EMA seeks competitive quotes after vendor proposes ~$34,000 service contract for siren network

The county’s emergency management coordinator, Mike Snyder, told commissioners that tower work and siren reprogramming was complete but that testing identified two nonfunctional sirens. The vendor that performed the reprogramming followed with a proposal that, when totaled across equipment and service, reached about $34,000 for a multi-year contract.

Snyder said the figure appeared high compared with the prior annual contract, which commissioners noted had been about $2,200. Snyder said he has contacted other counties and will solicit additional quotes because the siren equipment varies by manufacturer and not every contractor can service all models. Snyder added that he expected to have more detailed vendor quotes by the next meeting.

Commissioners emphasized that the siren system covers the entire county — Snyder said the network includes 17 sirens — and that the county must ensure redundancy and reliable service. The meeting record includes a discussion of individual repair items raised by the vendor: for example, a single driver replacement was quoted around $1,500 with additional battery costs reported separately. No contract award was made at the meeting; Snyder will return with multiple quotes and greater cost breakdowns for commissioner consideration.