The board received the following bids which were opened at the meeting: Quality Electric with a bid of $31,500 and Hart Electric, Inc. of Matthews with a bid of $47,751.
The grant from Rural Development was for $15,543, which was expected to be 55 percent of the cost. County 911 Services Administrator Carol Moreland said the estimate of the cost of the generator at the time the grant application was made was $28,260. The bids came in higher than anticipated because prices had gone up since the grant application was made. The board had expected their portion to be $12,717; but with the bid being higher, the amount was increased to $15,957.
Moreland told the board that she had received spoken with the Stoddard County Commission and they indicated they would provide the first tank of propane in the 1,000 gallon tank (that mounts to 800 gallons since tanks are filled to 80 percent capacity). The commission has not approved the purchase, but the commission would take it up at the Sept. 20 meeting. Moreland also noted that the propane tank was being donated to 911 Services by Bootheel Petroleum.
Board member William Pogue asked how long a tank of propane would last in an emergency situation. Moreland said she was told that with the generator running 24 hours a day it would last four days. She told the board that if an emergency is declared, 911 services would likely be reimbursed for the cost of the fuel.
"I think we can recoup the cost of fuel," stated board member Gary Kitchen. "I know I expressed concern about that cost at the last meeting, but I'm not concerned with it now."
"The 911 dispatch center is our main objective as a board, and that center is at the ambulance building," said board member LaVeda Banken. "They have a generator."
Banken noted that the generator at the Ambulance Service building was an older generator. She said the 911 building would provide a back-up to the dispatch center at the ambulance service in the event something disrupted service there.
"If it were only for this building, I'd say no," Banken stated, "but this will be a back-up for the 911 system."
Moreland was asked by Banken why the board was having to come up with an additional $3,240 from what was anticipated in the cost of the generator.
Moreland said writing and receiving the grant from Rural Development had been a "learning experience". She said she obtained a quote for the cost of the generator when making the grant application.
"That was over a year ago," Moreland said. "Prices have gone up since the grant was applied for."
Banken noted that the board had been very frugal with 911 funds, which included not replacing an assistant who left for another position. She asked Moreland when the next 911 equipment purchase was to be made.
Moreland said the next equipment was to be purchased in 2012. She noted that 911 Services reserve accounts were growing in anticipation of the purchase.
"We have all been very frugal," Moreland said. "We have saved money to make that equipment purchase."
"I firmly believe we need to commit ourselves," board member Dee Griffin stated.
Kitchen told the board, "If we don't do it now, it will be more expensive later."
He went on to say he would hate to look back and regret not buying the generator if it was needed in a future emergency.
Board member Paul Haubold made a motion to award the contract to low bidder Quality Electric and it was seconded by Banken. It passed by a 6-0 vote with Kitchen, Pogue, Haubold, Banken, Griffin and David Scherer approving. Board member Dave Cooper did not vote. Not present were Chairman Chuck Edwards, Hank Trout, Mike Reinbott and William Nelson.
Moreland said she had consulted with the auditors and legal counsel James Tweedy about obtaining a $1,000 donation from WalMart to be given to the Shop With a Hero program. She said they told her it was "fine as long as it is documented."
Moreland said the donation was not finalized because WalMart officials "can't believe we receive no funds from a cell phone tax." She said every neighboring state has a tax on cell phones for 911 services. She said the donation was expected to be finalized soon.
Griffin made a motion to accept the donation and give it to Shop With a Hero, and it passed by a unanimous vote.
Griffin, addressing committee chairman, said there were 30 new addresses thus far in September. He asked Moreland to update the board on the increase in new addressees.
Moreland said new addresses were required for sewer pump stations (2), road name changes (three in Liberty Township and 16 in New Lisbon Township); and there were nine new addresses. Moreland said the road name changes were necessary due to duplication of road names in the county or to prevent confusion by emergency responders.
Moreland was asked who had the final authority in making address changes. She said 911 Services was the final authority, but the changes were worked out with Township officials and residents of the area affected.
Moreland told the board that Clean Cut Lawn Service had been retained for grounds service. She said that Bolen Brothers Landscaping had been contracted to redo the beds and landscaping at the 911 office and they "did an excellent job."
Moreland told the board that she was approaching her 15th year with 911 Services. She said mapping project was "ready to print" and that new signs were to be installed on the roads that had been renamed on Friday.
Cooper reported that there had been 1,353 calls to 911 in August, and of those 888 (65 percent) were from cell phones.
The board than went into executive session.
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