Commissioners table decision on courthouse phone‑system replacement after vendor briefing

Kip Bird of American Telephone told the Board that Kay County’s Panasonic telephone equipment is obsolete, parts are limited and future maintenance and security concerns make replacement prudent. Bird said the Zultys system under consideration would allow call recording and has a manual bypass to route calls to cell phones during power outages, addressing a county concern about election‑period internet access.

Court Clerk Marilee Thornton told commissioners that current phones in her office are difficult to hear and can lose connection if handset cords are moved. Assessor Janell Leaming asked specifically whether the proposed system would function during power outages; Bird reiterated that the Zultys option has a manual bypass. The Board voted to table the matter for additional review and to revisit it at the next meeting; the transcript records that county staff will check whether procurement rules require a formal bid or whether the work can be treated as an upgrade/service.