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County Plans IT Move to Old Jail; FirstLight Fiber Run Could Limit Double Moves
Summary
County consultants and IT staff told the committee they plan to move downtown IT server capacity from Annex C to the old jail building and run an overhead 48‑strand fiber link by FirstLight (estimated $10,000–$15,000) to avoid moving critical infrastructure twice.
Tompkins County consultants presented a plan to relocate the downtown IT server room from Annex C to the old jail building during deconstruction, using a temporary overhead fiber route to maintain connectivity and avoid a two‑stage move.
Kevin Terry of Tetra Tech, the mechanical/electrical/telecommunications subconsultant on the project, said the team has been meeting with County IT and the fiber vendor FirstLight and believes an aerial 48‑strand fiber run around the block can be installed for an estimated $10,000 to $15,000. The proposal would route fiber from its current utility pole inlet at Annex C around Tioga Street and then to the old jail; staff said the physical switchover could be completed over a weekend to limit downtime.
The Tetra Tech representative described the option as a cost‑effective solution that avoids a two‑phase migration of servers and the operational complexity that entails. “From a project perspective, this is as much of a win as the SHPO situation… the $15,000 of this fiber run is, like, pennies compared to the complexity and logistics of moving the IT one time,” a consultant said.
Staff noted that the temporary IT location in the old jail will require electrical and HVAC improvements; those scopes are still being finalized and will be priced. County administration acknowledged inconveniences for departments during relocations (for example, family court representation and staff parking) and said staff will work with HR and affected departments to reduce disruption.
Committee members asked about parking and access for staff who would work at temporary locations such as the Mental Health Building; staff acknowledged limited nearby parking and said they will explore city garage arrangements and leased space options where available. The county indicated capital budget funds reserved for the center-of-government project could be used for relocation and transition costs, and that detailed relocation cost estimates will be produced when potential leased locations are identified.
Directions and next steps recorded included finalizing the fiber and MEP scope, obtaining firm costs from FirstLight, performing electrical/HVAC upgrades at the old jail as required, and coordinating schedules to minimize service interruptions. No formal approvals or contract awards were recorded at this meeting.
