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Kennedale council postpones decision on donated outdoor warning system pending contract review
Summary
The Kennedale City Council on May 19 postponed action on a donated outdoor warning system after the presenter said the hardware would be donated but key contract, liability and backup‑power terms were not specified. Council asked the vendor for a service agreement and warranty details before deciding.
Kennedale’s City Council on May 19 agreed to postpone action on a donated outdoor warning system after council members asked the vendor for a written service agreement, liability language and details on backup power and warranties.
Brian Hodgeges, representing Laws (Local Area Warning Systems), told the council his company would donate the hardware—described in the presentation as roughly a $20,000 unit—and provide software that connects to National Weather Service polygons and FirstNet for prioritized cellular delivery. Hodgeges said the units cover a roughly 1,200‑foot radius (about 44 acres) and broadcast a spoken message after an alert, allowing officials to give instructions at parks and events. He said the city would pay a $300 annual maintenance/subscription fee per unit and that pole/installation or battery/solar backup were not included in the donation.
Chief Peterson and several council members raised concerns about coverage, redundancy and liability if the system failed or produced a false activation. “If it gets hit by lightning, what’s the warranty and who pays replacement costs?” a council member asked; Hodgeges said he would get back to the council on warranty and replacement terms.
Council members also noted the system as presented would not cover the whole city. Officials discussed testing a unit at the ball fields, the firehouse or Town Center to evaluate range and community impact before buying additional units.
Councilmember David Glover moved to postpone the item until the next regular meeting so staff could review the vendor’s contract, warranty and answers to specific technical questions; another council member seconded the motion. The motion to postpone was entered and the council proceeded to other business; the transcript does not record a roll‑call tally for the postponement in the meeting record.
Next steps: the council asked the vendor to provide the full service agreement, documentation on battery/solar backup and a history of municipal deployments. The item is scheduled for reconsideration at the council’s next regular meeting.
