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County outlines $1.8M radio and dispatch project; small tower and contingency remain under review
Summary
County staff said equipment for the new countywide radio and emergency medical dispatch system is estimated at $1.78 million, with additional installation and tower engineering costs; the board heard plans for a 20‑foot lattice tower behind the sheriff’s office requiring a conditional use permit and further project coordination with state police and Firefly.
County staff reported that equipment for the planned radio and emergency medical dispatch system is finalized with an equipment cost estimate of $1,784,422 and an additional approximate $45,000 install estimate for fire and EMS apparatus. Staff said state police will perform vehicle installs for sheriff and animal-control units at no cost to the county, while third‑party installers will handle fire/EMS apparatus.
Staff described a proposed 20‑foot lattice communications tower behind the sheriff’s office to be tied into the building’s generator. The tower would require a conditional‑use permit; staff estimated engineering and base construction at roughly $100,000 and indicated a contingency line of about $100,000 in the project budget. Staff said using the state police install resources and other project management steps have produced substantial savings versus earlier estimates.
Board members asked for clarification on tower type and costs; staff said the lattice structure was selected to reduce height and cost and noted that the county has until mid‑2025 for some VDOT/transportation timelines tied to related projects. Staff also reported ongoing work to finalize radio SOPs, tower deconstruction/reconstruction, EMD training, and potential fiber redundancy with Firefly to provide backup to the tower.
Next steps: staff will finalize remaining equipment orders, secure conditional‑use permit clearance for the tower location and return to the board with detailed project scheduling and any revised cost estimates.
