Supes ask for clarification on spending
Sheriff Eric Clark again on Monday asked the Board of Supervisors to approve requisitions for in-car computer systems in patrol vehicles.
The Sheriff previously provided a quote from a single EPL (ITS-Express Products List) vendor, but the instructions for use for the EPL state that once the specifications for equipment are developed, the entity must solicit quotes from two or more EPL vendors.
Clark provided an additional quote this past Friday night from an additional non-EPL vendor, but without the use of two EPL vendors to acquire the equipment through the EPL, it would violate the EPL requirements, purchasing laws, and the agreement with the Department of Finance and Administration.
According to the board, either two EPL vendors can quote the same equipment, meeting the EPL requirements or the project will have to be bid to comply with the purchase law, as the equipment total is projected to be $112,628, which is above the $75,000 bid threshold.
The Sheriff also provided a quote for 23 in-car modems/wireless routers from C-Spire (Service and Hardware), Howard (Modem Hardware) and AT&T (Service).
The hardware is $11,810.50 but the question is on funding the $793.04 a month or $9,516.84 per year for services for which the equipment funding from DFA cannot be used. The $9,516.84 per year is not budgeted for additional services for the Sheriff’s Department.
Though Supervisors authorized a bid for cell phone services for 23 users for the Sheriff’s Department in the last meeting, the projected cost for service is $12,392.40 per year which is not budgeted for additional services for the Sheriff’s Department in the current budget. Together, it is over $21,900 in unbudgeted funds at the minimum per year going forward.
The Board will be requesting additional legislative action or clarification to DFA from the Legislature during the coming session to allow the DFA funds to be used for both equipment and services for the equipment acquired. This will provide special funding for two years for all of the requested technology services including the in-car computer systems and cell phones.
In other actions, supervisors voted to:
• Accept the resignation of Scottie Billie as Correctional Officer effective Nov. 26 and accept the hiring of Thomas Payton as Correctional Officer effective Nov. 29 at $13 an hour;
• Approve $0.50 pay increases for Damon Hudson and Bruce Ferguson with the County Jail effective Nov. 27;
• Approve a garnishment of $221 to be paid by Robert Blacks to the MS Department of Revenue;
• Approve BCMIS Broadband LLC’s (MaxxSouth) permit application to install fiber optic cable along County Road 545;
• Approve the following people as commissioners of East Neshoba Volunteer Fire Protection District: President Ray Crocker, Vice President Randy Savell, Fire Chief Steve Johnson, Secretary Sandra King, Treasurer Cecil Hooker, Neil King, and Willie Horne;
• Approve appointment of Shane Patterson to replace Prentice Copeland on the East Central Community College Board of Trustees.