By MIKE COURSON
Great Bend Post
Inflation is driving up the cost of goods and services everywhere. That is technically true for an annual maintenance agreement the Barton County Commission approved Tuesday morning. Barton County Communications Director Dena Popp said the maintenance contract for a Voice Logger that was jointly purchased with the Barton County Attorney's Office increased just five cents from a year ago.
"In 2018, communications partnered with the county attorney's office to purchase a Voice Logger," she told the commission. "This logger is used to create audio recordings from telephones and radios throughout the communications center."
The logger creates audio recordings from telephones, radios, microphones, and other sources that can be used to improve emergency services and assist in investigations. The annual contract expires in November and was renewed Tuesday for $9,553.
"This is very beneficial to the county attorney's office as well," said Popp. "I can sort through the recordings for any incidents they need and electronically transmit it to (Casey Hubbard, investigator for the county attorney's office). Casey does what he needs to do for the investigation side."
Eighty-two percent of the fee will be paid through the 911 Tax Fund, and the county attorney's office will pay the remaining 18 percent.