County works to equip trailer

BENTON -- Having purchased a trailer from the Federal Emergency Management Agency for use as a Scott County Mobile Command Unit, Scott County officials are now in the process of equipping it.

"We need to get it where it's operational," Presiding Commissioner Jamie Burger said during the regular County Commission meeting Tuesday.

Joel Evans, county developer; Joe Burton, emergency management director; and Commissioner Ron McCormick "have been working diligently on it," Burger said.

"We're doing some of the inside work ourselves," McCormick said.

McCormick said they have installed a hitch so the command unit is safer to move, a fresh water holding tank, two workstations and one conference table so far.

The trailer will also be equipped with a generator to provide all the power it needs for radios and other equipment.

"There's three different frequencies we need to monitor from that command unit along with marine and CB frequencies," McCormick said.

"There is some electrical work to do," Evans said.

McCormick said they have been trying to use local vendors as much as possible in equipping the unit.

"We would like to have it operational by the rodeo, so by the second week of August," McCormick said.

In other business Tuesday:

* Commissioners awarded the bid for printing, processing and mailing the county's annual 2008 assessment list to the Edward J. Rice Company of Springfield, the only company to submit a bid, as recommended by Assessor Teresa Houchin.

Edward J. Rice is "the same company that does it every year," County Clerk Rita Milam said.

The estimated price for the work is $13,017.92, according to the bid.

* Commissioners discussed staffing levels for the 911 center with Missy Bruce.

"She's in charge of the scheduling. For right now we don't have a 911 director," Burger said. "Missy is in charge of scheduling and the jail administrator, John Nelson, is interactive with 911 also since it's located in the confines of the jail property."

Lisa Mullin resigned as the county's 911 director at the end June, according to Burger.