Politics & Government

Township to Seek Upgrade of Internal Phone System

The business administrator says the move will save money by weeding out unnecessary lines.

The Township Council is expected to vote Monday night on whether to authorize publication of a request for proposals (RFP) for an upgrade to the township's internal telephone system.

The RFP would also seek to move the township to a new phone service provider.

The township's contract with service provider Line Systems Inc., which acquired the company with which the township had initially come to a contract agreement, Magellan Hill Technologies LLC, in November, expired last fall, according to Business Administrator Tom Cardis.

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The township has been working on a month-to-month contract with Line Systems ever since. Council previously approved an RFP for a provider.

"The intent here is to combine the replacement of the carrier service with a new phone system," Cardis said.

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Cardis requested the RFP at Monday's Council work session. Council agreed to move the RFP to its agenda for its next public meeting, which is scheduled for this Monday.

By combining the two RFPs into one, the phone system upgrade's cost could be paid off piecemeal through monthly bills for the phone service, Cardis told Council.

"I expect that our bills will go down even with the phone system being a part of the contract," Cardis said.

The business administrator told Council he estimates the phone system upgrade, if paid for separately, would cost $75,000 to $80,000.

The system upgrade would take place across the township's various departments and would result in a handful of unnecessary phone and internet service lines being disconnected.


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