WASHINGTON CO. COMMISSIONERS APPROVE PURCHASE OF CAMERAS FOR EMS STATIONS

  

Several Washington County EMS stations will soon have new security cameras.

Washington County Commissioners at their meeting Tuesday approved EMS to make a purchase from Fast Ball Integration for surveillance cameras at the stations in Burton, Chappell Hill, and old Washington.

The purchase is for $22,516, and includes 21 cameras across the three stations, along with the station on Highway 290 in Brenham. The purchase includes the first five years of maintenance on the cameras, and is accounted for in the county budget.

EMS Director Kevin Deramus said the department looked at several different school districts in the state to see which camera systems were worth pursuing, ultimately deciding on a Verkada security camera system which uses cloud storage.

Deramus said he was asked by Commissioner Candace Bullock to prioritize the cameras needed now versus the total ones needed. He said these 21 cameras are about ten short of completing what is needed, but getting these cameras now can give them a better idea if this system is what the county needs moving forward.

Deramus could not say when the cameras would be installed, as he was unsure on the lag time for ordering the cameras, but was confident it would be before too long.

Also in court, commissioners approved an agreement with Idemia Identity and Security USA for a fingerprint-based background check system. The electronic fingerprint system will check anyone with access to the county’s E-911 center.  Applicants will be able to go to several different locations nearby, such as Bryan-College Station, in order to get their fingerprints done.

Commissioner Kirk Hanath said he believes many people don’t realize the amount of security that is required for the dispatch center, and that’s one of the reasons why running these facilities can be costly. E-911 Director Kristi Stamnes said this is a state-imposed requirement, so other facilities such as jails will likely begin adopting similar systems soon.

The court also went through a series of monthly reports. In Sheriff Otto Hanak’s report, he stated the Sheriff’s Office continues to be plagued with livestock outcalls.  He said March set a record at 132 outcalls, at least 10.7 percent of all calls for the sheriff’s office.  He said the county is doing all it can to “slow this down”.

In County Engineer Ross McCall’s report, he announced the Road and Bridge Department will look to be more proactive with preventative maintenance on county roads in the future. He said he has also met with commissioners on identifying all of the roads in need of repair.

McCall added the department has hired a drainage crew chief, who will start May 6^th.  He also said the department has changed how it records and takes service requests in advance of operations management software.  He said it has improved the department’s response time slightly, and will be helpful when it transfers to cloud-based software in the near future.

Commissioners also:

• Approved a resolution approving the 21^st Judicial District Attorney’s grant application.  Washington County District Attorney Julie Renken said the county has used the grant for the past four years, paying $42,000 of the salary of the Victim Assistance Coordinator.  She said $42,000 is the most that can be asked for.
• Approved Sarah Heard to work as a summer intern to work in the District Attorney’s Office Victims Division and the Sheriff’s Office Jail Division.
• Tabled a request to extend a service contract between the Sheriff’s Office and Voice Products Services for audio/video system maintenance.  Commissioners said the district attorney has not reviewed the request.
• Approved formal notice for a road bore at 3018 Spanish Oaks Drive for PGMS-Central Washington Water Supply Corporation in Precinct 3.
• Approved a 45-day extension of 34.75 excess vacation hours for Catherine Cordeiro with the E-911 Department.