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Santa Cruz supervisors approve $18.5M radio upgrade, authorize financing and ask staff to seek offsets for smaller agencies
Summary
The Board approved a master services agreement, a sales contract with EF Johnson for a next‑generation ‘Ring’ radio system and lease financing up to $20 million; supervisors asked staff to pursue grants, Measure Q and other offsets to reduce costs for small fire districts.
The Santa Cruz County Board of Supervisors on Dec. 9 approved a multi‑agency contract and financing plan to replace the county’s aging public‑safety radio system with a regional interoperable next‑generation platform known as “Ring.” The vote clears a sales agreement with EF Johnson (KVC Kenwood), adoption of a Master Service and Governance Agreement and a master equipment lease for up to $20 million to finance construction and equipment.
The county’s assistant CEO, Elisa Benson, told the board the package is three parts: (1) a governance framework to run the regional system, (2) a sales agreement to acquire the radio system, and (3) lease financing to spread capital costs over time. “This is a new day in critical communications infrastructure for our first responders,” Benson said during the presentation.
Tammy Weigel, director of the county’s Information Services Department, said the final negotiated sales agreement has a post‑discount capital cost of about $18.5 million and an…
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