Commissioners approve $61,899 video‑system contract for courthouse pending attorney review

Grant County commissioners on Oct. 6 approved a sales/ services agreement with Forte for courthouse video‑system integration and Zoom licensing, agreeing the contract will be finalized after the county attorney reviews the paperwork.

John Elliott, speaking during the IT report, said the county received a grant earlier in the year that paid for equipment but left a funding gap for services and licensing; Forte’s quote to complete integration and licensing was $61,899.17. Elliott said the county budget includes funds to cover the amount and asked the board for approval.

Commissioner Stewart moved to approve the contract pending attorney review; Commissioner Pulling seconded. The motion carried. County staff said attorney Harker will review the contract before final execution.

Elliott said the work will be performed in the courthouse, likely requiring about a day of on‑site work, and that installers will remove outdated courtroom Cisco systems and replace them with the new Zoom‑compatible equipment the state will allow the county to use. Commissioners asked that the contract be emailed to the county attorney for review before final signature.

Why it matters: The work converts courthouse video conferencing from a legacy Webex/Cisco system to a supported Zoom setup and completes a technology upgrade funded partly by a grant earlier this year. County officials said updating the courtroom systems preserves remote‑hearing capability and ongoing vendor support.

The board approved the motion unanimously with the condition of attorney approval.