HOLLIDAYSBURG — Blair County will spend more than $500,000 to purchase the financial accounting system that Controller A.C. Stickel recommended with support from others.

Commissioners voted Tuesday to buy the Munis Enterprise Resource Management system capable of multiple tasks associated with tracking and managing the county’s money and financial data.

In early November, Stickel recommended the system based on a committee that studied the options and capabilities.

“This is the most effective system available for the cost,” Stickel told commissioners Tuesday before the vote.

Commissioner Terry Tomassetti said that he took time since the initial presentation to look into the recommendation and compared it to the software accounting program that could have been purchased in late 2011 for less than $100,0000.

“Clearly, the Munis system is simply a much better and more extensive system,” Tomassetti said.

Commissioner Ted Beam Jr. also supported the purchase.

“We need an efficient way to monitor all of our financial operations,” Beam said. “Yes, it’s costing us money up front, but it will save us money in the long run.”

Stickel told commissioners that the county will be able to recoup the cost of the system in about three years, by eliminating or avoiding personnel costs, service contracts, paper purchases and postage. It also can manage credit card payments to vendors which will allow the county to participate in cash-back programs, the controller said, thereby generating revenue to offset the annual maintenance expense of $59,857.

To pay for the system, commissioners said they expect to depend on a proposed bond issue borrowing that’s under consideration for next year. Blair County Finance Director Robert Kuntz said he’s in the process of identifying capital expenses for inclusion in the bond issue. But Kuntz said he’s also reviewing the 2014 bond issue for money that may be available.

To get the project started, an initial deposit could be made by the general fund, Tomassetti said, then when the bond issue dollars become available, the general fund could be repaid.

Stickel said he expects some aspects of the system will be available from the initial installation, but other tasks will become available as the system is developed.

“It will be at least a year-long process to implement everything,” the controller said.

Tomassetti and Beam advised Stickel that they be kept informed of the progress and any problems that surface. Commissioner Bruce Erb was absent from Tuesday’s meeting.

Mirror Staff Writer Kay Stephens is at 946-7456.