Wagoner County approves upgrades to jail and courthouse video systems and a shared admin hire for EM/911; vehicle purchase tabled

Wagoner County commissioners approved replacement of aging video-server hardware for both the county jail and the courthouse on Oct. 14 and authorized hiring a shared administrative assistant to support Emergency Management and the county 9-1-1 office. A separate request to purchase a tow-capable vehicle for Emergency Management was tabled while staff seeks additional vendor options.

Mark Ketchum, communications director, presented multiple vendor quotes for the jail and courthouse video-server replacements. Vendors included VIP and a large reseller (CDW); Ketchum said recent quotations reduced expected costs compared with earlier estimates once the projects were structured as full procurement projects with licensing and services rather than equipment-only quotes. Commissioners approved the servers using funds from the courthouse renovation budget for the courthouse item; the jail item was approved separately. (Vendor quotes reviewed in the meeting showed ballpark project pricing in the tens of thousands of dollars and a notable reduction from earlier estimates once licensing discounts were applied.)

The board also approved hiring a part-time/shared administrative position to provide payroll, billing and administrative support shared between Emergency Management and 9-1-1. Directors from both offices explained the role would relieve overtime and administrative backlogs and allow district staff to return to core duties. The motion passed on a recorded vote.

Emergency Management director Todd Buckhead requested permission to purchase a heavy-duty tow-capable truck (to pull emergency equipment). Staff reported difficulty locating the requested configuration at some local GM dealerships; commissioners tabled the purchase request to allow staff time to find appropriate dealers or alternative platforms.

Why it matters: Video systems are core to detention and courthouse security; aging servers create support and cybersecurity risk. The shared administrative hire is intended to minimize overtime and better coordinate billing and payroll across two county functions. The truck purchase will be reconsidered after staff secures quotes for a suitable heavy-duty configuration.

What happens next: IT and communications will finalize vendor contracts and schedule installations; Emergency Management will return with vendor options for the tow-capable vehicle; county HR and finance will formalize the shared hire and split of costs between departments.