Grand Island reviews FY2026 emergency management budget; radio system project nearing completion

At the Grand Island City Council meeting on July 22, 2025, a representative identified in the meeting as Mr. Rosenland presented the city’s proposed fiscal year 2026 emergency management budget, outlining personnel costs, planned equipment purchases and the status of a multi-million-dollar radio upgrade.

Rosenland told the council that personnel comprise about 85 to 90 percent of the emergency management department’s budget and that there are no proposed changes to full-time equivalents for FY2026. He said operating expenses increase about 1 percent overall and highlighted a new evaluation tool, Comms Coach, as a notable addition to the operating budget.

Rosenland updated the council on the radio project, which he described as “proceeding well.” He said nearly all equipment has arrived and is “actually downstairs waiting for install.” He reported the city paid a second invoice equal to 60 percent of a roughly $3,000,000 total (about $1,800,000) and said that “that leaves only about $450,000” remaining on the project account for equipment and final acceptance costs. Rosenland noted the project is funded largely by a federal grant that covers about 75 percent of the total and that the city and county are splitting the required 25 percent match.

Other line items Rosenland identified included a $10,000 budget request for a drone to speed aerial damage assessment, $12,000 to replace UPS batteries that back up 911 and radio infrastructure, and funding to replace end-of-life PCs in the emergency operations center. He also said the department is upgrading the Emergency Management Building’s camera and security system to integrate with the citywide alarm and camera system.

Rosenland described continuing use of the city’s UHF radio network for county fire departments owing to the expense of mobile and handheld units on the statewide 800-megahertz system. He reported that one missing radio component is being shipped from Israel and that the project’s remaining installation and acceptance work will be completed in coming months.

Why it matters: The radio-system upgrade and continuing investments in emergency-management equipment are central to Grand Island’s emergency response capacity, including responses to recent flooding and storm events. Council members asked clarifying questions during the presentation but took no formal vote on the budget at the meeting.

What’s next: Rosenland and city staff will continue project work on the radio system and incorporate final costs into the city’s budget process for council consideration.