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911 director says state NextGen funds fall short; county must cover recurring costs
Summary
Trumbull County’s 911 director told commissioners state NextGen grants will pay only to connect the county’s ‘last mile’ to the statewide backbone, leaving recurring costs and major equipment upgrades (servers, consoles, networking) to local payors.
Stacy McDonald, Trumbull County’s 911 director, told commissioners on Jan. 29 that state funding announced for NextGen 911 will cover last‑mile connectivity to the statewide backbone but not recurring operational costs. McDonald said the recent increase in the wireless device fee yielded roughly $173,000 locally — enough for small investments such as servers but insufficient for a full new 911 center or major equipment replacement.
"There's not any local funding for us for 911…they will help pay for that last mile connectivity…they won't pay your recurring costs," McDonald told the board, urging a careful approach to planning and suggesting the county identify a not‑to‑exceed amount so vendors and architects can produce realistic proposals. She also recommended waiting on adopting the state system immediately and instead moving to a new building and plugging into the state backbone after the pilot matures.
Commissioners pressed McDonald on timing, costs and whether interim connectivity options (microwave links or towers) could bridge service until a permanent solution is funded. McDonald said quotes for consultants and new equipment were due soon, and asked the board for a not‑to‑exceed figure to authorize the next phase of work.
Why it matters: 911 is a countywide public safety lifeline; deficits in recurring funding or delayed upgrades can affect response routing, redundancy and resilience. Next steps: McDonald will return with consultant quotes and a recommended not‑to‑exceed budget for the next design and procurement steps.
