What Allen County Treasurer Crickett Maley thought would be a simple request, turned into a lengthy debate at Tuesdays meeting before county commissioners.
Maley came before commissioners to request purchase of five computers from Advantage Computers Enterprises, which for years has provided equipment and service to the countys camera and computer systems.
Not so fast, said Commissioner Jerry Daniels.
While acknowledging Advantages superior service, Daniels recommended Maley get quotes from competing businesses, though none exist in the county.
In fact, Maley said, Advantage provides the same services for Neosho, Labette and Woodson counties.
The treasurers office needs to replace the computers provided by the state in 2012 for the motor vehicle department. The older computers cannot be updated to Windows 10, which is what the states servers will operate on.
Daniels said the county should change its policy to get bids on every large purchase.
Maley said she would call around, but didnt know where to begin.
My thing is we use Advantage and they know our stuff. They know how our server works, they know what I need. They know what my motor vehicle system is and that is what this is for. I cannot mess around with my motor vehicle system. It has to be up and running. It is more comfort to me because they know our needs and they know how to go through the state to get what I need, Maley said. This is my motor vehicle budget, its not actually a county budget but it is county policy to get the quotes. That is why I was asking if I could waive the quotes and just buy them from Advantage.
Because the treasury departments antiquated Windows 7 will not be serviced after Dec. 31, commissioners agreed time is of essence.
Commissioner Bill King recommended Maley make a few phone calls to find another source, even if none exist.
MITCH GARNER, Public Works director, said the crew has been busy fixing potholes and washouts caused by recent flooding. Garner said they have also been working on mowing the sides of the roads, but its still too wet to get very close to ditches.
Garner also gave an update on the injured wind farm worker who fell into one a wind turbines blades last Saturday. Garner said it was his understanding that the worker was released from the hospital on Sunday, with a broken arm and bruising.
They told me Sunday that the only reason they flew him out was because he was bleeding from the mouth and thought he might have internal bleeding. But he checked out and everything was fine, Garner said.
The wind farm was supposed to be finished on May 31, but Garner said the rain has obviously prevented that from happening. Garner said that 26 of the 59 turbines have been put in place. No new deadline date has been given.
RON HOLMAN, house and grounds director, asked commissioners if they would consider putting an awning over the north kitchen door to shield meals and wheels workers from the elements. In the past the commissioners had looked into installing awnings in two other areas of the courthouse.
Daniels, King and Commissioner Bruce Symes agreed they should put out a bid to find the cost of having awnings installed in front of the downstairs entrance of the courthouse, the back door to the Sheriffs Department and the entrance to the kitchen.
