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Township officials press for radio fixes, backup dispatch, siren upgrades and new police vehicles
Summary
Officials told council that radio coverage gaps persist despite prior investments and requested a $21,000 radio Wi‑Fi option and about $2,600 for a portable cellular hotspot; fire and police also requested grants or capital for a mass-notification siren, emergency-warning signage, building repairs, and replacement police/outside-billing vehicles estimated at $118,000 for three hybrids.
Township and public-safety leaders used the March 16 special meeting to press long-standing capital needs: radio upgrades, an off-site backup for dispatch, siren and warning systems, building repairs after two HVAC gas incidents, and vehicle replacements.
Radio and communications: OEM coordinator Clayton and police leadership said a prior system upgrade addressed about 90% of indoor radio coverage but left persistent gaps in a small number of buildings. Staff proposed expanding a Wi‑Fi option installed on five supervisory radios across the fleet to remedy remaining coverage holes; the incremental cost discussed was about $21,000. Council members expressed frustration that the prior project had not fully resolved indoor coverage and asked the administrator to identify funding quickly.
Portable connectivity and traffic-signal resiliency: OEM described a hardened portable cellular Wi‑Fi hotspot (Pelican‑style device; device cost noted around $2,600 in the transcript) to provide connectivity if building power or wired internet fails; annual cellular service costs were discussed as an operating expense. Staff also proposed installing supplemental power options on a county-controlled traffic signal at Ridgewood and Pasc to maintain signal operation during outages; estimates ranged from $7,000 to $10,000 depending on the scope.
Fire department: The fire chief requested capital for a proposed mass-notification siren/voice system (the department has an Assistance to Firefighters Grants application pending in the amount discussed on the record) and a $20,000 emergency-vehicle warning system for the ESB to flash lights and a message when apparatus exit. The chief also outlined needed building maintenance after two gas-leak incidents in HVAC units and requested exterior outlets, improved rear lighting, oscillating bay fans, and a door-sensor solution to replace a repeatedly failing push-button.
Police: Police leadership asked to finish phase two of a backup dispatch/ESB capability (computers and phones) so that police/OEM/fire can operate from the ESB in a prolonged incident; the chief cited a past generator failure that forced the department to evacuate and described interoperability failures when county assets attempted to substitute. The police also seek ongoing replacement of frontline patrol vehicles (one to two per year) and proposed purchasing three hybrid pickup trucks for outside-billing details (~$118,000 total) that would be offset by outside-detail revenue (2025 outside-billing revenue reported as $195,460). The chief also requested capital to complete departmental rifle replacements, which he said would reduce ammunition budget pressure.
Council direction: Members asked staff for updated quotes, to verify recurring service costs for portable connectivity, to confirm whether the radio Wi‑Fi option solves the remaining 10% coverage gap, and to return with funding alternatives (capital vs. current-fund) and timelines for vehicles and building repairs.
