EATON — Preble County is preparing to go into contract negotiations with a new accounting and payroll software company. Preble County Auditor Lavon Wright attended the county commissioners’ meeting on Wednesday, July 26, to review three different companies’ proposals being considered.

Wright’s top pick was SNA Software LLC, with which the board agreed.

“I know that several people have sat through several trainings and visits,” Commissioner Chris Day said. “I applaud everyone for doing their due diligence in getting up to speed. This is a big step for the county and this is going to be with us for a long time. After review of all of this, I know that there were multiple people that scored these, multiple comments, and at this time I would ask Lavon for her recommendation.”

“My recommendation for an accounting and payroll software system is SNA Software,” Wright said.

Day then asked Clerk Connie Crowell for her comments on that decision, to which she responded, “I would agree with her.”

He asked Wright to give the “highlights” of why she recommends SNA over the other companies.

“They were the choice for Preble County. One was too much, as far as modules and everything. It wouldn’t fit for Preble County, we’re so much smaller,” she said. “With SNA we don’t have to buy any more licenses for users — that was a big thing. I do feel like their training was by far the best that we’ve received. I felt that way about support as well.

“We’re going to do 10 years with them, for no extra cost. For the other two, it was extra cost for the extra software. There is a minimum of a month of training and then coming back after, for two months they’ll come back again. That’s a minimum — they’ve offered for more.

“They were the best fit for Preble County. I visited several counties and a city. The cash balance, when you do a pay-in — it’s current. The others were not. I want actual current numbers — live numbers. They were also the lowest in cost because of unlimited users.”

“So, I guess what I’m curious about is, that at this point in time your office — along with our office — would recommend to enter into negotiations for a contract with the SNA Software?” Day asked.

Both Crowell and Wright answered in the affirmative.

“What I would recommend at this time, if it’s okay with the two other commissioners, would be for Connie and Kim Keller to enter into contractual negotiations,” Day said. “Get that initiated as quickly as possible and then report back where we’re at.”