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County 911 director outlines $3.73 million radio upgrade tied to $3 million USDA allocation
Summary
Okanogan County Sheriff's Office briefed commissioners on a $3.73 million public‑safety radio upgrade supported by a $3 million congressional allocation administered through USDA; staff said the project will expand DOT sites, add GPS features and improve interoperability with federal agencies. No county action was required at the meeting.
Mike Wharton, radio/911 manager for the Okanogan County Sheriff's Office, told the Board of County Commissioners the county has applied for a USDA rural development grant and that Congress had allocated $3,000,000 in congressionally directed spending to be administered through USDA.
"Back in late '23 we had applied … we had been allocated $3,000,000 in congressionally directed spending funds that would be dispersed or managed through the USDA rural development program," Wharton said. He described project work that includes expanding Department of Transportation radio sites and installing additional hardware and software at roughly a dozen locations countywide.
Wharton gave commissioners a preliminary cost estimate for the non‑construction portion of the project and the county's financial position: "We currently have quotes for about $3,731,700.00 dollars. And so this grant will pay for the vast majority of that work," he said. He added the county has invested in subscriber radios and sales tax revenue that can serve as local match.
The presentation emphasized operational and safety benefits: centralized radio IDs, GPS/triangulation features to locate radios, call‑in repeaters so mutual aid partners can access dispatch even if they are not on the county network, and more capacity to handle major incidents. Wharton said half of the project sites are DOT facilities where the county will expand the DOT network; the remainder are existing sites that will receive new equipment.
Commissioners asked about interoperability with federal agencies; Wharton said dual‑band radios and regional planning (Region 43) will allow DNR, the Forest Service and other mutual‑aid partners to connect where necessary. After staff questions, the board opened the meeting to public comment; none was offered, and staff noted no formal county action was required on the agenda — the briefing was part of the USDA application and outreach process.
What comes next: staff told commissioners they would file affidavits of public notice and provide updated documents; any future formal action tied to grant acceptance or contract awards will return to the board for approval.
