Board reviews tests of a new electronic‑monitoring device, authorizes executive committee to decide after trials

Staff reported ongoing testing of a new electronic‑monitoring vendor and a companion continuous remote‑monitoring device. Early results showed improved accuracy but flagged battery life and signal loss in some locations; staff emphasized the need to ensure the device replicates the current alerting and scheduling functionality before committing to a switch.

Staff said the vendor offered a state contract with a per‑unit price reportedly about $0.65 less than the county's current provider, which could yield savings if the county adopted the contract. Board members noted the practical importance of battery life and reliable alerts, and a member suggested authorizing the executive committee to finalize procurement after testing is complete. The board agreed and the executive committee was authorized to proceed based on test results.

Why it matters: electronic monitoring is operationally critical to supervision and public safety; any vendor change affects staff workflows, arrest/violation alerts, and costs.

Details and next steps: staff will complete testing (expected within one to two weeks), evaluate battery‑life and signal performance, and report back to the executive committee, which will be empowered to make a procurement decision without returning to the full advisory board if tests meet operational requirements.