Augusta County wants to replace employee cell phones?

Augusta County supervisors are spending money as if we were in fantastic economic times even though thousands of residents protested increased real estate assessments earlier this year.

Now Augusta Conservative reports on what appears to be the supervisors' next expendature: replace of government employee cell phones. David wrote:

The Augusta County Government center issued a request for sealed proposals for new cell phones and services for government employees.

Currently the County of Augusta employs 400 full time and part time employees, they have 250 active cell phones, and the county employees’ average 50,250 minutes of total wireless usage per month. The proposal request asks for a replacement of these phones with new ones that have GPS, internet access, access to email, Bluetooth, must come with a belt clip, and other options for Blackberry phones.

Specifications are requested to be tailored to the Blackberry 8300 Series or higher, pictured above. Where are we getting the money for this?

Proposals are due by July 9th, with a vote of approval by the Augusta County Board of Supervisors on July 22nd, and finalization on August 1st.

The Government Center just laid off 18 employees due to budget cuts and, yet, supervisors continue to spend, spend, spend.

Wednesday, July 22, at 7 pm at the Government Center ... residents may want to attend the Board of Supervisors meeting to hear what the supervisors have to say about replacing hundreds of cell phones at taxpayer expense.