FARMINGTON — Franklin County commissioners voted Tuesday to have the new communications director position posted in-house and advertised to the public.

They also voted to have Commissioner Fred Hardy of New Sharon serve on an application review committee. Hardy abstained from the vote.

The director will oversee the new dispatch center and dispatchers.

The deadline for applications is Oct. 22.

“We’d like to have that person on board in November,” Sheriff Scott Nichols Sr. said.

Hardy and a dispatch advisory committee will be involved in reviewing applications. Nichols said he already has a panel to conduct oral boards of recommended candidates.

It is expected that a candidate will be presented to commissioners in November.

Commissioners also voted to enter into an agreement with Oxford Networks for $22, 261 for fiber installation, networking equipment and installation. The proposal includes connecting the sheriff’s office, new dispatch center, jail and county courthouse together.

The agreement also calls for a monthly service fee of $500.

Commissioner Gary McGrane of Jay asked Somerset County Information Technology Director Smith if the work should go out to bid. Smith is overseeing setting up the technology systems for the county.

It would slow the process down, Smith said, adding that Oxford Networks currently is the county’s provider.

Using the current partners is going to leverage the county time to get the systems up before dispatchers move into the new center, he said. The company already knows what is going on and if the county had to explain it to another company it would take more time, he said.

It is expected that dispatchers will move into the new center in January 2014.

In a year or so, you could look at other options to see if you can get something to save money, Smith said.

County Clerk Julie Magoon said it looks to her like the county will have spent all of the bond money for the new dispatch center, $598,300, and will need to use money from the sheriff’s reserve account that is for improvements at the Sheriff’s Department buildings to finish.

Once all the financial figures are in, she said, she’ll know more about the cost of the projects.

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