Commission approves proposal for courthouse fire alarm system

On Tuesday, Jan. 3, County Commissioners heard an update from Eddy County Emergency Manager, Lisa Thompson, regarding the county’s effort to install an alarm system at the courthouse.

At the commission’s September meeting, Thompson revealed the courthouse was fitted with outdated fire extinguishers, had zero working smoke or carbon monoxide detectors, and no fire alarm system.

New fire extinguishers and smoke/carbon monoxide alarms were brought in soon after the problem was discovered, but installing a fire alarm system couldn’t be done immediately. Thompson told commissioners in December that she was working to get quotes for installing a new system.

At Tuesday’s meeting, Thompson said she’d received a quote from Electro Watchman, Inc., a fire and security system business out of Fargo, to install and monitor a fire alarm system at the courthouse.

Of the three companies Thompson reached out to for a quote, Electro Watchman was the only to respond as of Tuesday’s meeting.

“The company that did respond was one that I have worked with in the past at the elevator, and had good service through them,” Thompson said to commissioners, “so I guess I’m not upset we only got one quote.”

The quote includes the price of the system’s installation, which includes placing pull-down alarms on each floor of the courthouse, as well as monitoring, meaning Electro Watchman would monitor the alarm system 24/7 and call 911 if it ever goes off.

Thompson went on to say that they offer a few different options, such as whether they’d like them to monitor the alarm system via cellular module, phone lines or internet connection. They also charge an annual monitoring fee for the equipment and offer an annual fire inspection.

The room agreed that they’d move forward with the cellular option, which was recommended by Electro Watchman due to the unlikelihood that every cell tower would go down in a severe weather event.

“So all said and done, we’re talking under $13,000 for [Electro Watchman’s] portion of it, but we do need electrical work done.”

Thompson and the commissioners agreed they’d work to get quotes from local electricians to do the electrical work necessary for the project.

“It’s cheaper than I thought it was going to be,” Thompson concluded.

With that, the commission unanimously carried a motion to move forward with Electro Watchman Inc. for the installation and monitoring of a new courthouse fire-alarm system.

Also at Tuesday’s meeting, commissioners took a step to support Tia Davis, an Eddy County employee who is still fighting to improve her heart function after delivering twins and suffering from peripartum cardiomyopathy, stemming from preeclampsia.

Commissioner Glenda Collier made a motion to allow Tiffany Harr, the newly elected county recorder/clerk of court who is transitioning from an employee to an elected official, to donate her paid sick leave to Davis. The motion was carried unanimously.

If not for the motion, Harr’s accrued paid sick leave would simply have disappeared.

Harr, as well as Eddy County Sheriff Paul Lies and State’s Attorney Ashley Lies, also took their oaths of office at Tuesday’s meeting.

Meanwhile, county commissioners also scheduled a special meeting for Tuesday, Jan. 10 at 9:30 a.m., during which they plan to enter executive session to discuss pending litigation. An executive session, which allows commissioners to meet in private without media or the public in attendance, is only allowable in select situations, such as when discussing pending litigation.

Before conversation was shut down and an executive session suggested, Commissioners only referenced a letter sent to them and the Eddy County Road Superintendent, Todd Weber.

The content of the letter was unknown as of press time.

The next regular Eddy County Commission meeting is scheduled for Tuesday, February 7 at 8:30 a.m. at the courthouse.