DeKalb County committee approves $321,077 SPLOST purchase for 50 handheld radios

The DeKalb County Board of Commissioners’ IRPS (Employee Relations and Public Safety) Committee voted to approve use of SPLOST funds, not to exceed $321,077, to purchase handheld radio communications equipment for DeKalb County Fire & Rescue.

The action came during the committee meeting when Commissioner Ladina Bolton, chair of the IRPS Committee, introduced item 20,250,165, described as "approval of usage of SPLOST 1 funds in category 2 b. Repair fire station and related capital equipment for the purchase of radio communications equipment." Fire Chief (name not specified) told the committee, "These are handheld radios, and it will also be the accessories. And, we would be purchasing 50, of those radios." The chief said the radios would replace damaged units and supply new positions.

The resolution authorizes spending from SPLOST category 2b for the purchase; the committee recorded a voice vote in favor and the chair announced the motion passed. No named roll-call tally was recorded in the transcript.

Committee members asked whether warranties were included and how long the radios last. The Fire Chief said warranties are included in the quoted amount and estimated that "most of our radios last about 5 to 7 years, with proper care and maintenance." The chief also described field use, saying, "Each 1 of our apparatus has at least 4 radios. So, when firefighters are on duty, each firefighter carries a radio."

The committee did not record how many total radios the department currently owns; the chief said he was not sure of the exact fleet size but expected "hundreds." The purchase was described as covering both replacements and radios for newly created positions.

The item was introduced, discussed, and approved without amendment. The committee did not set any additional conditions in the transcript and directed no further staff work on the item at that meeting.

DeKalb County funds authorized as SPLOST (Special Purpose Local Option Sales Tax) category 2b were identified as the source for the purchase. The committee did not provide a procurement timeline in the meeting record.

Votes at a glance

- Item 20,250,165 — Approve use of SPLOST 1 category 2b funds for purchase of handheld radio communications equipment (50 radios), not to exceed $321,077 — Outcome: approved (voice vote).