Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Fleet Tracking topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Emmons County approves up to 18 vehicle trackers for road fleet
Summary
County commissioners approved purchase of Verizon Connect vehicle trackers for up to 18 road department vehicles, citing efficiency and transparency; cost estimated at about $350–$400 per month.
Emmons County commissioners voted to accept a proposal to equip up to 18 county vehicles with Verizon Connect vehicle trackers, with staff saying the recurring cost would run roughly $350–$400 per month.
Supporters told the commission the system would provide frequent GPS “pings,” allow supervisors to check vehicle speed and routes, and could integrate with existing GIS data. Speaker 2, an unidentified meeting participant, moved to approve “option 2” — up to 18 trackers — and Speaker 4 seconded the motion. The motion passed on a voice vote; no roll-call tally was recorded in the transcript.
The commissioners and staff discussed technical features and uses. Speaker 1 said the devices can ping every eight to ten seconds and that the information can show when crews are “blading” or moving at particular speeds. Speaker 2 noted optional add-ons such as PTO sensors to record implement activity and front-facing cameras, which could be added later. The group also discussed GIS integration and the potential to store location-accurate asset information (one participant described three-foot accuracy for some devices).
Several speakers framed the purchase as a transparency and accountability tool. Speaker 2 said the system could “prove that we’re doing as much or more than what we’re getting accused of doing,” and argued it would create an auditable record for past and future service calls. Other participants raised personal privacy concerns about employee tracking, but described the devices as unit-mounted rather than personal locators.
Cost considerations were discussed: speakers said the first three months of service are cheaper and that long-term monthly fees would amount to “less than $5,000 a year” at the quoted rates. One participant said the price was comparable to options they had reviewed in North Carolina and cited benefits such as 24/7 vendor support.
The commission directed staff to implement the purchase. A named staff follow-up was not recorded; a speaker said they would “work with Russ” to place the order and coordinate installation.
Implementation details — including whether the county will enable PTO sensors or cameras, and how long-term data will be archived or accessed by the public — were not specified in the meeting record.
