Board tables $2.76M radio-system change order, approves $395K alerting upgrade
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Summary
After a technical briefing on revised radio topology, frequency constraints and site changes, the board voted to table a $2.76 million change order for further review and approved a $395,000 change order to outfit Fire Station 7 with alerting equipment.
The board heard a lengthy presentation from communications manager Matt Hinkle about the countyradio upgrade project and proposed change orders.
Hinkle summarized work since a 2022 ORCOM study and explained why the county shifted from joining a regional system to a standalone simulcast design because of spectrum and siting constraints in the quiet zone. The revised plan uses a two-cell simulcast topology with seven sites and a mix of VHF (for broader rural reach) and 700/800 MHz (for southern, more urbanized coverage) and calls for multi-band radios and digital vehicle repeaters to approach industry-standard portable coverage (~95% with DVRS).
Staff presented a cost breakdown for change order 3 (infrastructure, engineering, subscriber upgrades and associated ten-year maintenance obligations) with a subtotal of about $2,760,300 and additional annual maintenance obligations; staff said negotiated concessions and supplier incentives (roughly $500,000+) tied to year-end delivery could be lost if the board delayed approval. The board debated options: removing the Fincastle backup-dispatch upgrade would reduce near-term costs by roughly $400,000, but staff said most other items were required to meet coverage and obsolescence concerns.
After discussion, the board voted to table change order 3 to the January meeting to allow additional review and for returning and incoming supervisors to consider the data; staff cautioned that some negotiated savings would expire if delayed.
Separately the board voted to authorize change order 4, a roughly $395,000 package to provide fire-station alerting equipment for Station 7 and related annual maintenance terms; that motion passed by roll call.
What happens next: staff will return in January with additional detail on change order 3; change order 4 will be executed and incorporated into the radio-project accounting.