Consolidation Technology Committee Needs More Money to Pay for Public Safety Software Consultants

MACON, Georgia (41NBC/WMGT) — The cost of consolidating Macon and Bibb County is growing. The technology committee needs another $57,000 dollars to help with software upgrades for the public safety committee.

Macon’s Chief Administrative Officer Dale Walker says this request is on top of the $73,000 dollars the committee already paid to Schafer Consulting. The firm helped come up with a software design for public administration.

Now, Walker says it’s time to come up with a plan for public safety. The goal is have a system that connects the two sides together. It’s just one of the many details keeping transition task force members busy.

“We’ve got to have a lot of help to do this because we all have our own full-time jobs trying to keep our existing communities running and so now we’re trying to consolidate that and bring in consultants to help us with that and it looks like we’re on track really, but then you have the funding issues and will the council approve the consultant fees?” says Walker.

This request for additional services will have to go through the finance committee, and then the full task force before it is approved.

There’s also the issue of funding. Last week Macon City Council’s Appropriations Committee voted against paying for consultant fees. The proposal to fund the transition will go to the full council next Tuesday.