Ector County commissioners will vote Monday to approve action allowing the county I.T. Department and TelResource to establish solutions to replace the county’s phone system.
The meeting is at 10 a.m. in the commissioners’ courtroom located in the Ector County Administration building annex, 1010 E. Eighth St.
This vote comes after the Ector County Courthouse’s phone system ceased working about three weeks ago, cutting off telephone communication to the courthouse.
Precinct 3 Commissioner Dale Childers stated the reasoning behind the malfunctioning of the phone system as just being out of date.
“It’s what they call end-of-life,” Childers said. “It’s old hardware, old software, and it just needs to be replaced.”
Childers said I.T. had attempted to fix the phone system, but it could not be fixed. He said he guessed the phone system has probably been around since about the 1990s, and they had been planning on updating the system for several years now.
“It’s been on our tech plan for several years, we just haven’t been able to afford it,” Childers said.
The difference now, he added, is that over the last year-and-a-half, there are now companies who are able to host phone systems over the cloud, a form of phone service hosted over the internet, requiring an internet connection to be able to deliver and receive calls, as well as provide virtual voicemail and call recording.
“It’s the way we’re going with all of our technology,” Childers said. “Now, we have a good network, numerous internet service providers that are very solid and confident about hosting our phone services.”
Childers said that, had this option not been available, the county would have had to spend between $1 million or $2 million to replace the phone system. With a cloud-based phone system, the county would only have to pay a small upfront cost and monthly payments.
Purchasing Agent Kenneth Lind said he was unsure how much exactly the phone system would cost up front at this point in time, or how long it would take to be installed, but said it would be discussed during the meeting Monday.
Also during the meeting, commissioners will repeal the May election on the creation of a county sales tax district after it was discovered state law prohibits them from calling the special election.
Commissioners voted unanimously to call the election last February, but it was discovered by County Attorney Dusty Gallivan a few weeks ago that state law prohibits counties from calling special elections in even-numbered years.
The proposed assistance district would have established a new 1.25 percent sales tax in unincorporated parts of Ector County, which is everywhere outside the city limits of Odessa and Goldsmith. The district would have brought the total sales tax paid in Ector County in-line with the City of Odessa: 8.25 percent, the maximum amount allowed by state law.
The agenda shows the commissioners’ court also plans to discuss legal matters, personnel matters and real estate issues during executive session.
IN OTHER BUSINESS, COMMISSIONERS:
- Will consider a request to approve new board members, Tracie Vera Cruz, Jayne Faitus and Brooke Bieber to the Ector County Children’s Services Board.
- Will consider appointing B.A. Jinadu, M.D., MPH as Local Health Authority for Ector County.
- Will take action regarding the proposed early voting schedule and Election Day vote centers, including the use of Sherwood Church of Christ due to Sherwood Community Building being under construction.
- Will take action regarding a “Demand and Claim for Damages” letter from AT&T.
- Will consider a proposed transfer of title — Unit No. 953, Sheriff’s Office Vehicle, 2011 Chevrolet Impala LS — VIN No. 2G1WD5EM8B1210059, in connection with the settlement of an auto claim — traveler’s insurance.
- Will consider the proposed installation of a new water line to connect and tie in with the City of Odessa water lines, given the City of Odessa’s requirement that Ector County take over the city’s water and sewer lines on Ector County’s property, authorizing a payment of $151,960 out of 047-470-5509.
- Will consider the proposed granting and conveyance by Ector County to Oncor Electrical Delivery Company LLC of easements and rights of way in connection with the installation of new power lines for the Law Enforcement Center project.
- Will take action regarding the bid for the Ector County Law Enforcement Center Waterline Extension.
- Will take action regarding the proposal for the asphalt emulsion storage tank system replacement project.
- Will take action regarding the bid for commercial laundry equipment for various facilities, approve the proposed trade-in of replaced equipment, and approve the following budget amendments, from capital projects — jail expansion project, improvements and construction, to capital projects — jail expansion project, special departmental equipment in the amount of $60,603.
- Will consider a request to hire an HR clerk at Step 5 due to over 20 years of experience in multiple clerical areas with MCH and ECISD.
- Will consider a request to hire a secretary at Step 2.
- Will take action with respect to the proposed revision of the purchasing policy exemptions listing.
- Will take action on the plans and specifications for the East 56th Street widening project.
- Will take action on a proposed replat of Lots 17 and 18, Block 17, Western Hills Subdivision.
- Will take action on the proposed Madric MHRC, at the corner of Moss Avenue and Puerta Del Sol, to serve Lots 1 and 2, Block 1, Madrid Subdivision being a plat of a 9.43 acre tract in Section 40, Block 433, T-2-S, T&P Ry. Co. Survey.
- Will take action on the proposed Lorella’s Landing Subdivision, being 6.67 acres of land in Section 40, Block 43, T-2-S, T&P Ry. Co. Survey.
- Will take action on the proposed replat of 4.32 acres out of Lot 1, Block 29, Pleasant Farms Subdivision third filing.
- Will take action on the proposed Segura Estates Subdivision, 4.873 acres, Section 4, Block 41, T-1-S, T&P RR. Co. Survey, Abstract No. 515.
- Will take action on the proposed Williams MHRC, 1881 N. Mercury Ave.
- Will take action on the proposed replat of Lots 14 and 15, Block 1, Cutter Estates, first filing, located in Section 6, Block 41, T-1-S, T&P RR Co. Survey.
- Will take action on the proposed replat of Lot 7, Block 25, Pleasant Farms Subdivision third filing.
- Will take action on the proposed Chavez 4C Stagecoach RV Park MHRC, located at the corner of Didram and Heidi Roads.
- Will take action on the proposed Sanchez MHRC Lot 20, Block 2 replat of Lot 4, Block 2 Gage Acres Section 5.
- Will take action on a proposed line item transfer to jail expansion project, county advertising from improvements and construction in the amount of $2,500.
- Will take action on a proposed budget amendment to general fund, library, new books for $107, to library, audio visual supplies for $27 to library, library supplies for $1,415 and to general fund, donated revenues for $1,549.
- Will take action on a proposed budget amendment to general fund, jail medical services, drugs and medical expenses and to general fund, inmate medical fees for $235,000.
- Will take action on a proposed budget amendment to airport fund, operating transfers out in the amount of $54,517 from RAMP Grant Improvements in the amount of $50,000 and from grantee contributions in the amount of $4,517.
- Will take action on a proposed budget amendment to airport capital investment fund, TxDOT RAMP Grant in the amount of $50,000 to operating transfers in, in the amount of $54,517 to grantee contributions in the amount of $4,
517 and to RAMP Grant Improvements in the amount of $100,000. - Will receive the Accounts Payable Fund Requirements Report for April 9, 2018.
