County hears multi‑year plan for Heart of Texas radio system; county share ~ $4.03 million phased to 2031

County staff and regional radio system representatives presented a multi‑year capital improvement plan to upgrade the Heart of Texas Regional Radio System, which serves county public‑safety agencies, school districts and allied organizations.

Ryan Durker described a phased replacement of end‑of‑life equipment designed to double system capacity (moving FDMA to TDMA) without acquiring new spectrum, add remote reprogramming, modern radio capabilities (accelerometers for automatic crash detection, integrated tracking) and extend the system’s useful life for decades. The plan phases work across core console upgrades, incremental equipment replacement and final tower transitions. Durker said the county’s combined investment is anticipated to be approximately $4,033,000 on the county side, with most county costs projected in a 2031 phase; the city of Waco will fund other core elements under the shared governance agreement.

Why it matters: The radio system supports emergency communications for public safety across the region; upgrades are intended to increase capacity and resilience and offer operational features that could improve responder safety and coordination. Commissioners discussed timing, financing options (bonds vs. phased budget), and implications for agency radio replacement cycles.

What the court did: The presentation was accepted for record. No procurement or bonding action was taken at this meeting; staff were directed to keep the court informed and include the project in future budget and capital planning work.

Clarifying detail: The $4,033,000 figure presented was staff’s planning estimate for the county share; the project is multi‑phased with core upgrades beginning earlier and the final county tower transition expected in 2031.