Fulton County commissioners approve 911 training contract, payment-system switch, fuel and construction contracts; set detour speed and adopt personnel changes

Fulton County commissioners on Aug. 18 approved several operational contracts and administrative changes, including a three-year training subscription for emergency communications, a new public payments vendor, fuel-price and LP contracts, and a county personnel policy update that ends the existing "seven-minute rounding" practice.

The action items were part of a broader consent and business agenda the board — Commissioners John, Travis and Dave — considered at the regular meeting. Commissioners voted unanimously on the major contract approvals and on a local-road agreement and detour-speed decision tied to an October road closure for a State Road 17 culvert replacement.

The most immediate operational approval was for a web-based 9-1-1 training and skills lab subscription from Priority Dispatch. Britney, a county emergency communications employee, described the product as "basically just like taking a live 9-1-1 phone call and inputting information into ProQA on all 3 disciplines," and said it provides scored call simulations and reporting to guide training and remedial assignments. She told the board the service costs "6,000 a year" and that the vendor had offered an initial discount: "they gave us a gift of $1,500. So the first year is 45" (as stated in the meeting transcript). After brief discussion the board made and carried a motion to accept the quote and give Britney permission to sign the contract; the motion passed 3-0. The board directed that a copy be provided to the auditor's office for the county record.

Also on contracts, the board approved a switch in the county's online payment processing from Forte to "Auto Agent / Manissapay" (transcript language). The county official seeking approval said the change offers customers phone payment options, Apple Pay and Google Pay, and would require replacing two credit-card terminals at an estimated $199 each. The board moved, seconded and unanimously approved giving Jennifer permission to sign the new service agreement.

Road and public-works approvals centered on NDOT's scheduled culvert replacement on State Road 17, between 950 South and State Road 114, timed around the harvest season. The highway department requested a local-road agreement and a planned unofficial detour while the State Road 17 closure is in effect — estimated to begin Oct. 13 and last about a month and a half. The board voted to give John permission to sign the local-road agreement. Separately, the commissioners voted to increase the posted speed limit on the temporary detour to 45 mph; that motion also passed 3-0.

A petition and public comment from resident Brock Strove drew attention to a separate local speed concern on South Wabash Road. Strove said residents had gathered signatures seeking a 40 mph limit and urged review; county staff said they would gather trailer data and traffic analytics and make a field review before a formal recommendation.

The board approved a contract with USI for project development and inspection services tied to Community Crossings work, not to exceed $60,000. Commissioners also approved a proposed LP (liquid propane) fuel contract — described by staff as "not to exceed 5,000 gallons" for the colder months — and a related motion authorizing county staff (John) to sign fuel-price locks and contracts for on-road and off-road diesel and gasoline. The LP and fuel items were discussed at length; commissioners ultimately approved the recommendations and gave signing authority to staff, with votes recorded as carried 3-0.

In a staffing- and records-related vote, the board approved CoreLogic (WTH/CoreLogic) access to county parcel data for mortgage-tax and payment processes. The motion passed 3-0. Commissioners also approved a revised personnel policy book that will go into effect Sept. 1, 2025; it will be posted on the county employee portal and department heads will ensure employees read and sign it. As part of implementing the new policy, commissioners voted to end the county's seven-minute rounding practice; staff were instructed to disable rounding at 4 p.m. on Aug. 29 to prepare for the policy start date.

Other routine business included approval of minutes, transfer and claims items, and several budget and administrative transfers discussed on the floor. The board received informational updates: county highway crews reported chip-seal and milling work on multiple roads and project scheduling for October, sheriff's and jail staff described a statewide jail-management product the state is promoting (described in the meeting as replacing the county's current jail-management module and potentially reducing a future maintenance charge), and county economic-development staff summarized several local housing and industrial-park projects under way or in planning.

The meeting record shows all formal motions listed above passed by voice vote with the board indicating unanimous (3-0) support where tallies were given.

Votes at a glance

- Accept Priority Dispatch 9-1-1 training subscription (three-year arrangement described by staff). Motion: approve and allow signing. Mover: Commissioner John. Second: Commissioner Travis. Vote: 3-0 (approved). Note: first-year discount described by staff; county auditor to receive contract copy. - Approve switch to Auto Agent / Manissapay for online payments and allow Jennifer to sign. Motion: give Jennifer permission to sign. Mover: (recorded motion by a commissioner). Second: (recorded). Vote: 3-0 (approved). - Approve LP fuel contract with Keystone (not to exceed 5,000 gallons for the October–March period, vendor-quoted price discussed in meeting). Motion: approve contract. Vote: 3-0 (approved). Clarification: transcript includes discussion of $1.89–$1.90 per gallon figures; commissioners referenced $1.90 as the rounded figure. - Authorize county staff to lock in fuel prices for on-road/off-road diesel and gasoline and permission for John to sign the contracts. Motion: approve bids and give John permission to sign. Vote: 3-0 (approved). - Approve USI contract for Community Crossings work, not to exceed $60,000. Motion: approve. Vote: 3-0 (approved). - Approve local-road agreement and detour routing for State Road 17 culvert replacement and give John permission to sign the agreement. Motion: approve and authorize signing. Vote: 3-0 (approved). - Extend detour speed limit during construction on State Road 17 to 45 mph. Motion: set detour speed to 45 mph. Vote: 3-0 (approved). - Approve CoreLogic/WTH data-access request (allow paid access to parcel data). Motion: approve CoreLogic use of county data for a fee. Vote: 3-0 (approved). - Approve revised personnel policy book, effective Sept. 1, 2025, and end seven-minute rounding at 4 p.m. Aug. 29. Motion: approve personnel policy; motion: end rounding. Vote: 3-0 (both approved). - Approve minutes (Aug. 4) and claims as presented. Motion: approve. Vote: 3-0 (approved).

Discussion vs. direction vs. decision

- Discussion: Staff and department heads briefed the board on multiple operational needs (911 training tool benefits and costs; in-jail/jail-management software being offered by the state; fuel-price volatility; and routine roadwork updates). - Direction: Staff were directed to provide contract copies to the auditor, to proceed with auctions and council approvals for surplus vehicles (EMA vehicles), and to gather traffic-trailer analytics and field reviews on South Wabash Road following a residents' petition. - Decision: The board formally approved the contracts and policy changes listed above; all formal votes in the record showed carried (3-0).

Ending

Commissioners adjourned after routine housekeeping items and scheduling a future executive-session notice to conduct job evaluations. Several informational items — including warming-center planning, economic-development project updates and local events — were announced for the public and county staff.