Miami County systems administrator asks commissioners to replace decade‑old Surface Pros for $14,494

Thomas Toler, Miami County systems administrator, asked the Board of County Commissioners at its study session to approve replacement of aging Surface Pro devices used across county offices.

"They're 10 years old," Toler said, saying the devices do not support current security standards and that new Surface laptops with monitors would allow the county to enable modern Wi‑Fi features and reduce recurring cable costs. He told commissioners the purchase price excluding tax is $14,494.30 and that the quoted price on the packet included tax at $15,829.

Toler said the upgrade would standardize connections (moving from more expensive proprietary cabling to HDMI) and that the devices are long‑lived, estimating another 10 years of service for modern units. Commissioners asked whether the tablet used in commission meetings would be replaced under this request; Toler said the commission room tablet is part of a larger, separate project and is newer (Surface Pro 7 vs. older units) and not covered by this purchase.

The commission did not take a final vote in the study session; staff said the item would appear on the afternoon agenda for formal consideration.