Supervisors mull security camera  plans

By STEPH TAHTINEN

Mt. Pleasant News

Tuesday morning the Henry County board of supervisors reviewed price quotes and tentative plans from Security Equipment, Inc. for installing new security cameras in the courthouse.

?This is not set in stone by any means,? said Derek Wellington from the county auditor?s office.

There were two plans provided for the supervisors. The first plan contains 13 cameras and the second plan is $3,000 more and contains 15 cameras. These two additional cameras would be mounted on the roof aimed at the parking lot.

The plans created by Security Equipment, Inc., are tentative and the cameras can be installed in different locations than those listed on the plans.

For instance, Supervisor Chairman Marc Lindeen said he was in favor of ensuring a camera was aimed towards the Clerk of Court?s window on the third floor of the courthouse.

The supervisors chose not to make any decisions on the plans yet.

?I think that before we make a final decision on this, we need to know what our final cost will be,? said Lindeen.

In addition to the cost of the cameras, there is also the added cost of getting the wire to the locations where the cameras will be installed. The supervisors are planning on using a local company to do the electrical wiring.

?I?d like to have three local bidders,? Supervisor Kent White told Wellington, who will be looking to get bids on the project.

Auditor Shelly Barber said that the county has plenty of funds to cover the project.

Supervisor Gary See raised concern over the funds, considering the county is also looking at new furnaces for the courthouse. The potential for using a geothermal system was mentioned, and there was some concern over whether it would be compatible with the system currently in place.

Wellington pointed out that there are rebates and cutbacks currently available for converting to a geothermal system.