Sawyer County board postpones decision on public-safety radio network after competing motions rescinded

The Sawyer County Board of Supervisors on Sept. 5 postponed action on a proposed public-safety radio network after an initial motion to approve GenComm as the network builder was rescinded and a separate motion to delay the issue until the board's Sept. 19 meeting carried without negative vote.

County staff member Mr. Albarado, who led the discussion on the public safety radio options, said administration had completed due diligence and that all packet documents had been reviewed by legal counsel. He said PMA, the county's financial adviser, completed a funding analysis that showed “about a $1M difference” in project costs between a BugTussel/GenComm partnership and a GenComm-only approach.

Supervisor Ron Buckholtz made a motion to approve GenComm as the network builder/provider for the towers; Supervisor Marc Helwig seconded the motion. Both the motion and the second were later rescinded, and Supervisor Tweed Shuman moved to postpone consideration until the Sept. 19 meeting, a motion Helwig seconded. The postponement was carried without a recorded negative vote.

Mitchel Olson, representing BugTussel, provided an update on implementation timelines and answered board questions. County legal counsel Andy Phillips reviewed a risk assessment prepared for the packet. The transcript does not provide a roll-call vote tally for the postponement, only that it “carried without negative vote.”

The board directed that the topic return to the agenda on Sept. 19 for further consideration with additional information; no formal procurement award or contract was approved at the Sept. 5 meeting.