Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Emergency Communications topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Richland County radio tower project nears civil completion; $3.8 million spent to date, phased agency switch planned
Summary
County staff reported progress across nine radio tower sites, with civil work projected complete by June 23, antenna installation and testing in late May–June and a phased transition for agencies beginning in July. The county reported about $3.8 million spent so far on the contract.
County staff gave the Richland County Board of Supervisors a status update on the countywide radio tower and public-safety radio system at the board meeting.
Why it matters: The multi-site radio project supports emergency and public-safety communications across the county. Officials said the rollout will be phased by agency to verify compatibility rather than switching the entire system at once.
What staff reported: Josh Elder, acting deputy county administrator, summarized site-by-site progress. He reported shelter construction and restoration work under way or finishing at multiple locations and listed the nine sites and statuses by name as presented to the board. Antenna and line installation work was described as staged in the county with equipment arriving; staff said antenna installation work could begin at any time with a goal of May 30. Testing and verification were projected between May 30 and June, and civil work at all nine sites was projected to be 100% complete by June 23.
Transition approach and schedule: Elder told the board the cutover will be staged: departments will move to the new system one at a time and confirm operation before the county shuts down that department’s old radio system. The county emphasized there will be no single “flip-the-switch” event; the transition will be verified department-by-department beginning in July.
Contract spending: Elder reported the contract amount spent to date at roughly $3,800,000 and noted significant bills remain as civil work concludes and final phases are completed.
Board questions and clarifications: Supervisor Woodhouse asked whether delays at the Yuba site would affect the overall schedule; staff responded that Yuba was the furthest behind but not expected to delay the target completion dates. Supervisor Kramer asked about whether the old tower at the Bunker Hill site would be removed; staff replied the old tower would likely remain.
Next steps: Staff will continue civil work, finish antenna and line installation, complete testing and begin phased agency transitions in July. The board was asked to monitor progress and budgets as final bills arrive.
