The Times - Serving Waitsburg, Dayton and the Touchet Valley

DAYTON – Columbia County Commissioners agreed last week to sign an interlocal agreement with the Houston-Galveston Area Council, a government services organization based in Texas, through which the county may purchase product and services from other government agencies.

Lisa Caldwell, emergency management director for the county, presented the agreement to commissioners last week. She hopes that joining the council will assist the county in purchasing a new 911 phone system for the Columbia County Public Safety Communications Center.

“It is one more avenue to purchase equipment and save the county money,” Caldwell explained. “And it saves us from having to go out for RFP and going through the sealed bid process – it’s time saving.”

As a unit of local government assisting other local governments, HGAC states it will strive “to make the governmental procurement process more efficient by establishing competitively priced contracts for goods and services, and providing the customer service necessary to help its members achieve their procurement goals,” according to the council’s website.

All contracts available to members of HGAC have been awarded by virtue of a public competitive procurement process compliant with state statutes, the site reads. Many area agencies are HGAC members including the cities of Walla Walla, Richland and Clarkston as well as Cowlitz and Pacific counties and a number of Washington school districts.

For nearly two years, Caldwell has reported on her department’s failing computer systems, which include the 911 phone system and the computer-aided dispatch.

The phone system has been on hold and will continue to be until at least until July, Caldwell predicted earlier this year. By then, the state will have determined whether Columbia County is eligible to receive the approximately $150,000 it needs to replace the antiquated 911 phone software, computer server, and other related call-taking equipment in the communication center.