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Linn County road crews test cellular push‑to‑talk radios; department seeks $11,000 for rollout and to avoid $8,000–$10,000 repeater work
Summary
Public works staff reported a months‑long pilot of FirstNet‑capable cellular push‑to‑talk devices that would replace aging analog repeaters and reduce monthly data costs; staff estimated a roughly $11,000 one‑time purchase with monthly service dropping from $19 to $7 per device and said they will return with a firm cost next week.
Public works staff told the commission that trial units of a cellular push‑to‑talk device performed well in areas where conventional radio coverage has been weakest and recommended a countywide rollout that would cost about $11,000 to equip crews.
The staff member presenting the item said the devices cost $395 apiece with a $220 charging station available and a monthly service charge of about $7 per unit; the county is currently spending roughly $19 per month for tablets used in the field. "The cost of of these, they're $395 each. Our monthly service for these is right about $7 each," the presenter said.
Why it matters: public works staff explained that the county's analog repeater at the K‑7 public works site was installed in 2003 and will eventually fail; a like‑for‑like repeater replacement with licensing and installation would cost an estimated $8,000–$10,000. Staff said the new devices operate over Verizon FirstNet and could reuse existing antenna/coax for emergency services, eliminating the need to replace the repeater and producing a return on investment in under three years by lowering monthly recurring fees.
Staff said crew members liked the trial units and that the devices work offline and support accessories such as headsets. Public works also proposed keeping tablets for data entry and moving their connectivity to shop Wi‑Fi to realize the monthly savings.
Next steps: commissioners asked for a detailed budget and a final cost estimate. Staff said they would return next week with a firm figure and placed the item on the agenda for a formal decision. No purchase was approved at the July 21 meeting.
