Bannock County 9‑1‑1 budget rises 18% as department funds Flex/Spillman replacement, MPLS microwave work

Adam McKinney, who oversees both IT and emergency communications functions for Bannock County, told commissioners the emergency communications enterprise fund request carries an almost 18% increase driven by two one‑time capital projects and shifting maintenance costs.

McKinney identified the two large projects as: a Flex/Spillman replacement and associated server/hardware refresh (he cited a $315,000 purchase to replace and add redundancy), and an MPLS/microwave phase‑2 project necessary to maintain the county’s connection to the statewide radio system. He said the county used ARPA funds for phase 1 and that phase 2 would require additional funds; a vendor estimate presented earlier in discussions had been near $750,000, which McKinney said the county could not absorb outright.

On maintenance, McKinney said maintenance for the county’s Vesta system is currently covered at 100% by a $1,050,000 grant, but that the county’s share will grow over five years as the grant’s contribution steps down (100% this year, then 90%, 80%, 70%, 60%, then county responsibility thereafter). He told the commission that if the Idaho Public Safety Communications Commission (IPSCC) implements NextGen core services and brings other counties onto a consolidated platform, “that line item is gonna decrease by probably about 30%” because many over‑the‑top services (RapidSOS, iSpy, ERS and similar) are included in the NextGen core bundle.

McKinney described recurring costs the department pays on behalf of agencies and potential cost‑sharing options. He said 9‑1‑1 currently pays user radio fees and some agency service costs; for example, he cited estimated maintenance costs the county pays now for agencies he named as roughly $42,000 for the fire department and $25,000 for the ambulance district. He suggested the county might pursue shifting some of those costs back to agencies.

McKinney warned commissioners that, absent upgrades, the county could “feel the pinch” in October when the statewide master site moves and some T‑1 connected sites will be shut off; he said the MPLS upgrade is what replaces those T‑1 links. He also described vendor warnings about end‑of‑life timelines for radio consoles and repeaters, offering an estimated county‑level replacement cost of roughly $2.3 million for console replacements and up to $6 million including repeaters over a 4‑ to 5‑year period if the county follows Ada County’s full modernization path.

McKinney said staff are exploring alternatives — including an option to operate an independent county radio island or to join a multi‑county island — and are beginning vendor briefings so the commission will have options when the time comes. He said the department has discussed reserve funding and the potential for savings if IPSCC NextGen services proceed.

Commissioners and staff discussed reserve levels and possible agency cost‑sharing. No formal motions or votes were taken during the presentation; McKinney said the department would continue outreach to the 9‑1‑1 committee and vendors and return with options and cost estimates.