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Kennard council approves internet and phone upgrades, authorizes battery backup
Summary
Council approved upgrading town internet to a higher‑bandwidth package with voice‑over‑IP phones for the clerk’s office and purchased a battery backup for the new Wi‑Fi equipment; members noted costs and planned a special appropriation to cover budget differences.
Council members reviewed recent Wi‑Fi installations at town hall and the fire station and considered options to increase bandwidth and move the clerk’s voice service to voice‑over‑IP. The chair presented multiple vendor quotes, saying the town currently pays about $100 per month for 25/25 service plus two $38 phone lines and that options include a 75/75 plan for roughly $150–$165 per month or higher tiers from Xfinity and other providers.
After discussing continuity and the ability to retrieve voicemail, the chair moved to adopt the 75/75 Mbps package and switch the clerk’s office to VOIP; members agreed and noted a special appropriation would be filed next month to cover budget adjustments related to phone and snow‑removal overages. The council also approved purchasing a battery backup for the network to protect equipment from power surges and maintain connectivity during outages; the chair estimated the battery would cost between $50 and $80.
Clerk Jan said the office had been missing telephone messages for months due to equipment and email access problems and that moving to VOIP would restore voicemail access to staff. The council directed staff to implement the chosen package and to return with appropriation paperwork as needed.
