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Daniels County examines 911 levy tradeoffs as radio and staffing costs mount
Summary
Commissioners spent substantial time reviewing the county's 911 levy fund, pending radio equipment bids and staffing costs. Estimates discussed ranged from roughly $345,000 for radios to mid‑$300,000 per year levy receipts; commissioners acknowledged they cannot fully fund both radios and expanded wages without additional revenue or reprioritization.
A prolonged budget discussion at the July 15 meeting centered on how Daniels County will use a voter‑authorized 911 levy to cover both radio infrastructure and dispatcher wages.
County staff reported that the levy could produce roughly $345,000 to $365,000 annually (figures in the discussion varied by speaker), and commissioners and staff reviewed several outstanding commitments: a Motorola loan for radio equipment, a logger/recorder contract estimated at about $64,925, and bids for a full radio replacement that participants described in the mid‑hundred‑thousand‑dollar range (discussed figures included roughly $345,000 and references to bids near $500,000). Commissioners noted the county faces a tradeoff between buying/upgrading radios and using the levy to fund dispatcher wages that had previously been supported by the 911 fund.
Commissioners discussed a proposal to move two dispatcher positions from the 911 fund into a newly established 2300 account so the 911 fund could rebuild reserves; staff cautioned that even with that change the levy‑derived revenues might not cover both wages and a full radio replacement. The group referenced existing loan obligations (including a roughly $87,000 note) and said they would need fuller financial detail — invoices, outstanding loan balances and updated bid packages — before making a final commitment.
No final budget action (beyond continued discussion and agreement to gather more detailed numbers) was taken during the meeting; commissioners said staff would return with precise figures so the board can weigh equipment replacement against staffing stability.
