New Randall copier satisfies supervisor’s national security concerns

Photo by Marcin Barłowski via stock.xchng

Photo by Marcin Barłowski via stock.xchng

What started as a seemingly routine renewing of a lease for a copier in July instead turned into  a process that resulted in a significant upgrade in technology for Randall officials and staff, adding color, networking and eliminating old equipment.

But perhaps most important to Supervisor Robert Gerhing, the new deal, which he researched, also will mean doing business with a copier manufacturer with a clean national security record.

In July, Supervisor Robert Gehring objected to the town leasing a Toshiba copier because of “questions of security” involving the company and Soviet Union submarines. He was referring to a 1987 incident involving a Toshiba subsidiary making an illegal sale of equipment used on submarines to the Soviet Union.

Gehring agree to research alternatives to the Toshiba deal. Thursday night he presented his results from six different vendors.

After some discussion the board settled on a Ricoh color copier that can also serve as a fax machine, a network printer and a scanner.

Gerhing initially said he favored a different bid that would be about $99 per month. The Toshiba model carried a $131 monthly cost. Both those machines were single function black and white copiers.

Chairman Bob Stoll advocated considering a higher tech machine to keep up with current ways documents such as maps are delivered, to replace older technology the town is currently using and perhaps to make more room in the town offices by replacing other equipment.

“It might free up some real estate in that tight office,” Stoll said.

The copier lease unanimousily approved Thursday night was for $122 per month. It is with Woodstock, Ill.-based Stan’s Office Technologies. The monthly fee includes service and two hours of set-up time.

Stoll asked Gehring if he had any similar national security concerns about Ricoh. Gehring indicated he did not.

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