Alpena County authorizes purchase of trailer for sheriff to retrieve surplus generator and greenlights radio funding plan

The Finance Ways & Means Committee on Aug. 12 authorized the sheriff's request to purchase a used universal trailer for $7,600 so staff can retrieve a 60,000‑kilowatt generator available through a military surplus site and approved moving forward with identifying funding to purchase radios this year.

Sheriff Erik Smith told commissioners the office has signed up on a military surplus site and has been approved to pick up a 60,000‑kilowatt generator located in Wisconsin; the generator would not fit on county‑owned trailers. Smith requested authorization to buy a used trailer in Traverse City for $7,600. Commissioner Travis Konarzewski moved approval, Commissioner Todd Britton supported the motion, and the committee voted 8–0 to authorize the purchase. The county administrator was directed to work with the treasurer to locate funds and obtain sign‑off from the board chair or finance chair.

Smith also presented an overview of the sheriff's proposed 2026 budget and said he had worked with Commissioners LaHaie and Ludlow to reduce proposed amounts by $50,000. County Administrator Jesse Osmer reported that radios for the sheriff's office have been sitting in the budget with a $100,000 earmark for two years and proposed purchasing the radios in 2025 at a total cost of $220,000. The administrator was authorized to work with the treasurer and auditor to identify funding and return to the full board with the recommended approach.

No vote to appropriate funds for the radios was recorded at the committee level; administrators were authorized to seek funding sources and report back to the full board.

Next steps: the county administrator will coordinate with the treasurer and auditor to identify funds for the trailer purchase and for the radio procurement, then report back to the full board for final authorization.