FARMINGTON – County Commissioners received an update on the dispatch center’s Zetron console Tuesday, with Communications Director Stanley Wheeler reporting no new issues over the past few weeks.
Up until February, first responders operating in Franklin County have reported issues with audio quality and lost transmissions. These specific issues were believed to be tied to the Franklin Regional Communications Center’s new console, a Zetron MAX that was installed in March 2017. The console replaced a 12-year-old Motorola model and cost the county $166,000, with half of that money coming out of the county’s tax increment financing fund.
The depth of local frustration with the console was brought to the commissioners’ attention in early February, after members of the Dispatch Advisory Board complained that the audio issues had created a public safety issue. Both first responders and some dispatchers, according to board members, indicated they didn’t have confidence in the console.
Zetron responded by apologizing for the time the company took to realize the severity of the issues, with executives traveling to Franklin County to meet with commissioners. A software patch, 5.1, was launched in early February and corrected the dropped audio issue. Since then, Zetron has also launched patch 5.2, which contained additional fixes.
“The console seems to be functioning quite well,” Wheeler said Tuesday.
Wheeler said that 5.2 had launched successfully, with a Zetron technician on site. The next patch, 5.3, will contain additional features and is expected to be available in the summer or fall of this year.
Zetron had already committed to restarting the console’s one year warranty, Wheeler noted, but had also agreed to extend it an additional two years. That warranty would start after the 5.3 patch was rolled out, after the commissioners indicate that the console is meeting the county’s needs.
In other business, commissioners reconsidered an earlier decision to not join a national class action lawsuit targeting the manufacturers and distributors of opioids. While commissioners had previously decided against joining the effort, which has come to include a number Maine entities, they relented after learning that all other Maine counties were participating.
Robert Carlton, a Freeman Township resident, asked that the commissioners reconsider their earlier decision after speaking with local members of the legislature that were in favor of joining the suit.
Commissioner Terry Brann of Wilton questioned if the same logic behind suing opioid manufacturers could be applied to the makers of automobiles or alcohol products. Chair Charlie Webster of Farmington said that his initial reservations were related to a desire to keep the county apolitical. Both commissioners joined Commissioner Clyde Barker of Strong in supporting the effort, however.
Commissioners also unanimously approved supporting a construction project in northern Franklin County, utilizing $38,000 from the county’s tax increment financing account to support the Longfellows Mountain Heritage Trail system. The funds will support the construction of three bridges and some associated trail work. The project was reviewed and supported by the county’s TIF committee.
The three commissioners discussed the upcoming budget process, asking County Clerk Julie Magoon to utilize a 2 percent wage increase for employees as a starting figure in preliminary department requests. The actual amount will be determined through the budget process.
