Dubois County Approves Backup Power Maintenance, Protects 911 Service

At a Dec. 1 meeting, Dubois County commissioners moved to approve a maintenance agreement for uninterruptible power supply units that back up the county 911 call system and the sheriff's office. The approval was contingent on formal appropriation from the county council, and commissioners said they favored the contract to reduce the risk of service interruptions.

Stuart Wilson, director of Dubois County 911, described the operational role of the UPS units and why upkeep is essential. "The units were placed when the original build happened... They have performed flawlessly," Wilson said. He explained that a UPS holds operations while a generator starts, and that without the UPS restoring all IT systems could take several minutes to 10 minutes, a significant interruption for emergency communications.

Wilson said he sought competing bids but ultimately negotiated with the manufacturer recommended vendor to lower costs and secure concessions. The vendor agreed to reduce the price by roughly 20 percent and to waive an initial inspection fee. County funding was requested for both departments totaling about $7,019, which breaks down to approximately $3,509 per unit. Wilson told commissioners the agreement should be signed once the council approves the appropriation.

Commissioners discussed the risks of deferring maintenance, weighing cost concerns against potential interruptions to 911 call delivery and jail access control. Several members said the threat to emergency communications and the county jail's access systems made contracting for upkeep the prudent choice. The board approved the agreement with vendor CM Buck by voice vote, subject to the county council releasing funds.

For residents, the decision preserves a layer of protection for emergency response infrastructure that could otherwise face multi minute delays during power transitions. The county will return to finalize the signing of the maintenance contract after the council completes its budgetary review and appropriates the requested funds. The contingent approval keeps the procurement on track while maintaining the council's fiscal oversight role.