BONNERS FERRY — The Bonners Ferry City Council has approved the purchase of new software for city finance and utility billing at its May 5 meeting.  

The system will be provided by Caselle, which was the only company to submit a proposal. 

The city currently uses a program called Tyler. In a letter to the council, city staff said they are changing vendors due to inadequate customer service with the existing company. During the May 5 meeting, staff said it could take as long as a month to hear back from Tyler after reaching out. 

The annual cost will increase from $39,000 with Tyler to $55,680 with Caselle, a difference of $16,680. 

City staff also recommended enrolling clerks in hybrid training to learn the new system. The training will cost $125,011 and will be separate from the annual maintenance fee.. 

Half of that amount — $62,506 — is due immediately, with the remaining balance due when the software is implemented in fiscal year 2027. 

The letter stated staff may return to the council if additional training is needed beyond what is currently budgeted. 

The council’s approval follows recent contracts with CivicPlus to build a new website and Outifi to provide emergency alerts for residents. 

Caselle has operated since 1978 and serves more than 1,200 municipalities, counties and service districts across the United States.

In other council business, the city council discussed a potential ban on kratom for the second consecutive week. During the May 5 meeting, the council discussed banning many types of synthetic substances. A vote to ban kratom may occur during the next scheduled city council meeting on May 19. 

According to the Idaho Office of Drug Policy, kratom is a tropical tree in Southeast Asia. Consumption of its leaves causes stimulant and sedative effects in different doses. It can be addictive.