Motorola warns county of rising radio maintenance and replacement costs; commissioners ask staff for alternatives
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Summary
Motorola representative and county staff discussed an estimated multi-year maintenance and equipment replacement need for the county—s public-safety radio network, with staff asking Motorola and the county—s communications director to return with options within 30 days.
Rob Richardson, an area sales manager for Motorola Solutions, told Columbia County commissioners that the county—s public-safety radio system will require significant capital investment over the coming decade if the county keeps the current network configuration. Richardson said the radio equipment installed with the county—s six towers in 2016— 2017 has components becoming obsolete and that a multi-year plan will be needed to replace repeaters and other base-station equipment. "At some point we're gonna need to replace the tires…we have to replace some of this equipment," Richardson said. County communications staff and a county official had earlier estimated a broad annualized maintenance and refresh figure; Richardson cautioned that lower-cost alternatives such as joining other systems or subscription models carry trade-offs in local coverage and control. "If you go to the state and you say, 'I want what we've got today,' they are not going to give those tower sites away," he said, warning of potential hidden costs if the county seeks lower prices but expects the same coverage. Why it matters: county public-safety radios are essential for deputies, firefighters and 911 communications. Staff and commissioners expressed surprise at the scale of projected costs and asked for a concerted staff report and alternatives analysis before committing additional budget dollars. What commissioners asked: Commissioners requested that Motorola, county communications staff and management prepare a follow-up presentation that compares options including extended-service agreements, staged capital replacement, lease/financing options, and alternatives such as state or shared systems. A commissioner asked for a reasonable timeframe; multiple commissioners asked for the follow-up within roughly 30 days so the county can consider the item during budget development. Staff direction and next steps: County staff and the Motorola representative agreed to return with a concrete plan, estimates and alternatives. "If you'll give me a holler tomorrow, we'll put a plan together. We'll be back here to see you," a commissioner said; the board gave consensus to have staff report back quickly. Ending: No procurement or contract was approved at the workshop. Commissioners asked staff to return with a comparative analysis of options, costs, coverage implications and potential financing structures before the board makes any budgetary decision.
