By MIKE COURSON
Great Bend Post
USD 428 Great Bend is ready to show off its new Support Services Building at 625 E. 10th Street with an Open House and Job Fair Wednesday, Oct. 11 from 3:30 to 6:30 p.m. The district is also ready to protect the $4.82 million facility and everything inside. Monday night, the board of education approved a $31,091 purchase for security cameras and accompanying software at the building. Assistant Superintendent John Popp said this facility will be the guinea pig for possible future purchases in the district.
"It's a very robust system," he said. "It's probably the best of the best, which is why it's fairly expensive. As we look to go to replacing cameras throughout our district, this is a very, very good system we're wanting to go forward with."
In all, the board voted for the purchase and installation of 18 dome Verkada cameras and software from Wichita-based CommLink IT. With a 33 percent discount, the cameras cost $17,825. With the same discount, the 5-year software license came in at $13,265. Several board members questioned the price, especially as the district moves forward with installing more cameras in other buildings.
"We need to spend the money to update the cameras across the district," Popp said. "It does not make sense to me to update the cameras across the district with older or less-reliable technology."
The board voted 5-0 to approve the purchase of the cameras with the idea of examining how well the cameras work before moving forward with larger purchases for other buildings in the district.