Vancouver, WA – Clark County’s finance team is recommending technology investments that would add $4.3 million to the current plan for county spending in 2016. The Board of County Councilors will consider the recommendations during a public hearing at 6 p.m. Tuesday, Dec. 1 on the sixth floor of the Public Service Center, 1300 Franklin St. By law, the Board must update or readopt the budget for 2016. A budget for 2015-2016 was previously adopted in December 2014. Few changes are proposed in staffing or services. However, the county must replace an outdated telephone system and begin work on a new financial management system to sustain existing operations, said Budget Director Adriana Prata. “These needs are becoming increasingly urgent after some very lean years in which we could not afford technology upgrades,” she said. “Meanwhile, maintenance and repairs are becoming more difficult as vendors shift support to newer systems.” The total cost would be shared among various sources of revenue that support countywide operations, including local fees and taxes as well as state and federal grants. More information: http://www.clark.wa.gov/thegrid/documents/102115WS_Q3_BudgetOutlookReadopt.pdf