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Emergency management cites radio, tower and shelter infrastructure needs; proposes radio conversion to save millions
Summary
Emergency management and 911 staff told commissioners the department held its general‑fund base flat while outlining tower HVAC needs, a proposed conversion of non‑first‑responder radios to cellular that could save $3‑$4 million, and persistent animal‑shelter capacity and HVAC challenges.
Alan Harris, director of Emergency Management, presented the department’s FY26 budget and identified technology and shelter infrastructure as priorities.
Harris said the department’s total FY26 budget request is $13.8 million, about 75% from the general fund and 25% from special‑revenue funds that include the county’s E‑911 and animal services programs. The general‑fund base excluding E‑911 is held flat at $3.3 million in the proposed package, he said.
Harris and staff described capital needs to maintain the county’s emergency radio infrastructure: a request included roughly $270,000 for HVAC replacements at three radio tower sites and roughly $1 million for E‑911 technology projects. He also flagged a long‑term need to replace an Oviedo tower the county does not own and to add interference‑scanning capability to locate sources of radio interference in new or renovated buildings.
A major operational proposal Harris described was converting non‑first‑responder personnel (for example, public works and parks staff who do not need mission‑critical radios) from expensive portable radios to cellular devices. Harris said a portable first‑responder radio can cost $10,000–$16,000 and that moving lower‑need users to a cellular solution could save the county an estimated $3–$4 million over the next few years.
Animal services and shelter operations were another focus. Harris said the county’s shelter is operating at high capacity and cited recurring ventilation and HVAC concerns that worsen during hotter seasons; staff described temporary solutions that could cost in the low hundreds of thousands and noted that a permanent electrical and HVAC solution for kennel buildings could be a multi‑million‑dollar project.
Harris said the department is pursuing ways to increase shelter revenues and reduce operating costs, including a dog enrichment yard that could generate program income, bulk commodity pet‑food purchasing and adoption‑photo fundraising. He also summarized enhanced cybersecurity work at 911 centers and tower sites.
What’s next: Emergency management staff said they will return with more precise capital timing and cost estimates for tower HVAC work, the Oviedo tower solution and the planned radio conversions so the board can evaluate options in the FY26 budget.
