Service Agreement For Emergency Equipment Approved

After initially delaying a final decision, Stephens County will enter into an annual service agreement with Motorola Solutions for the county’s emergency communications.

Tuesday, Stephens County Commissioners voted 3-2 to enter into the agreement.

County commissioners had delayed a vote on the agreement at their previous meeting in May.

Commission Chair Dennis Bell said that he had questions over some of the wording in the proposed agreement and wanted to meet with Motorola first to get those questions answered.

Stephens County Administrator Phyllis Ayers said they were able to get a main point of concern cleared up for the agreement.

“They verbally have told us they are available 24-7,” said Ayers. “There is a piece of the contract here that looks like they are only going to respond from 8:30 to 4:30 and they have agreed to amend that. It just looks like that the way you read it, but they will send the wording however we request it.”

Ayers suggested that the county commission approve the agreement contingent on Motorola amending the contract to reflect 24-hour service more clearly.

Commissioners Bell, Michelle Ivester, and Dean Scarborough voted for the annual service agreement with the suggestion by Ayers included.

Voting against it were Commissioners Stanley London and Debbie Whitlock.

They said their votes are because they have not been in favor of Motorola since that company became involved with the county’s emergency communications and voted against using Motorola in the first place.

Stephens County purchased about $1.37 million in new equipment for the E-911 department from Motorola in 2014.

That equipment included a new phone system, radio consoles, and infrastructure upgrade.

Commissioners Whitlock and London cited the cost in opposing Motorola’s bid in 2014.