The Farmersville City Council, after performing a brief routine of parliamentary gymnastics, has agreed to allow City Manager Ben White to spend no more than $186,022 to renovate the city’s internet service.

White will work with the Fulcrum Group to purchase hardware and software. Fulcrum then will undertake the task of installing the equipment to bring the city’s internet capability up to date. The council agreed to the arrangement at its June 28 regular meeting.

Council had approved a motion to allocate the funds “not to exceed” the amount that White said the city budgeted for the project. Then, during discussion on the next item on its agenda, councilmembers received advice from City Attorney Alan Lathrom to repeal the earlier motion and group the expense of hardware and software with a subsequent motion to include the labor costs that Fulcrum would require.

“The $186,000 limit I am placing is all the money we have to spend on it,” White told council.

The improvements, he said, will “replace aging equipment that is no longer under warranty.” The city manager indicated previously that the problem is most acute within the police department. White said that “all the quotes” he had received from vendors do not exceed $186,022” and he added that the expense could fall short of that amount.

For the full story, see the July 7 issue of The Farmersville Times.