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Ansonia aldermen unanimously approve long-delayed public‑safety radio upgrade
Summary
The Board of Aldermen voted unanimously July 9 to authorize a multi‑year P25 digital radio upgrade for fire, police and other public‑safety users; staff said a 25% deposit (about $560,000) will be needed to place the order and staged payments follow.
Ansonia’s Board of Aldermen voted unanimously at its July 9 meeting to move forward with a long‑planned upgrade of the city’s public‑safety radio system, approving authorization for the purchase and transition to P25 digital standards.
Emergency management director Jared Hion said the project will replace aging analog equipment, bring the city’s radios onto a modern P25 standard and leverage the Connecticut Land Mobile Radio network so Ansonia can maintain local frequencies while connecting to neighboring towns and Northwest Public Safety. “The fire department is completely replacing every piece of equipment that they have for their radio system,” Hion said, calling the work “very much needed.”
Budget director Kurt Miller told the board the project requires staged payments and estimated the initial deposit at roughly 25 percent, about $560,000, to place equipment orders. He outlined a typical payment schedule of 25% up front, then 60%, then 10% and a final smaller payment. “We just need to make sure we have all of the cash in place,” Miller said.
Police Chief Wayne Williams said the upgrade addresses radios that were last seriously updated in 2003 and called the work “well overdue.” The upgrade also includes radios for public works and other departments that rely on portable and mobile radios.
Alderman Rivers moved to authorize the project; a second was recorded and the motion carried unanimously. Board members and staff emphasized they will seek discounts under the state contract, limit costs where possible and coordinate the purchase schedule with available cash.
Next steps include finalizing budgets and cashflow with the finance department and placing the initial order so lead times on replacement equipment can be managed. Miller said he will work with Emergency Management Director Hion on a payment timeline.
By approving the authorization, the board gave staff authority to proceed subject to the city’s budget and funding plan; aldermen said they expect regular updates as payments are scheduled and equipment is delivered.
