Burnet County awards $695,000 jail security upgrade contract
STAFF WRITER JARED FIELDS
Burnet County commissioners awarded a jail security contract for $695,137 to Sydaptic Inc. during their regular meeting Jan. 23.
The contract was the winning bid out of six submitted to upgrade and replace existing security controls and equipment at the Burnet County Jail.
A committee appointed to review the bids determined the Sydaptic bid was the best, despite not being the lowest.
The very lowest bid was $541,000, while the highest was $944,525. The speed the system could be installed and the reduced estimated overtime cost led the committee to recommend the Sydaptic bid. The bid estimated the jail would operate under manual mode for seven days during the installation. The next competing bid estimated the jail would operate in manual mode for 54 days.
In its bid, Sydaptic Inc. offered a lifetime warranty for the jail.
“We want to make sure this is the last control system this county will ever need to purchase,” said Patrick Scott, president of Sydaptic Inc., during the meeting.
The software will be tailored to the county’s preference. The system will control jail operations, including 270 doors, 344 intercoms, 175 cameras, 52 TVs, 109 lights, and 59 inmate outlets, among other things.
Also related to the jail but discussed later in the meeting, the commissioners heard an update related to the partial federal government shutdown. Since Dec. 21, the county has not been reimbursed for the federal inmates housed at the jail.
Once the government is reopened, County Auditor Karen Hardin said the county will be paid for those days.
Other commissioners court meeting notes:
• Commissioners heard their first update from the county’s environmental crimes deputy Chris Cowan.
Cowan said he is working 36 felony illegal dumping cases.
“We’re trying to unite everybody to make sure that we have clean water for our kids and decent land left and it’s not a junk pile for the rest of the world to see,” Cowan said at the meeting.
Burnet County Judge James Oakley applauded Cowan’s efforts.
“If we did not address these issues, they would only get worse,” Oakley said. “They are not going to take care of themselves.”