Clarification: An earlier version of this story had numbers inconsistent with the study sent to Reno County IT in September.
HUTCHINSON, Kan. — Reno County Commissioners approved funding for two of three phases of a fiber optic project that will provide better IT service between the county offices and public works. They did not take action on a third phase which would connect the county offices and public works to the landfill.
The agreement with IdeaTek would provide the service between the court house and the county maintenance shed and then the courthouse and public works. The total cost of the two phases as presented is $409,000, plus a river bore of $40,000 for a total of $449,000. The decision goes against the recommendation of county IT Director Mike Mathews who had proposed that the county take on the fiber optic project themselves.
According to a September study by SCS Engineers, permitting that was not considered in the RBS IT quote could make the cost of keeping the line private lie somewhere between $800,000 and $1,000,000. Mathews said he wanted to go the private route to give the county more flexibility to make improvements to the system and have better security.
Commissioner Ron Sellers noted that the county would continue to have costs associated with the private proposal saying that there would be costs for upgrades and costs associated with right-of-way fees including both BNSF and Union Pacific Railroads.
The Commission did not take action on the third phase asking that they be provided more information in the matter. The new technology would be used for the new landfill facilities once they are completed.