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Covington weighs mass-notification system and $105,000+ siren replacements
Summary
Interim Administrator Tim Cline told council members the village is reviewing mass-notification vendors and options to replace aging outdoor warning sirens; preliminary estimates include roughly $1,500 per year for a notification service and more than $105,000 to install three new sirens, with grant funding and 2026 budgeting under consideration.
Tim Cline, Interim Village Administrator, told the Covington Village Council on April 21 that the village is researching mass-notification systems and replacement outdoor warning sirens as part of its public-safety planning.
Cline said the village is looking at vendor platforms such as Code Red and 811; those services typically require a three-year contract and he reported an estimated cost of about $1,500 per year. Residents would opt in and choose how to receive messages (mail, text or phone). The council asked staff to gather additional vendor information.
Cline also described the village’s outdoor warning system. He said Federal Signal installed the current siren roughly between 1997 and 1999 and noted a typical service life of about 30 years. According to the materials presented, Federal Signal indicated it would not be able to repair the existing unit if it failed. Cline recommended installing three new sirens, each with an approximate 6,500-foot coverage radius, and said a Federal Signal proposal would cost more than $105,000.
Council members discussed funding and timing. Cline said the siren purchases would likely be a 2026 budget item and that grant funding may be an option. The council did not take any formal vote on procurement at this meeting but directed staff to continue obtaining information and pricing from additional vendors.
The discussion also covered operational details: how residents would enroll in alerts, which channels the system would use, and the potential need to coordinate siren placement for coverage. Staff will return with vendor comparisons, more precise cost estimates and potential grant sources before any budget request is made.
