Wabash County 911 Director Kyle Smith has updated the County Board on an issue involving the county’s phone system and power outages.
Smith explained that when the police department upgraded its phone system, it made financial sense to tie into the county’s existing system at the courthouse. However, he noted a major concern — the courthouse is not connected to a generator. During power outages lasting more than an hour, the phone system relies on backup batteries, and staff have had to run an extension cord from the jail to the courthouse basement to keep the system operating.
Smith told board members that situation is not ideal, especially for emergency communications. He asked for permission to explore moving the phone system to the police department, which is supported by a generator, and to gather cost estimates for the change.
According to Smith, Midwest Communications estimated their portion of the work at around one thousand dollars, while Clearwave indicated there may be no cost involved. He added that relocating the system would benefit the county by providing more reliable backup power and eliminating the need for temporary fixes during outages.
The County Board approved a motion allowing Smith to continue exploring the project and obtaining quotes. No funding request was made at this time.