Board approves county share for regional radio upgrade to address coverage gaps

The Montgomery County Board of Supervisors voted unanimously March 24 to support the New River Valley Emergency Communications Regional Authority’s radio infrastructure project, approving the county’s contribution and authorizing an appropriation that county staff said could be up to $10 million.

County Administrator Angie Hill told supervisors the county is a member of the regional authority, which includes the towns of Blacksburg and Christiansburg and Virginia Tech, and said some participating members chose to cash-fund their portions to avoid interest costs on debt. Hill said the county’s portion may be less than $10 million; the appropriation was structured so any unused amount would roll back into the general fund.

“Some areas of the county do not have radio service at this time,” Hill said during the public hearing earlier in the evening. She added that the project includes both new infrastructure — including towers in previously unserved locations — and equipment purchases; the authority also expects the contract award to be finalized in the coming weeks. The county administration identified an estimated ongoing maintenance cost for Montgomery County of about $250,000 per year after the first year.

Jason Milburn, executive director of the NRV 9-1-1 authority, previously briefed the board on how the project would support public safety agencies across the region by converting legacy analog systems to a digital system and by adding tower coverage in gaps.

A resident who spoke during the public hearing, Chris Waltz, opposed the project on grounds of maintenance and preventive-repair practices, arguing that preventive maintenance on existing radios was not being performed and expressing skepticism that new infrastructure alone would resolve operational problems. “If you would have them actually do the work that they should be doing, preventive maintenance, you wouldn't have this,” Waltz said.

Supervisors pressed county staff on longer-term operating costs and contract terms. Hill said the authority will issue some debt and that parts of the project will be debt-funded, but that members who prefer to cash-fund can do so; she also said the detailed maintenance and multi-year operating costs are items being finalized in contract negotiations with the authority.

The board voted in favor of the project on a unanimous roll call. The county administration said the project is expected to be completed in October 2027 and that the contract award should be finalized in the next few weeks.

The approval authorizes county staff and board leadership to proceed with the appropriation and required agreements with the regional authority. County officials said they will return to the board with additional contract details and final cost breakdowns as negotiations conclude.