The Caldwell County Commissioners Court moved Dec. 23 to approve Change Order No. 2—costed at $413,500—related to an interlocal cooperation agreement for radio services and equipment with LCRA. County leadership described the step as an interim measure to preserve ARPA funding and complete a regional PSAP transition after a previously contracted vendor was terminated.

The judge explained the county had been working toward a collocated PSAP model with Lockhart and Luling and that after bids produced a single contractor, the county later terminated that vendor. With a federal ARPA deadline that required funds be dedicated by Dec. 31, 2024, the county and LCRA agreed to assign assets to the individual PSAPs to allow the project to proceed using the ARPA allocation. The judge said the change order is intended to “get that project done and get that transition completed” and preserve the ARPA appropriation.

Commissioner Westmoreland moved to approve the change order and Commissioner Horn seconded; the motion carried without recorded opposition.

The court did not provide a detailed line-item breakdown of the $413,500 change order during the public presentation. County staff indicated the option to revisit a collocated PSAP arrangement in the future, but did not set a new timeline or next public milestone for the radio project at the meeting.