Comtech is the company that has a contract with the state to provide 911 services.
"Every dispatch center in the state has to use these guys since this vendor has the contract for the 911 services," said Kent Jones, Brown County communications director.
Comtech needed the county's approval of the quote to move services and for equipment replacement before it could schedule the moving date.
The dispatch center will relocate to the new building at 124 S. First St. from the Brown County Courthouse Annex.
"We need to get it OK'd to get on their calendar to get it finalized for us," Jones said.
Jones explained that the quote for $27,986 is for moving and setting up all of the equipment and replacing some of the equipment. Some of that work has already been done with the help of Chief Information Officer Paul Sivertsen, which could save the county money.
Comtech employees will oversee the transfer and replacement of equipment to the new building, Jones said. The soonest that could be done is in 25 days now that the county approved the quote, Jones said.
The county’s information technology, the dispatch center, Emergency Management and Geographic Information System offices are moving into the new building.
Emergency Management Director Scott Meints said the new building is "ready to roll." The county has upgraded a generator for the building and has set up the necessary cables and administrative phone lines for the dispatch center to begin operating in the new building.
Only half of the computers and 911 phone lines will be moved at first, so there should be no lapse in emergency call services, Jones said.
Correction: Information about 911 services in South Dakota and the contract have been corrected in this story.
©2019 the American News (Aberdeen, S.D.). Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.
