Alva Review-Courier -

Commissioners in Alfalfa County enjoyed a change of pace at their regular Monday morning meeting, breaking away from the usual order of the agenda to hear information on internet and telephone service from a representative from Dobson Technologies. A telecom solutions company, Dobson Technologies hopes to provide services that offer higher levels of functionality and performance at a cost equal to or less than the courthouse’s current provider, AT&T.

Right now, frustration is being felt by Alfalfa County courthouse employees due to the limitations of their phone system, as the simple ability to transfer calls isn’t possible. It was mentioned that employees aren’t the only ones frustrated – callers get upset when they have to make multiple calls just to connect to the right office.

There are other problems too, said Commissioner Jay Hague, whose opinion was that AT&T service wasn’t very good in the courthouse. Another commissioner, Stan Tucker, said he had phones in his district down for ten days before AT&T sent someone out to fix the issue.

County Clerk Laneta Unruh spoke up, explaining that the old contracts they were grandfathered into were finally expiring, resulting in the unavailability of rates and plans they’re used to having. Large billing increases across many of the courthouse offices have prompted officials to spring into action, thus soliciting a quote from Dobson Technologies.

Unruh asked about possibly replacing old wires because of an incessant crackling on both inbound and outbound phone calls. The rep said it sounded like they had a legacy copper infrastructure (which was confirmed by a commissioner) and due to its inherent properties, would only continue to degrade. An option he said, is to bypass it completely, eliminate all of the expensive-to-maintain PBX equipment, and go the most cost-effective way of a fully-hosted PBX.

This option has all the benefits of a private telephone exchange – an in-office network that connects people and devices via extensions – without the onsite equipment and maintenance normally associated with PBX. Dobson Technologies would host and manage the phone system in their own facility over a high-speed internet connection.

Because it is over internet bandwidth, concern was voiced about what would happen if the internet went down. The rep assured the group that fail safes are in place to make sure communication lines stay open. A packet of paperwork outlining Dobson Technologies’ services was given to each commissioner to look over before the representative continued on a tour of the courthouse offices to work up a quote.

Commissioners got back to routine business, approving last meeting’s minutes, maintenance and operation warrants for payment, blanket purchase orders, appropriations, monthly officer reports, monthly highway expenditures, and the allocation of alcohol beverage tax. The road crossing permits – three for District 1 at $1,500 and two for District 2 for $1,000 – were approved as well.

Commissioners signed off on a special payroll for a part-time employee in the sheriff’s office (that payroll claim was not turned into the county clerk), and approved the next several items, including an online auction bid (with The Public Group) for District 2 on 2014 Mini Sand Dredge 2011 (VMI MD-615HN, Serial #671), private property easement for District 2 for the NW/4 of 31-25-12 to remove trees for drainage, piling and burning, and written quotes on 2003 Chevy pickup for Cherokee Rescuers along with written quotes for a LandPride RCM6615 for two new cutters, of which they are trading in four cutters for, for District 2.

Lastly, a declaration of surplus for District 1 on 3,500 gallon fuel tank (Inv. #413-107, Serial #C788861) was accepted.

Commissioners entertained a motion to adjourn after no new business was introduced.