During a recent government meeting, local business owner Mitch Pierce raised urgent concerns regarding the malfunctioning phone system at the Morgan County Jail, which has been out of service for over two months. This disruption has severely impacted communication for bail bondsmen and the general public, who rely on the jail for critical information regarding inmates.

Pierce highlighted that calls to the jail are either disconnected or result in voicemails indicating that staff members are unavailable. This has forced individuals to contact dispatch for information, creating a bottleneck in emergency services. He emphasized that the inability to reach the jail has not only hindered his business operations but has also complicated matters for families trying to inquire about their loved ones.

The meeting revealed that jail staff, including nurses, have resorted to using personal cell phones to communicate with doctors about inmate care, raising concerns about privacy and security breaches. Pierce urged the county to provide dedicated cell phones for jail staff to alleviate the communication crisis until the phone system is fully operational.

Commander Rogers confirmed the ongoing issues with the phone system, attributing the delays to complications with the phone service provider, Nimbo, and the transfer of numbers from AT&T. While some progress has been made, including the establishment of outgoing call capabilities, incoming calls to the facility remain problematic.

The discussion underscored the urgent need for a solution, as the current situation is described as an emergency affecting not only business operations but also the efficiency of law enforcement and public safety communications. The county officials are expected to continue working on resolving the phone system issues, with hopes of restoring full functionality soon.