Published: July 07, 2009 11:54 pm      

Weather alert system again under review

Residents could be alerted via e-mail or text message

RUSSIAVILLE — With the decision last month not to move forward with a telephone weather alert system, Howard County officials are now considering an e-mail system.

Nick Capozzoli, administrator of the Howard County dispatch center, told the county commissioners on Monday that Nixel provides e-mail and text messages to county residents that sign up for the program.

He said there is no charge to the county for the service, but residents who pay to receive text messages will be charged by their service provider.

Nixel develops software it markets to businesses, Capozzoli explained.

Capozzoli said dispatchers will post the messages for distribution and could include weather alerts, missing persons and community events.

He said the messages could be dispatched to certain regions.

Terry Tribby, director of Information Technology, said many major U.S. cities currently use the service.

The notification to those enrolling in the service would take place immediately, he said.

Tribby said the county would submit an online application to receive the service, and residents would enroll online.

He said the software will target messages for certain zones as determined by local officials.

“The main difference in the two systems is that Nixel doesn’t make telephone calls,” Tribby said.

Sheriff Marty Talbert said Nixel was another tool that could be used by county officials.

Capozzoli said guidelines would have to be established for the posting of messages.

Commissioners requested that Kokomo, Russiaville and Greentown officials be contacted to determine their interest in the system.

Last year, county commissioners approved a contract with Codespear to inform residents of severe weather warnings and other emergencies using telephones, cell phones and e-mail.

But the system was placed on hold in January when contract concerns surfaced.

The talks with Codespear were terminated when the company wouldn’t remove the county from any liability or reimburse the county for any claims resulting from the company’s negligence in alerting county residents.

The cost of installation and the first year’s service would have been $25,000, with each subsequent year having a base cost of $24,150.

It would have taken 1.3 hours for Codespear to notify all county residents.