The Jacksonville city council voted last night to upgrade its software designed to trigger weather warning sirens.
The council will spend $50-thousand from the budget to buy the software from GTSI in Jacksonville.
Emergency services director Phil McCarty says the software needs updated.
He says it’s 12 to 15 years old.
McCarty says the current software needs a human to trigger it. The new software is triggered remotely. That will trigger alarms on cell phones. He says people will still involve people overseeing the operations.
The council also approved plans for the summer street maintenance program. Streets superintendent Les Ballenger says the $300-thousand will be used on several streets bordered by Lafayette, Main and Sandusky, and streets in the subdivisions of Grants Meadow, Highlander Heights, Valley Vue and one street in Westwinds.
Aldermen rejected the low bid for lead line water service replacement of $1-point 2-million due to a lack of experience by a company, and went with a bid of $1 and a half million from MB Construction. This project is EPA funded. And, the bid was under the estimate.
The council heard an initial overview from Greg Sutton of TEC Services Consulting about the new comprehensive plan for the city. It was last done in 2002, and mayor Andy Ezard says the city is overdue for a new one.
The plan will take about a year to put together, feature input from the public, and help direct Jacksonville in the future growth and development of the city. The cost is $105-thousand.
Aldermen hired Morthole Masonry for repair and restore 4 entrance pillars at Diamond Grove Cemetery. The cost is $42-thousand.