City Hall Phones to Get Backup Power System
After learning that a simple car accident could cripple City Hall for a full day, the City Council decided this week to buy a $5,000 battery backup system for phones.
City Manager Terry Matz was asked to look into emergency backup equipment in response to a Jan. 9 car crash that knocked out power for seven hours.
City Hall was crippled because its phone system requires electricity.
On Tuesday, Matz told the council it would cost between $5,000 and $100,000 to fix the problem.
Council members briefly pondered spending $100,000 on a diesel generator system that would provide full power to all of City Hall in a disaster.
But the council instead opted for a battery system that will keep phones working for several hours during a power outage.
Matz is looking into less expensive generators to provide limited electrical power to City Hall during a disaster.
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