Commission approves $599,088 purchase of six Motorola radio consoles using 9‑1‑1 funds

Kevin Carley, director of the Emergency Services Communications Center, asked commissioners to authorize the purchase of six Motorola radio consoles, supporting equipment and software at a total cost of $599,088. Carley said the purchase is part of a planned five‑year growth plan and that Motorola was offering a temporary price reduction of about $35,000 per console; by invoicing before the vendor deadline the county could save roughly $210,000 compared with buying the consoles over multiple future budget cycles.

Several commissioners noted that, while funds are available in the 9‑1‑1 restricted fund, the purchase had not been budgeted and therefore required explicit board authorization. Carley said consoles were already included in the center’s expansion plan and that waiting until the next budget cycle likely would increase total cost. After discussion about process and budget authority, commissioners approved the request and directed staff to proceed using 9‑1‑1 restricted funds.

What this means: The communications center will move forward with immediate procurement to secure the vendor discount and to support dispatcher capacity in both the main and backup centers. The county directed staff to document budget authority and provide follow-up accounting to the board.