The Jasper County Sheriff’s Office will follow the normal bid process to replace a radio tower at the Jasper County Jail in Carthage.
The Jasper County Commissioners denied a request from Sheriff Archie Dunn to speed the process of replacing the tower by bypassing the normal bid process and seeking estimates on an emergency basis.
“We have no problem with them putting up a new tower,” said Presiding Commissioner John Bartosh. “They wanted it as quickly as possible but we decided that was too much money and we needed to put it out for bid.”
Dunn and other officers came to the commission on Tuesday asking for permission to replace the tower on the north side of the Jasper County Jail on an emergency basis and bypass the normal bid process which would take between three and four weeks.
Officers said the tower was insufficient for the department’s needs. They also said it was missing bolts and could fall.
They said the tower swayed in the wind and the swaying caused problems with the wireless signal connection between the jail and a tower at the Sheriff’s headquarters on County Road 180 west of Carthage.
Dunn said he had grant money available to pay for a new tower. He was just asking the commissioners for permission to bypass the normal bid process.
Assistant County Attorney Norman Rouse, who acts as a legal counselor for the Commissioners, questioned whether the tower needed to be replaced immediately and whether the county could get the best price without going through the bid process.
Bartosh said on Thursday the tower was safe and the commission decided the estimated $75,000 to $100,000 cost to replace the tower was too much money to spend without going through the bid process.
He said going through the bid process meant the soonest construction could begin on a new tower was Dec. 28.
