Commissioners Look At Buying New Toy

Remember those billboards before the election? The ones the Republicans put up to tell us all how fortunate we are to have one-party rule in Livingston County because the Republicans are so good at saving the taxpayers money?

Well, the election is over and the same Commissioners who said we couldn’t possibly afford a commuter system between Howell and Ann Arbor, one which would bring us new business and jobs, now want to buy a $1.7 million Central Dispatch system that will not do much more than the existing system.

According to the Press & Argus, November 26, 2008, the new system will help with record keeping.

“Obviously, it’s a more advanced system than what we have,” said Dick Winsett, director of Central Dispatch. “It would provide more information and newer technology to public safety for their record management concerns.”

There are numerous software systems that will keep records efficiently for the jail and prosecutor’s office. Some of them can probably be integrated into the existing Dispatch system. The County Commissioners should look at how other counties handle their records.

“The downside of this, of course, is our existing system with CLEMIS is very cost-effective,” said Commissioner Dave Domas, also chairman of the PublicSafety/Judiciary Committee. “We only pay $41,000 a year for the system that we’ve got, and it works.“It doesn’t do everything that we want,” Domas added.

So, Dave, why are you wasting time looking at a new system if it’s not cost-efficient? What do you want the system to do, Dave? Serve coffee and snacks at the Board meetings? Or did SunGard’s slick salespeople cause you to “need” a new system.

Put this one on the ballot, Dave. I guarantee you will lose. Or go ahead and buy the system and lose in 2010. People are hurting, Dave. They want something that will bring jobs and business here – something like the WALLY or spending money on our crumbling infrastructure.

What is it with our County Commissioners? After the 2006 election, they suddenly found $1.5 million for a new jail. After the 2008 election, after all the budget crunching and downsizing, we suddenly have the funds for a new Dispatch system? Something is rotten in the state of Denmark and the county of Livingston and the stink is coming from the Commissioners Board Room.