Black Hawk County supervisors heard detailed discussion on October 21 about replacing the county’s aging public-safety radio system, including a preliminary estimate that the full upgrade could approach $20 million and that a multi-year financing plan is possible.

The discussion began during a work-session item about a consolidated communications center and continued in general reports, where staff and emergency-management partners described options, timeline and likely costs. The board directed staff to convene a subcommittee and to seek more detailed financing documents and presentations before any formal commitment.

County staff said the existing radio system is nearing the end of its 10–12 year life cycle and that planning now would avoid an urgent replacement later. “They gave us a couple different options... when you combine the annual maintenance, if we were to pay all upfront with everything that we needed, the radios, the upgrades on the towers, everything, you'll get it almost $20,000,000,” a county staff member reported. Another staff member said the vendor had offered a financing-like schedule that would start at roughly $1.7 million the first year and escalate over a 10-year period.

Why it matters: the county’s radio infrastructure supports police, fire, sheriff’s dispatch consoles and other public-safety users; officials said an outdated system could jeopardize interoperability or require emergency workaround measures. County staff emphasized that replacement is a multi-component program: new portable and mobile radios, tower and site upgrades, dispatch consoles and an annual maintenance package.

County officials and staff described work already under way: an EMA (Emergency Management Agency) letter of intent tied to regional projects, early conversations with vendor Raycom and a plan to bring a presentation to the full board in the coming months so all supervisors have the same information. “We’re not in a dire situation where I need this by July 1 or we’re done, but we’re definitely at a point where we have to start looking at it,” a county official said.

Board members raised financing and equity questions and asked for detailed cost breakdowns before formal action. One supervisor noted the county can use bonding for communications equipment under Iowa code but asked staff to show how any debt-service levy would be apportioned. Staff said debt service would be spread across taxable value, not by parcel count, and that further analysis would be provided.

Next steps: supervisors agreed to have staff and the subcommittee gather financing options, vendor proposals and copies of lease/financing documents for review. Staff said any actual procurement or bonding decision would return to the board after additional study.