Robinson council adopts county hazard plan, directs staff to seek pricing to replace two inoperable warning sirens

City of Robinson councilors voted to adopt the McLennan County hazard mitigation plan and agreed to pursue a more modern warning system after lengthy discussion about grant eligibility, coverage and safety.

Council included the county plan in its consent agenda and approved it on a voice vote. Ryan Durker, emergency management coordinator for McLennan County, told the council that an adopted hazard mitigation plan is often a prerequisite for state hazard-mitigation grants and for some forms of public assistance after a disaster. "If the state had hazard-mitigation grants… the first thing the state is going to ask you is, do you have an adopted hazard mitigation plan?" Durker said. He added that projects must also be listed in the jurisdiction’s plan to be eligible for many grants.

Much of the meeting then focused on the city’s two aging outdoor warning sirens, which several councilors described as degraded and limited. Staff reported the older sirens had roughly a three-quarter‑mile sound radius; vendor drawings shown to the council used an "R4" circle of about a two‑mile radius for proposed new units. A vendor meeting summary and a recent Elmont quote were discussed as reference points: one quote for two omnidirectional sirens from a regional operator came in at just under $68,000 but did not include pole or electrical work, county staff said.

Councilors and county staff emphasized a layered approach to warning — sirens plus text/app alerts and weather radios — so residents lacking smartphones would still receive warnings. Durker noted the county and council are likely to move alerting systems (currently Everbridge) to a new platform selected by the regional council of governments; the transition timeline was not finalized.

After hearing technical and cost uncertainties, the council did not authorize immediate purchase. Instead it directed staff to: (1) pursue pricing and technical scoping with American Signal and county radio operations for replacing two sirens in locations that would better serve the city; (2) evaluate whether existing poles can be reused and whether units should be AC- or solar-powered; and (3) return with cost options, coverage maps and grant possibilities. The council also discussed removing inoperable poles to avoid a false impression the system still functions.

The council requested an update on the project in January and asked staff to continue public outreach about alternative alerting options, including weather radios for residents without smartphones. The council did not commit to a funding source; county staff warned that larger grant programs may not be available until 2026 and that immediate local funds would likely be required if the city moves forward quickly.