Commissioners approve new contract for 9-1-1 system

NORWALK — The Huron County Commissioners approved a new contract for the 9-1-1 system and funds for public safety employees. During Thursday's commissioner meeting, the board approved CARES Act funding to be used for public safety payroll expenses. The resolution passed also allows the funds to be used for benefit expenses, like vacation, sick leave, employee insurance and overtime from March 1, 2020, to Dec. 30. "Currently we are not using any payroll benefits, we're only using the actual payroll dollars," commissioner Terry Boose said. "In the future, if we get more money and if we can still apply it to this, there are benefits we haven't even looked at." Sheriff deputies, correctional officers, dispatchers, the civil department and the sheriff supervisory personnel continued their work despite the public health emergency of COVID-19. "It will cover us if we get more money next year," Boose said. "This money does not cover any benefits (now)." The commissioners approved a new contract to upgrade the county's 9-1-1 system. The board entered a three-year agreement with Frontier Communications and will cost $4,960 a month. Tacy Bond, 9-1-1 coordinator of the Huron County Emergency Management Agency, said Tuesday the first network they were provided with did not work when it was tested in September. About a year ago, the commissioners approved a contract with Frontier Communications to increase the network. Bond said Frontier returned with a new contract that would double the speed and increase the bandwidth. With the passage of the new contract, the previous was terminated. The contract will upgrade the existing 9-1-1 system and the bandwidth between dispatcher sites in Bellevue, Norwalk, Willard and the sheriff's office. The commissioners approved the Huron County Airport Authority to apply for an airport improvement plan to reconstruct the airport rotating beacon. While a date has not been set for a COVID-19 pop-up testing site, the commissioners are working with the state to organize one for Huron County. A possible location for the testing site would be the Huron County Fairgrounds in the EXPO building. Boose said he spoke with the fair board president who agreed to allow the testing location to be at the fairgrounds. "That's a big deal that we have a place already," commissioner Skip Wilde said. "The National Guard will come and look at it so they know ahead of time what they need. I will continue to work on that and try to get a solid date."