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After communications blackout, county eyes Starlink backup; rec center closed temporarily for renovation
Summary
Commissioners described a recent countywide communications blackout that disrupted cellular service and said the Office of Emergency Services is exploring Starlink for an emergency-vehicle backup. The board also announced a temporary closure of the Wreck Hall recreation facility during demolition and outlined plans for ADA-accessible improvements.
Commissioners reviewed a recent communications outage and discussed options to strengthen emergency communications while also updating the public on a temporary recreation-center closure tied to renovations.
Commissioner 3 described a countywide communications blackout that affected cellular service on January 20. While radio communications for emergency services continued, the outage had a wider public impact. "Our office of emergency services is exploring ways to ensure near continuous contact...like Starlink put in the emergency management vehicle," the commissioner said. The board did not authorize procurement at the meeting but asked staff to explore costs and feasibility of a satellite backup for emergency vehicles.
The commission also noted a temporary closure of the Wreck Hall facility during construction, explaining demolition and safety work made it unsafe for public activity. Commissioners said the closure is expected to last about two months and that the renovated space will include ADA accessibility, a co-working area, teleconferencing and telehealth access. Staff will work on alternate programming and outreach for users during the closure.
No final procurement decisions were made about the Starlink backup; the county described the effort as exploratory and tasked staff to report back.
