The Dunn County Judicial and Law Committee voted to adopt a resolution expressing the countys intention to join the state WISCOM 2 700/800 megahertz radio system and to apply for accompanying grant funding.

The resolution, introduced by Melissa (Emergency Management), authorizes staff to pursue the grant that is structured as an approximately 80% grant with a 20% local match. Melissa said the countys share for portables and in-car radios is "around that $124,000 or $125,000" to outfit deputies, first responders and some medical examiner radios. "So the Wiscom 2 is going to... increase the coverage from what we have now," she said, noting the state would host and maintain core equipment rather than the county.

County officials said the upgrade would improve coverage in dead zones and support interoperability with neighboring counties and smaller local fire/EMS agencies. The sheriff noted the vendor L3Harriss state contract includes discounts, and said without grant support the cost to outfit deputies could be about $10,000 each for a mobile and a portable. "If we had to pay full price for these radios and not get grant funded, they'd be about $5,000 per radio. That's mobile in the car and a portable on your hip. It'd be about $10,000... to outfit 1 deputy," the sheriff said.

Melissa described the alternative as rebuilding the countys legacy infrastructure, which would require more towers, repeaters and equipment and could cost counties tens of millions of dollars. She and other presenters said WISCOM 2 would also reduce county maintenance burdens because state technicians would maintain statewide repeaters and infrastructure.

The committee briefly discussed including smaller local fire and EMS agencies in the countys grant application and noted a grant application deadline on Jan. 31 for the first opportunity. Committee members moved and seconded the resolution; the motion passed with all voting "Aye." No individual roll-call tally was recorded in the transcript.

Officials said the county will retain legacy frequencies as a backup during transition and continue work to determine which local partner agencies will be included in the countys application.

The resolution directs staff to proceed with the grant application and return to the county board for required approvals as the project is formalized.