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Benzie County approves radio equipment purchase and hazardous materials planning grant
Summary
The county authorized up to $7,490.25 to buy amateur radio equipment and approved a Hazardous Materials Emergency Preparedness Planning Program grant agreement, moves the board said will strengthen local emergency communications and planning.
The Benzie County Board of Commissioners on March 10 authorized the purchase of amateur radio equipment to bolster county emergency communications and approved a related hazardous materials planning grant agreement.
Frank Post, who presented the county’s emergency management report, asked the board to approve a purchase not to exceed $7,490.25 from Ham Radio Outlet, Inc. Commissioner Walterhouse moved the purchase and Commissioner Sauer seconded; the motion passed on a roll-call vote with all seven commissioners voting yes.
Post also reported that the county’s MDT (mobile data terminal) project had been ordered and was expected to ship in four to six weeks, with half the units going to the sheriff’s office and half to ID Networks for programming. Emergency-management funding and equipment purchases were discussed as part of broader efforts to maintain response capacity.
Separately the board authorized the Hazardous Materials Emergency Preparedness Planning Program Grant Agreement on behalf of Benzie County, authorizing the board chair to sign. Chair Vance Bates moved the authorization, and Commissioner Carland seconded; the motion carried unanimously.
The board also received updates from EMS Director Craig Johnson, who reported February call volumes were slightly lower and that a recently acquired LUCAS device for Almira Township was used successfully the day it arrived. Johnson noted long-time ambulance-service participant Mike Mead has retired after 42 years of service.
The purchases and grant authorization are intended to support county first responders and hazardous-materials planning; county staff provided no additional dollar breakdown beyond the authorized equipment purchase cap.
