The Lubbock County Commissioners Court held a work session on June 25, 2025, focusing primarily on the proposed budget for the upcoming fiscal year. Key discussions revolved around significant increases in costs for technology and software maintenance, as well as adjustments to various budget line items.

During the session, a detailed overview of the budget was presented, highlighting that the cost of desktop workstations has risen from $900 to approximately $1,300 each. This increase necessitated a reduction in the number of workstations budgeted for the year, resulting in an overall line item increase of about $10,000.

Another major point of discussion was the budget for power supplies and batteries, which saw a substantial increase of $50,000 due to the need to replace larger uninterruptible power supplies (UPS) across multiple locations, including downtown and the church center. The budget for miscellaneous software also remained steady at $6,000, covering smaller software requests throughout the year.

The budget for equipment operation and maintenance was notably reduced by about $100,000, primarily due to the decommissioning of older Dell servers, while the software maintenance line item increased by 11.3%, reflecting rising costs associated with existing contracts, including those with Microsoft and Tyler Technologies.

Additionally, the budget for communications decreased by $25,000, attributed to the completion of a project involving mobile phone maintenance. The session also touched on training and conference expenses, with a reduction in the number of training sessions planned, leading to a $15,000 decrease in that section of the budget.

Overall, the meeting underscored the challenges of managing rising technology costs while attempting to maintain essential services and equipment for the county. The discussions set the stage for further deliberations as the budget process continues, with a focus on ensuring that all necessary resources are accounted for and effectively managed.