Council delays Motorola radio decision, directs police and fire to pursue grants
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Summary
Councilors on Dec. 16 moved a Motorola radio lease to the Dec. 23 council meeting and voted to have police and fire chiefs collaborate on grant applications (for example with the Gary Sinise Foundation) to offset a multi‑year lease that staff said would raise annual payments to roughly $110,586 starting in 2027.
The City of Virginia’s committee reviewed a proposed Motorola radio lease for police and fire on Dec. 16 and decided to bring the item to the Dec. 23 council meeting while seeking additional information and external funding.
Chief Matchen explained that the department’s existing radios are nearing the end of their service life and parts are increasingly unavailable. “A radio at 10 to 12 years of service ... they do not make the batteries anymore, chargers, housing, or the internal parts,” Matchen said, describing maintenance and replacement challenges for older units.
Staff presented a financing quote that would require a new lease payment beginning in 2027; officials said the cost increase reflected a larger order of new radios and higher equipment prices compared with the prior lease. Councilor Paulson briefed the meeting on possible grant partners, naming the Gary Sinise Foundation and the Blandin Foundation as leads to explore; she read the foundation contact’s description of no match requirement and flexible deadlines and offered to pass the links to staff.
Council voted to move the Motorola lease item to the Dec. 23 council meeting for additional detail, and separately passed a motion directing police and fire chiefs to collaborate on grant applications to offset the cost. Councilors emphasized the need to fund public-safety communications while attempting to limit budgetary impacts.
