Commissioners approve $327,088 radio tower upgrades and sign mutual aid agreement for emergency management
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Summary
Lincoln County commissioners authorized upgrades to radio channels and equipment across county towers at an updated cost of $327,088.54 and approved a multi-county emergency management mutual aid agreement, delegating implementation authority to the EMA director.
Lincoln County commissioners on March 17 approved an updated $327,088.54 purchase authorization to upgrade law and fire radio channels on county towers and voted to sign a periodic mutual aid agreement for county emergency management.
The communications director (speaker 8) and EMA director Huber (speaker 9) described upgraded equipment that will improve reception, redundancy and the ability for units to key up in emergency traffic without losing communications. The commissioners heard that prior investments (battery backups and redundancy work) reduced the amount of new installation necessary and that upgrades at each tower will be staged to limit disruption.
Huber described the mutual aid agreement as a recurring review (every ~5 years) among county EMAs that clarifies how counties share tangible resources (generators, communications equipment) and personnel during disasters. Huber asked commissioners to sign and to delegate authority to the EMA office to deploy resources per county SOPs; the board approved the agreement by voice vote.
Commissioners asked about coverage limitations; the communications director said some geographic gaps remain due to terrain and that additional sites or antennas may be needed over time. The board approved both items by voice vote; staff will proceed with procurement and execute the mutual aid signatures.
