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Genola council approves $5,000 for handheld radios as town seeks larger grant for vehicle units
Summary
The Genola Town Council authorized Chief McMullen to spend $5,000 from the communications budget to buy three Motorola APX 900 handheld radios after the fire chief said the department is operating with a "bare minimum" of functioning units; council members also discussed a vehicle-radio grant that could provide more comprehensive upgrades.
Genola's Town Council approved a $5,000 purchase of three Motorola APX 900 handheld radios on a motion and second after Fire Chief McMullen described a shortage of working units.
Chief McMullen told the council that the department was "down to a bare minimum" of four handheld radios and that seven units failed to migrate to the new statewide programming. He described a recent incident in which an EMT without a radio arrived at a suicide call and said that responders without radios create a "huge liability." The chief also outlined a larger equipment grant the town has applied for that would buy vehicle-mounted radios (25-watt units) and mobile radios for apparatus, with bids he reviewed ranging from about $80,000 to $90,000.
Council discussion focused on whether the $5,000 purchase should proceed while the larger grant outcome is uncertain. One council member asked whether the $5,000 would come from the existing communications budget; McMullen confirmed the account contains about $7,000 and that he wanted authorization to use $5,000. Another member asked for clarity about the difference between handheld and vehicle radios; McMullen said vehicle units extend range significantly and are the preferred long-term solution but that handhelds are essential in short-term operations and for EMT responders who need a personal radio.
The council voted in favor of a motion giving Chief McMullen discretion to purchase the three handheld radios at a cost not to exceed $5,000. The chief said the town can trade-in or otherwise dispose of defunct radios but that many of the old units do not power on or reach repeaters. If the federal/state grant is awarded, McMullen said the towns portion would be roughly 10 percent of the larger purchase price; he characterized the grant as a high priority for improving interoperability.
The council did not take formal action on the grant application itself during the meeting; members requested staff follow up with grant timing and implementation details.
What happens next: Chief McMullen is authorized to proceed with the handheld purchase; staff will report back on the status and timing of the larger grant and any required town match.
