inquiries, freeing up staff time to focus on more complex projects and tasks. The system also supports online payment processing, reducing the need for in-person transactions and making it easier for applicants to complete their projects.
EP&L has improved Community Development’s internal workflows automating key milestones such as plan review coordination (i.e., department and agency referrals), fee calculations, and assignment routing. This has led to faster processing times, greater transparency and maintenance of the project record, and user-friendly experience for both applicants and staff. The implementation of this system is also expected to yield long-term operational efficiencies by reducing manual data entry, errors, and enabling better tracking of permits and inspections. Most importantly, with integrated reporting and analytics, staff can now visually monitor trends in permitting activity and adjust resources accordingly.
Budget Presentation System
To date, the City has created its budget materials manually using Microsoft Word and Excel software which has been time-intensive for staff. The resulting Adobe PDF documents are difficult to navigate online and do not allow for search accessibility. In 2024, staff researched various budget development software solutions and selected ClearGov Digital Budget Book software for producing budget materials. Many local jurisdictions including Pismo Beach and Morro Bay also utilize the ClearGov Digital Budget Book. This cloud-based product is a subscription software which provides a community-focused budget presentation that can be accessible through the City’s website along with a printed version. Staff has worked through the fall and winter to set up the Digital Budget Book and will be using it to prepare the FY 2025-27 budget which will be presented to Council in June.
Asset Management System
In May, the City will go live with a new asset management system for City facilities and infrastructure. The City has previously relied on paper records and institutional knowledge and record keeping has been limited. This new system, the first of its kind for the City, is based on GIS maps that identify the location of all City-owned assets and will include critical information about each asset including age, size, material, condition, maintenance history and planned maintenance activities. All future work orders will be processed through the system allowing staff to track materials, vehicles, equipment and staff resources used to operate and maintain each asset. The City selected Cartograph software for implementing the management system. The software includes powerful analytical tools that will be used to inform future CIP’s, develop budgets, assess staff resources, and develop preventative maintenance plans. Public Works maintenance crews will be able to access the information on their phones and update operational and maintenance activities and condition assessments while on site.
Staff Report: City Technology Systems Upgrades Page 3
April 28, 2025
FISCAL IMPACT
There is no fiscal impact associated with this report. Implementation and annual maintenance costs for the upgraded systems are included in the City’s operating budget.
ALTERNATIVES
The Council has the following alternatives to consider:
1) Receive an update on the City’s efforts to upgrade technology systems to promote efficiency and innovation for City operations; or
2) Provide alternative direction to staff.
PUBLIC NOTIFICATION
The agenda was posted in accordance with the Brown Act.