MONROE - The Monroe school board took steps on Monday toward making safety-related improvements to school buildings, all of which are funded by the recent referendum.
A new phone system, video surveillance systems and building access controls will be installed throughout the district this summer, according to Business Administrator Ron Olson.
Phone system
The district's aging phone system will be replaced by a new Cisco system with emergency notification and paging capabilities from Core BTS, a company with offices in Madison, at a cost of about $208,400. That's less than half the $500,000 the referendum budgeted for the project.
Olson projected ongoing costs for the system over 10 years at roughly $135,400, making Core BTS the least expensive option even over the long term.
He presented the board with two main options: the Cisco system from Core BTS and a Shoretel system from Integral Building Systems in Madison. The cost difference between the two over 10 years is "negligible," he said, though he warned that some extra costs might crop up with Core BTS.
IBS has the benefit of a positive ongoing relationship with the district on other projects, but Olson noted Cisco is an industry leader that excels in safety features.
With two good options and no clear recommendation from Olson or board member Rich Deprez, who both attended presentations by the competing companies, treasurer Dan Bartholf suggested the cheaper option. Core BTS's proposal was approved unanimously; president Bob Erb, deputy clerk Amy Bazley and member Nikki Matley were absent.
Video surveillance and building access controls
IBS didn't miss out entirely, though. The company will be providing video surveillance systems for the district and access controls for building entrances.
Its bid of $197,500 for video surveillance at all six district buildings made IBS the least expensive proposal. It was also the cheapest provider over 10 years, Olson said. The referendum budgeted $210,000 for security camera systems at the Monroe Middle School and the three elementary schools.
A system that controls who can enter district buildings and when will cost about $97,000 from IBS, which again offered the lowest price among the completed proposals. Olson said at a meeting last week that he didn't think the more expensive, higher-level security offered by another company was necessary.
If security became an issue, Deprez suggested they could use a two-factor system instead of choosing the expensive proposal - for example, a swipe card plus a key code, rather than just a swipe card.
The referendum budgeted $70,000 for access controls at the main entrances of the elementary schools, so while IBS's proposal is higher than that, it covers all six district buildings and two alternate locations at Northside Elementary School. Olson said the difference will be made up by the new phone system coming in under budget.
Both the video surveillance and access controls proposals from IBS were approved unanimously Monday.
A new phone system, video surveillance systems and building access controls will be installed throughout the district this summer, according to Business Administrator Ron Olson.
Phone system
The district's aging phone system will be replaced by a new Cisco system with emergency notification and paging capabilities from Core BTS, a company with offices in Madison, at a cost of about $208,400. That's less than half the $500,000 the referendum budgeted for the project.
Olson projected ongoing costs for the system over 10 years at roughly $135,400, making Core BTS the least expensive option even over the long term.
He presented the board with two main options: the Cisco system from Core BTS and a Shoretel system from Integral Building Systems in Madison. The cost difference between the two over 10 years is "negligible," he said, though he warned that some extra costs might crop up with Core BTS.
IBS has the benefit of a positive ongoing relationship with the district on other projects, but Olson noted Cisco is an industry leader that excels in safety features.
With two good options and no clear recommendation from Olson or board member Rich Deprez, who both attended presentations by the competing companies, treasurer Dan Bartholf suggested the cheaper option. Core BTS's proposal was approved unanimously; president Bob Erb, deputy clerk Amy Bazley and member Nikki Matley were absent.
Video surveillance and building access controls
IBS didn't miss out entirely, though. The company will be providing video surveillance systems for the district and access controls for building entrances.
Its bid of $197,500 for video surveillance at all six district buildings made IBS the least expensive proposal. It was also the cheapest provider over 10 years, Olson said. The referendum budgeted $210,000 for security camera systems at the Monroe Middle School and the three elementary schools.
A system that controls who can enter district buildings and when will cost about $97,000 from IBS, which again offered the lowest price among the completed proposals. Olson said at a meeting last week that he didn't think the more expensive, higher-level security offered by another company was necessary.
If security became an issue, Deprez suggested they could use a two-factor system instead of choosing the expensive proposal - for example, a swipe card plus a key code, rather than just a swipe card.
The referendum budgeted $70,000 for access controls at the main entrances of the elementary schools, so while IBS's proposal is higher than that, it covers all six district buildings and two alternate locations at Northside Elementary School. Olson said the difference will be made up by the new phone system coming in under budget.
Both the video surveillance and access controls proposals from IBS were approved unanimously Monday.