Commissioners authorize $3.32 million community-project application for Seacoast emergency radio network

Rockingham County commissioners authorized staff to apply for fiscal year 2026 community project funding up to $3,316,854.60 to build out an emergency-response and security radio network covering about 13 miles of the Seacoast and linked dispatch coverage.

County finance staff said Representative Pazda’s office contacted them about the opportunity and that the grant application would request funding for towers, antennas (the staff referenced a 100-foot antenna as an example), and equipment to tie local dispatch to state backup systems. Sheriff’s office representatives described coverage gaps on the Seacoast and said the proposed infrastructure would improve communications for both small and large scale incidents.

Board members emphasized that the project would be contingent on federal/congressional funding: staff said the county would not purchase equipment until the grant converted to an award (the county expects a typical timeline of up to 18 months for congressionally directed spending to be converted to an executable grant). Commissioners approved the authorization to apply; staff noted that if awarded the grant could be converted into other state grant mechanisms for final implementation.

Why it matters: emergency communications infrastructure affects public-safety responders and the public across multiple municipalities in the Seacoast region. The project would expand radio coverage and aim to integrate local dispatch with state systems for redundancy.

What’s next: the finance office and sheriff’s office will prepare and submit the grant application; county staff indicated Motorola and other vendors may supply equipment if the award is approved and that the county will be careful not to obligate county funds until the grant is secured.