Brown County Sheriff’s Office will be getting two new patrol vehicles and an updated jail control and monitoring equipment. Brown County commissioner approved both at Tuesday’s meeting of the court.
Commissioners opened a $51,964 bid for two 2016 Ford Explorers from Big Country Ford in Brownwood, which was the only bid received. Each of the vehicles will be equipped with the law enforcement Interceptor engines, 6 speed automatic transmission and sync system. The cost of $25,982 per vehicle does not include the installation of all equipment needed to be patrol ready or BSCO decal application to the vehicle, which according to BCSO Chief Deputy Vance Hill, will be less than $7,000 and will be considered at the next meeting of the court.
Jail Administrator Becky Caffey and Lt. Les Carnes received approval for the jail control panel and video monitoring systems to be updated. According to Carnes, the current system is from Montegomery Tech and has been having trouble operating for approximately 3 years, with intervals of doors not opening or buttons not working.
Caffey explained that if the monitoring system goes down, she would have to post a jailer at each wing in case of emergencies, which would increase cost of staffing significantly.The antiquated analogue system will be replaced with a computerized system which will be controlled by a computer and viewed through a computer monitor. According to Carnes, the bid for replacement is $78,800, which will also include a new video security system and DVRs and will have double the recording capability of the current system.
Carnes had researched a comparison estimate which was significantly higher at $182,000 and does not include the video camera system.
The cost of the jail control panel and video monitoring system will be taken from two county funds, $75,000 from the contingency emergency fund and the remainder from the computer fund. Caffey and Carnes stated that the system will come with a one-year warranty and should take less than 24 hours to install.
In other matters on Tuesday’s agenda:
*No action was taken regarding issuing a burn ban. There is no burn ban currently.
*Commissioner Gary Worley, Precinct 1 received approval for purchase of a right-of-way from L.B. Bowman for County Road 225 bridge replacement. The right-of-way is a 1.2 acre strip of land, which is 100 feet wide and 800 feet long and has been surveyed by TxDOT. The purchase price will be $5825, at $5000/ac. and will be paid out of the acquisitions fund. The old bridge will be left in place for historical purposes, with no access for public use, according to Worley.
