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9‑1‑1 director urges levy to stabilize aging radio system as board member warns of long-standing waste
Summary
The county 9‑1‑1 executive director presented a five‑year operations levy to stabilize radios and staffing; a board member and councilors pressed for guarantees after allegations of poor past governance and millions in uncompleted work.
The county 9‑1‑1 executive director, Jeremy Hypes, told the St. Helens City Council on Feb. 4 that the district is seeking a five‑year operations levy worth 29¢ per $1,000 of assessed value — an option that would yield approximately $10.9 million for the district — to stabilize staffing and address aging radio infrastructure.
Hypes described a program of equipment testing and phased work to keep the existing 30‑year‑old system running but said replacement remains the long‑term need. "This system can't just be stabilized. It needs to be replaced," Hypes said, warning that parts are scarce, technicians with institutional knowledge are retiring, and failures could occur suddenly.
A board member and local elected…
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