PHILLIPSTON — When Town Administrative Assistant Kevin Flynn answered the phone during a recent Selectboard meeting, he had to put the caller on hold and excuse himself so he could deliver the telephone to the assessor’s office. There was no way to transfer the call.
But the days of walking from one municipal office to another to hand off a cordless phone to the intended recipient will soon be a thing of the past.
Flynn reported to the Selectboard that change is coming because a $49,000 Community Compact IT Grant has been awarded to the town.
“The funds will be used to improve internet and phone service and connect Town Hall with the library and annex, police, fire and highway departments,” Flynn said. He said there will be one computer system used by all.
He said currently there is no way to transfer calls to different offices in Town Hall. That’s why the phone must be carried from person to person.
The current computer “server” is a thumb drive that is shared among the departments, including selectmen, the town clerk, assessors and the town accountant.
A meeting will be set up with the Department of Revenue, which will come out to the town, assess the situation and “tell us what we need to do, what to prioritize,” said Flynn. “They will help us get started.”
He noted that the DOR may recommend the town use WiFi, rather than try to run cables through the old buildings. WiFi is currently in use at the Town Hall, but has limited capabilities. Cloud storage is something that will be explored, as well.
“The new system will be more streamlined, more up to date,” said Flynn. “It is presently unclear how far the grant money will go and what exactly it can be used for in terms of equipment or services. We are reaching out to the DOR for guidance.”