01-05-1998 - Laserfiche WebLink

Commission Minutes--January 5, 1998 1764 18. JAIL INMATE TELEPHONE SYSTEM, Contract with Reliance Telephone Correspondence was received from Mike Steiner, Information Services Coordinator, as well as a letter from Dave Hangsleben, Reliance Telephone, regarding the jail in-mate telephone system. Both were present at today's meeting, and Mr. Hangsleben is asking to reduce the daily minimum guarantee from $5.00 to $4.00 per in-mate. Mr. Steiner said the request would decrease Cass County's estimated annual revenue by approximately $10,000 per year. The county has a contract with Reliance Telephone for the $5 daily minimum guarantee per in-mate, signed in March of 1994, and it automatically renewed for an additional three years last March. Mr. Hangsleben provided some financial information and said the majority of counties he does business with are paid a $4 daily minimum guarantee. He said his company has been losing money due to a major change in the U.S. West Communications collection policy which took effect the end of 1996, and he began seeing the results in the beginning of 1997. With changes in the industry, he said it has become more difficult for him to collect his revenue. Mr. Wieland said he is willing to consider a reduction in the guaranteed daily minimum from $5 to $4 if Reliance Telephone would agree to another three-year contract at the $4 rate after the current contract expires. Mr. Hangsleben will give this idea some thought and possibly prepare a proposal for the next Commission meeting. 19. VOUCHERS, Approved MOTION, passed Mr. Meyer moved and Mrs. Quick seconded to approve Voucher No. 110,111 through No. 110,609. On roll call vote, motion carried unanimously. 20. JAIL UPDATE; VETERAN"S SERVICE OFFICE SPACE; JOINT COMMUNICATIONS; DNA TESTING, Committee reports Bonnie Johnson, County Coordinator, received information from the National Institute of Corrections (NIC) on planning and construction of jail facilities, and she will share the information with anyone else who is interested in reading it. The Board was in agreement that Bonnie Johnson should proceed with a change order to install a glass panel beside the door of the receptionist area for the Veteran's Service Office space on 4th floor of the Annex, as requested by Commissioner Meyer. Mr. Wieland encouraged other Commissioners to get updated as quickly as possible on the status of joint communications after a meeting held earlier today in the Commission Room between Cass County and Cass County Electric Cooperative. Emergency first responders favor the joint communications system, according to Mr. Meyer, who attended a recent meeting in Casselton with Glenn Ellingsberg, Cass County Emergency Manager. John Goff, State's Attorney, alerted the board to a greater demand for DNA testing in law enforcement and this may become a budget issue, he said.