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Trenton council approves $40,565 purchase of portable radios for fire department
Summary
The council unanimously authorized the fire department to buy seven portable radios for $40,565.19 from Digicom, noting a $250 per-radio state licensing fee and that licensing approvals typically take two months or more.
The Trenton City Council voted unanimously Tuesday to approve a $40,565.19 purchase of seven portable radios for the fire department, a funding request the chief said fits within the department's existing machinery and equipment budget.
Fire Chief Anderson told the council the department has been operating with older radios that are no longer supported by the manufacturer and that grant applications to replace all units have not yet been successful. When a vendor reported temporary sale prices, the department said it could stretch the budget to acquire seven radios instead of the six originally planned.
Chief Anderson said the state requires a $250 per-radio licensing fee to attach radios to certain state emergency channels and that the licensing process submitted through the vendor typically takes "up to and beyond 2 months" for approval. Councilman Peruggi praised staggering replacements to avoid a large one-time expense, and council members approved the purchase without recorded objection.
Funding for the radios will come from the fire department's machinery and equipment account; city staff said they will continue to pursue grants but moved forward with the phased replacement to address unsupported equipment.
