County approves six‑year Motorola maintenance contract for new P25 radio system but flags 9‑1‑1 funding risk

The Cumberland County Board of Commissioners approved a six‑year maintenance and service agreement with Motorola on Aug. 21 to support the county’s forthcoming P25 public‑safety radio system. Public safety officials described the contract as a regional effort with Adams, Dauphin and Franklin counties to reduce per‑county costs. The total contract value for the region is $6,898,746 for six years of services beginning about one year after the system’s planned go‑live date; the county expects the agreement to cover system monitoring, 24/7 remote technical support, hardware repair and replacement, cyber monitoring, annual preventive maintenance and on‑site responses at 19 tower locations and the communications center. County staff said the regional cooperative purchasing reduced initial maintenance estimates and that roughly $381,000 of the maintenance cost is eligible for a 15% interoperability funding credit under the P25 program, bringing the county’s annual maintenance obligation closer to about $1 million per year instead of earlier estimates near $1.9 million. Commissioners and the public‑safety team emphasized the project is a federally aligned equipment standard and not a locally chosen upgrade. Commissioners raised a financial caveat: the maintenance and remaining capital will depend on the availability of state 9‑1‑1 uniform fund revenues. County staff told the board that the state’s 9‑1‑1 uniform funding is scheduled to expire in January and that renewal or reauthorization will materially affect the county’s ability to cover the project’s ongoing costs. Officials warned that without state subsidy the county could face a multiyear shortfall; one commissioner noted a potential $6 million exposure if the statewide funding is not renewed. Why it matters: The P25 upgrade provides standardized, interoperable radio communications for public‑safety agencies across jurisdictions. The maintenance contract secures long‑term vendor support, but county officials said the recurring cost is significant and tied to state funding decisions. What’s next: The county will coordinate with the regional partners on contract administration. Commissioners said they will monitor the state 9‑1‑1 funding reauthorization process and engage local legislative representatives about the funding timeline and levels.