The Marion County Board took another step forward Tuesday night in moving into the internet age.
The board approved spending $6,370 to purchase iPad computers for each board member and the board secretary to allow them to receive board materials and communicate through government e-mail addresses they will be provided.
Finance Committee Chair Dr. Creighton Engel says the purchase will tie into the county getting its own website.
“We are going to integrate this with XT Solutions for security. I think this will be all done in a very safe and as far as from a cybersecurity standpoint we should be in pretty good shape on this. The main thing we are wanting to do with the website, as well as the iPads, have some type of integrated communications between all the board members and also with the general public being able to access information and data.”
The board was warned to be careful about e-mail communications by board member and Centralia Police Sergeant Steve Whritenour who noted email contents are subject to freedom of information requests.
A member of the public Brock Waggoner who has been at odds with County Board Chair Debbie Smith over her responses to freedom of information requests expressed more concerns at the Tuesday night meeting. He questioned why the county had a person in charge of answering requests who did not have the state training.
In other action Tuesday night, the board vote to officially name the former Moose Lodge Building as the Marion County Records Annex. Engel, who also serves as a building committee chair, said he was still working on bids to clear mold problems at the records annex as well as to install a video security system.
The board reappointed Wayne Walker to the Board of Review for a two-year term and named Patrick Kyke to replace Resa Neff on the board. Neff earlier resigned.
The board also reappointed Nancy Lackey to the Marion County Housing Authority Board and named Kristyn Schaefer to replace Gertie Walker who had resigned from the board.
Personnel and Labor Relations Committee Chair Sharon Woodward announced the stalled contract talks with the Fraternal Order of Police at the Sheriff’s Department has gone to arbitration. She reported they are currently awaiting the arbitrator’s ruling.
