Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Public Safety topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Morrow County commissioners debate radio upgrade, consider buying one unit to save about $3,000
Summary
Commissioners discussed replacing radios for the courthouse and Community Services Building and asked staff to get a quote for buying one radio (rather than two) to save roughly $3,000, while funding and connector costs were reviewed.
Morrow County commissioners spent a large portion of their regular session debating how to proceed with an upgrade to the county’s radio and notification system, agreeing to postpone final purchase decisions while staff returns with a quote to buy a single radio to reduce costs.
The discussion began after staff presented a quote for radios for both the courthouse and the Community Services Building. Speaker 3 moved to approve the purchase and the motion was seconded and supported in roll call, but several commissioners then questioned whether both buildings required full radios after a planned system upgrade.
"So if we go ahead with that purchase, we only need 1 of those," Speaker 2 said, explaining that after the upgrade the Community Services Building could use a network connection box rather than a standalone radio, which would reduce the cost. Speaker 2 added that the change could save "about $3,000".
Speaker 4 asked to pause the project to review funding options and the technical needs before completing the purchase, saying staff could "hold the project for just a second" to see whether money could be taken from other local funds. The exchange included discussion of connector/cable installation costs that were spoken of first as $5,500, then corrected in the meeting to $550.
Staff agreed to provide an updated quote for a single radio and the necessary connector so commissioners could review funding choices; Speaker 2 confirmed the current system still provides safety coverage in the interim. The board agreed to "table" the final decision and to regroup for further discussion at an upcoming meeting or work session.
The meeting did not record a final procurement vote beyond the initial motion; commissioners directed staff to return with a single-radio quote and clarified that any purchase timeline will depend on confirmed funding sources.
What happens next: staff will obtain a vendor quote for one radio and the connector/cable and present funding options for the commission to consider at a subsequent meeting.
