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Type B board directs staff to pursue two outdoor warning sirens
Summary
The Type B Board reviewed options and directed staff to obtain quotes and site analyses for two additional outdoor warning sirens to improve coverage in growing areas; estimates put each siren at roughly $40,000 not including electric hookup costs.
The Type B Board on a review-and-discuss item directed staff to obtain quotes and site analyses for two additional outdoor warning sirens to expand coverage as the city grows. Chief, who presented the plan, said the work began after “a citizen reached out to 1 of our council members asking some questions about the outdoor warning system.”
The chief told the board the vendor’s last quote (which had since expired) put one siren at “approximately $42,804, give or take a few thousand dollars depending on how it's installed. That does not include the electrical.” The presenter later summarized the estimate as “roughly gonna be about $40,000 for these, not including the electric.” He stressed that final costs depend on site-specific factors such as available land, easements, rights of way and electrical availability.
The sound-engineer maps the staff showed recommend the next siren at a north-side water tower to reach the largest additional population, with a second candidate site near Old Mansfield Road and another potential site close to the Shady Acres RV Park. The presenter said the north-side tower “would get us some coverage on the northern end of town.” He added that some sites contain old nonfunctional siren heads but that installation variables remain.
Board members asked about alternative siren types. The presenter said the company recommended using the same rotating-head units already deployed: “stick with what we got,” although larger systems are possible at higher cost. He also warned that electrical hookup could add materially to the total project cost, depending on whether power is immediately available at a chosen site.
During the discussion a board member moved and another seconded to direct staff to pursue two sirens and obtain detailed cost estimates and locations. The board’s stated direction was to return with hard numbers for a future vote and to hold the required public hearings before final approval.
Next steps: staff will gather bids and site-specific cost estimates — including electrical hookup costs and easement requirements — and return to the board with figures for formal consideration.
