County looking to fix internet problem
DOVER-FOXCROFT — Piscataquis County officials plan to alleviate internet issues at the county campus on East Main Street with a cabling upgrade. The improvement has been discussed previously but the Piscataquis County Commissioners formally approved the expenditure of approximately $71,000 for the upgrade during a meeting on Tuesday morning.
County Manager Mike Wiliams said during previous discussions about the county HVAC system he brought up the need for fixed cabling and how the approximate price has risen to $71,000 from the original quote of $57,000 two years ago. He said issues stem from the copper being connected to fiber, which has caused email and fax issues. He said CMC Technology Group is a state-approved vendor for the work.
During a meeting early last month Williams said the Piscataquis County Emergency Management Agency is unable to have the same internet speed upstairs at the Peaks House as staff can use downstairs.
In other business, the commissioners approved a 5-year snow removal contract extension for Barnard and Williamsburg townships with Norm Watters Construction of Bowerbank for a half-decade total of $398,398.
Williams said the evening before he met with the Sebec Select Board to discuss a location in the town where Norm Watters Construction could store salt and sand, and this could also be used by the contractor who maintains Atkinson roads in the winter. A final decision would need to be made, but Williams said he wanted to make sure the contractor was in place first.
In his report, Piscataquis County Sheriff Bob Young said all of the department’s officers wear body cameras.
“They have saved our officers multiple times with complaints,” Young said. He said camera footage cannot be disproved, and this has spared some potentially serious accusations made against the sheriff’s office.
Young said he is looking to add a body camera for the jail supervisor. He said much of the facility is monitored by cameras but individual cells are not, and this is where some incidents such as assaults take place.
“We think it will provide some protection for the county,” the sheriff said.