9-1-1 staff outline CAD, telephone and console replacement needs; quotes total several hundred thousand dollars

County 9-1-1 personnel warned the board that dispatch servers, telephone gateways and radio-console hardware installed more than a decade ago are approaching end-of-life and need replacement to remain NextGen-compatible.

Brandon and 9-1-1 staff explained the four critical components in the center: the CAD (computer-aided dispatch) database, the radio interface/console, the telephone 9-1-1 console/gateways and the recording system. Soft quotes provided during the meeting included a CAD and telephone upgrade package near $474,145 (with discounts for existing customers) plus a separate set of radio-console options: a Harris-based console package quoted at roughly $639,000 for six positions and an alternative Telex system quoted at about $301,000. Staff noted Motorola-supplied radio components are out of warranty and end-of-life, and parts are increasingly unavailable.

Staff also requested a review of pay for dispatch personnel and asked for nine new or replacement ergonomic dispatch chairs that would cost roughly $2,200 each; they estimated an annual wage-increase package near $62,000 to bring pay more competitive with neighboring agencies. Commissioners asked staff to supply vendor bids and to explain ongoing maintenance and support costs for each option. No procurement decisions were made at the work session.

Commissioners instructed 9-1-1 and finance to return with firm vendor quotes, expected maintenance (annual) costs and a staffing/wage impact analysis so the board could weigh capital and recurring support costs before finalizing the FY2026 budget.