PORT TOWNSEND — Jefferson County is seeking to update its 10-year-old analog telephones with a new digital system.

The county issued a request for proposals for the telephone project through its Web site on Dec. 16 and has been waiting to see what responses come in.

So far, Allen Sartin, Jefferson County director of Central Services, said he has not received any bids.

The current county phone system is moving into its 11th year. When the phone system was first installed, a life span of 10 years was assigned to the system.

“The major concern is we’ll reach a point when we won’t have support,” said Sartin.

“I don’t want to be in that position.”

Maintenance concerns

With technological advancements occurring at increasingly rapid rates, Sartin said there is a real risk of companies refusing to perform maintenance work on phone systems that are too outdated if an issue were to arise.

In August, the county replaced its voice mail system for that very reason.