BIRMINGHAM, Alabama -- A distribution of $6.1 million to Jefferson County schools and municipalities was delayed by one day because of a software problem in the county revenue department.
Travis Hulsey, the county's revenue director, said the holdup was related to the implementation of the new motor vehicle registration system in June.
"This very brief delay was attributable to verification procedures established to ensure that all distributions were accurate for each individual recipient agency," Hulsey said.
The $6.1 million included $2.3 million to the state; $2 million to the cities and $1.8 million to the schools.
"Due to the extraordinary circumstances involving the huge conversion and implementation of a very complex motor vehicle registration system . . . Jefferson County experienced a delay in distributing a small portion of revenues collected for the month," Hulsey said.
The implementation was tied to several other existing software systems and "mapping distribution formulas" which contributed to the delay, Hulsey said.
The county went live last month with the "TagIt" motor vehicle system and a corresponding accounting system.
The investment in equipment cost $300,000 and has been installed at all county locations where motor vehicles services are offered: the downtown and Bessemer Courthouses and the Center Point location.
Hulsey said several cities, including Gardendale, Mountain Brook and Vestavia Hills, asked about the delay in cash distributions.
"Each of the representatives indicated their full understanding of the challenges and time requirements associated with an initial distribution following such a major conversion of systems," Hulsey said.