County weighs panic-button pilot and grant timing for courthouse safety

Grant County's IT director presented updated pricing and options April 6 for a countywide panic-button system, recommending a phased approach beginning with a courthouse pilot.

Mr. Elliott told commissioners the vendor quoted $9,900 for the first three years to outfit five county buildings, with an estimated $675 per building annually thereafter. He said the vendor could configure multiple prompts on each device (for example, an active-shooter prompt and a medical-emergency prompt) and that training and service costs were included in the proposal.

Commissioners discussed funding the project and whether to pilot installation at the courthouse first. "For the courthouse I had $11,189," one participant noted during the discussion of building-level quotes. Commissioners also considered applying for a security grant; Mr. Elliott said the county would need to wait for the grant cycle that opens in January 2027 and that timing makes this year's application unlikely.

No procurement motion was recorded at the April 6 meeting; commissioners asked staff to revisit the item in a public work session and to explore grant options for next year. Mr. Elliott said the vendor had refreshed quotes and removed duplicate training entries to reduce costs, and that after the three-year initial period the ongoing service fee would be substantially lower.

What happens next: commissioners asked that IT place the courthouse pilot and grant-seeking discussion on a future public work session agenda to refine priorities and funding sources.