Lewis County approves $176,722 jail-camera contract and adopts framework for AI policy

The Lewis County Board of Commissioners on Feb. 3 approved a sole-source contract with Accurate Electric Unlimited to expand cameras and network video recorders at the county jail for $176,722.35, and advanced a countywide artificial-intelligence policy framework that will let Information Technology vet systems and provide usage guidance.

Gabe Anzolini, Lewis County director of IT, described the camera contract as a sole-source procurement and said the vendor’s proposal would begin March 1 with completion in March, “dependent on supply chain.” He told the commissioners the contract price, including tax, is $176,722.35 and noted it would be paid “from the, one tenth of one percent,” as stated in the presentation.

On the AI policy, Anzolini said the goal is to “put some guardrails on” AI while allowing staff to use the technology where appropriate. “AI is out there. People are using it, and we wanna put some guardrails on it,” he said. He described the draft policy (resolution 26042) as a living document that would allow IT to vet potential systems and issue system-specific guidance without requiring a full policy rewrite each time.

Anzolini said the policy would emphasize privacy and public-records protections and give IT “teeth” to enforce guidance where necessary. He said the policy is intended to be adaptable as technology changes.

Both items were approved as part of a group of deliberation resolutions that the board voted on later in the meeting; the package passed on a 2-0 recorded voice vote.