City of DeRidder

Who They Are

DeRidder is a small city in Louisiana residing in Beauregard Parish. It is situated in the southwestern part of the state, near the Texas border. The City became a client of Edmunds GovTech (EGT) in 2020. Prior to this, DeRidder had been using their previous software vendor since 2005. When Holly Buxton, the Finance Director, joined the City she continued using the previous system for six years before their team decided to search for other options. Recurring issues with system updates, poor communication from support staff, and a lack of integrated features led her organization to explore other options for software providers, ultimately resulting in the decision to switch to EGT’s software.

What They Handle

The City provides essential services, including water, sewer, and permitting, with their internal utility department sending out over 4,300 bills each month. Aside from those services, Holly and her small team of three fully manage DeRidder’s finance operations. The functions they handle include payroll, benefits, and reconciliation processes. This work is primarily facilitated by Edmunds GovTech’s Finance module that integrates EGT’s other core modules and features providing an all inclusive ERP system. 

How Edmunds GovTech Makes an Impact

During the selection process, Edmunds GovTech (EGT) stood out by offering a scalable solution designed to meet the needs of local governments of all sizes. While other vendors catered primarily to either very small or very large municipalities, mid-sized cities like DeRidder were often overlooked. After evaluating several options, DeRidder determined that they needed a solution tailored specifically for small to medium-sized cities, and EGT proved to be the perfect fit.

Holly described the transition to EGT as smooth, praising the software’s user-friendly interface.

One of the challenges faced by DeRidder with their old system was handling W-2s, a process that became much easier after switching to EGT. With the help of Edmunds GovTech’s support team, the City was able to streamline reporting and implement other features that simplified their internal processes including W-2s.  

Additionally, the software’s integrated capabilities have significantly improved interdepartmental processes. In the past, cash receipting was a challenge, particularly when it came to reconciling between the finance and utility departments. Now, with all payments processed in a single system, the reconciliation process is much simpler and efficient. DeRidder has also been able to eliminate many third-party systems since implementing EGT’s software. 

Holly and her team have also been impressed with EGT’s outstanding customer service. From the initial implementation to ongoing support, Edmunds’ staff consistently goes above and beyond to resolve any issues.