FARMINGTON — Franklin County commissioners voted Tuesday to spend $16,749 to buy a battery backup system from Schneider Electric of Massachusetts and have it installed at the new dispatch center.

Peter Smith, director of Somerset County Technical Services, told commissioners that the system will keep dispatch computers and other equipment online if the power goes and before the generator kicks in.

It takes a minute or two when the power goes out for the generator to kick in if there is an emergency, he said. This backup system will keep everything running, including the 911 emergency equipment, for 20 minutes during a failure or until the generator comes on, Smith said.

Commissioners and Smith had discussed a system in the spring.

In other business, commissioners approved the transfer of corrections officer Walter Fails of New Sharon to be the new transport officer to work under Cpl. Phillip “Phil” Richards.

That opens up a corrections officer position at the jail. The position has been posted and being advertised in the newspapers.

Commissioners also agreed to move corrections officer Christian LaMontagne of Skowhegan up to pay level seven. He has been employed at the jail for a year, jail Manager Doug Blauvelt told commissioners.

dperry@sunjournal.com