County administrator outlines paving bids, recycling center hours and debut of new 911 system
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Summary
County Administrator Kyle Swalls detailed the 2026 paving bid schedule, near-term openings of county facilities, plans for a recycling center (Saturday hours) and rollout of a new Carbine 911 system with live-streaming capabilities; he said contract details are still being finalized.
County Administrator Kyle Swalls updated the council on multiple department initiatives, including the 2026 paving bid schedule, facility completions, the recycling center launch and a new 911 system.
Paving and bids: Swalls said the county's 2026 local paving bid season will advertise roughly 10 miles split into multiple projects. Bids are due May 4 at 9 a.m., with a public bid opening at 9:30 a.m.; projects are required to be completed by or before Sept. 4, according to the presentation.
Facilities and recycling: Swalls listed recently completed or near-completed county facilities and said the new recycling center should open within a month. The county selected Bestway from the RFP process to haul recyclables, provide receptacles and manage materials so they reach recycling streams rather than landfills; contract details remain under negotiation. Swalls said Saturday hours will be available (8 a.m.–noon) and additional weekday evening hours will be posted on the county website; the county will issue a press release with accepted items and hours.
911 system: Swalls described a new Carbine system deployed in Morgan County's 911 center that allows callers to live-stream video, share precise location, send instant messages and use real-time translation. He said the county has not had to make payments until final acceptance and praised the 911 team for implementation work. Swalls also stated his understanding that Morgan County is among the first counties piloting these Carbine features but did not provide independent confirmation.
Why it matters: The paving schedule sets timelines for contractors and local drivers; the recycling center will provide new options for residents to dispose of hard-to-recycle items; and the new 911 capabilities could change how dispatchers receive critical incident information.
What happens next: Bids open May 4; county staff will post recycling hours and accepted materials and issue a press release; final contract and cost details for the Carbine system will be provided during budget discussions.
