Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Interpreting Services Contract topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Noble County approves extension of phone-based interpretation contract after vendor raises per-minute rate
Summary
Commissioners approved extending the county's open-ended contract with Heartland Interpretation despite a reported increase from $1.30 to $1.40 per minute; staff said the service is used mainly by phone, billed weekly, and typically costs the county $15–$45 in heavier weeks.
Noble County commissioners voted on Feb. 9 to authorize a contract extension with Heartland Interpretation after staff reported the company raised its per-minute phone interpretation rate from $1.30 to $1.40.
Speaker 2 told the board that the county primarily uses Heartland by phone and that the vendor bills weekly. "They were raising their prices from a dollar 30 a minute to a dollar 40 a minute," Speaker 2 said, and added that typical weekly bills ranged from about $15 to $45 depending on caseload and that the county uses the service at least twice a month. Staff noted Heartland charges only when the service is used, unlike the county's prior vendor which billed monthly even when unused.
The board debated whether to accept the unilateral price increase or bring the matter back for authorization; Speaker 1 moved to approve the extension at the higher rate and to authorize signature. The motion was seconded and approved by voice vote.
The extension is for an open-ended contract that can be canceled by either party. Board members discussed signature logistics and asked staff to ensure the contract's client signature field and authorization language were completed before filing.
The county packet included usage and billing examples and indicated that Heartland offers more than 300 languages and also provides ASL services by arrangement. The board did not establish a ceiling or cap in the public discussion; staff said they would continue to monitor usage and costs.
