Fiber option, juvenile funds tabled

By Melinda L. Lucas

Two different proposals heard by Shackelford County commissioners on Monday could cost the county as much as $300,000, although there are already funds that could cover a lot of that amount.

Zach Fitzgerald of CTSI, the county’s IT consultant, recommended using some of the recently awarded American Rescue Plan Act money to install county-owned fiber between the Courthouse and the Law Enforcement Center at a cost of more than $200,000.

The project would eliminate the $1,700 monthly fiber charge from AT&T.

The county was awarded $317,221 this year and the same for next year from the U.S. Treasury. 

Fitzgerald also proposed replacing aging switching equipment at the Courthouse, LEC, and JP building for about $41,000.

Both items were tabled, as was a request from 259th Judicial District chief probation officer John Cook for additional funding to pay housing of a local juvenile placed in Hayes County.

Other business included updating the county’s retirement plan agreement, approving the schedule of 2022 meetings, and deciding on details for the county Christmas luncheon Dec. 21.