July 23, 2014 at 2:10 p.m.
Phone billing causes headaches for county (02/20/07)
Jay County Commissioners
By By MARY ANN LEWIS-
A recent name change by a local telephone service provider has created billing problems at the Jay County Courthouse.
While it was supposed to involve only a name change, auditor Freda Corwin told Jay County Commissioners Milo Miller Jr., Gary Theurer, and Faron Parr today that Embarq's computer software is not compatible with Sprint's and separate billing for each office in the courthouse cannot now be done.
Corwin explained that her office receives one phone bill each month from Embarq and from that bill, individual department bills are then dispersed. The software program was installed in May 2000, Corwin said, as a cost-cutting move. "We've saved a lot of money by splitting our bills," Corwin said.
Since December 2006, that process has not been workable and her office has paid the total bill from commissioners' funds.
Sprint was renamed Embarq in 2006.
She said Steve Searles, a sales representative for Embarq, has said an upgrade that would again allow her office to provide individual bills could be installed at a cost of $4,158.98.
"It looks like it's their fault," Miller said of the problem.
"If they're at fault why are we paying for this?" Theurer questioned.
Separate department billing allows courthouse employees to be billed and pay for private long-distance calls.
After discussing the current situation, commissioners agreed to have Searles meet with them to further explain the upgrade.
Additionally today, Corwin said that she had been asked by some department heads how courthouse employees should be paid for one and one-half days the courthouse was closed during last week's snow storm.
She said the county personnel policy state that if the courthouse is ordered closed, those employees will receive their regular pay for up to three days. "It's right here in the ordinance," she said.
Surveyor Brad Daniels had also raised the question since his ditch crew are not considered courthouse employees and some did not assist with the snow clean-up that followed the storm.
"That's Brad's call," Theurer said. "It's his office and it's his budget."
Miller suggested that to get paid, those employees could also take personal or vacation days.
Additionally today, county engineer Dan Watson said that a railroad overpass on county road 450 in Jefferson Township is set to be demolished next week.
Watson said Baker-Shultz of Decatur is expected to handle the project.
Of last week's snow storm, Watson praised the efforts of the county workers.
"We only had one accident," he said, "when Junior Norris was plowing out the annex on West Arch Street and he backed into somebody."
The annex includes the offices of the Jay County Health Department and the Jay County office of the Purdue University Cooperative Extension Service.[[In-content Ad]]
While it was supposed to involve only a name change, auditor Freda Corwin told Jay County Commissioners Milo Miller Jr., Gary Theurer, and Faron Parr today that Embarq's computer software is not compatible with Sprint's and separate billing for each office in the courthouse cannot now be done.
Corwin explained that her office receives one phone bill each month from Embarq and from that bill, individual department bills are then dispersed. The software program was installed in May 2000, Corwin said, as a cost-cutting move. "We've saved a lot of money by splitting our bills," Corwin said.
Since December 2006, that process has not been workable and her office has paid the total bill from commissioners' funds.
Sprint was renamed Embarq in 2006.
She said Steve Searles, a sales representative for Embarq, has said an upgrade that would again allow her office to provide individual bills could be installed at a cost of $4,158.98.
"It looks like it's their fault," Miller said of the problem.
"If they're at fault why are we paying for this?" Theurer questioned.
Separate department billing allows courthouse employees to be billed and pay for private long-distance calls.
After discussing the current situation, commissioners agreed to have Searles meet with them to further explain the upgrade.
Additionally today, Corwin said that she had been asked by some department heads how courthouse employees should be paid for one and one-half days the courthouse was closed during last week's snow storm.
She said the county personnel policy state that if the courthouse is ordered closed, those employees will receive their regular pay for up to three days. "It's right here in the ordinance," she said.
Surveyor Brad Daniels had also raised the question since his ditch crew are not considered courthouse employees and some did not assist with the snow clean-up that followed the storm.
"That's Brad's call," Theurer said. "It's his office and it's his budget."
Miller suggested that to get paid, those employees could also take personal or vacation days.
Additionally today, county engineer Dan Watson said that a railroad overpass on county road 450 in Jefferson Township is set to be demolished next week.
Watson said Baker-Shultz of Decatur is expected to handle the project.
Of last week's snow storm, Watson praised the efforts of the county workers.
"We only had one accident," he said, "when Junior Norris was plowing out the annex on West Arch Street and he backed into somebody."
The annex includes the offices of the Jay County Health Department and the Jay County office of the Purdue University Cooperative Extension Service.[[In-content Ad]]
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