City hears central dispatch update as state radio encryption mandate looms

Bill Rowley, introduced as the city appointee to the central dispatch board, updated the commission on Tuesday on work at the joint Macosta–Osceola central dispatch system.

Rowley said dispatch has completed contracts, awarded raises to administrative staff and replaced aging dispatcher workstations that were 10–12 years old. He reported the new mapping system failed a test run and technicians are working through software bugs. He said the system’s coverage has persistent radio ‘‘dead spots,’’ especially in northeastern Osceola County, and the board contracted an independent systems‑analysis firm (not an equipment vendor) to do an in‑field analysis and recommend fixes; the bid was described in the meeting as about $27,000 for one county and $33,000 for the other, with the city planning to start with the worse‑off county.

Commissioners and staff also discussed a broader, separate process to replace radios across agencies. A staff speaker and other commissioners said a federal/state push to adopt encrypted radios and updated digital systems will be expensive; one staff estimate mentioned about $350,000 for the city’s share and a requirement to have new equipment in place by October 2026. The commission agreed to hold a dedicated study session to review options, costs, and timelines before committing funds.

Rowley framed the immediate step as diagnostic: the contracted analyst will spend January–March on site, analyze coverage and equipment needs, and deliver recommendations for whether towers need to be raised or other changes are required. Commissioners said they will phase replacements as units fail rather than buying all radios at once.

Next steps: the city will receive the analyst’s report in the spring and hold a public study session to review the radio‑system CIP and funding options before any budget decisions are made.