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Grand Island budget includes $222,000 first‑year Motorola maintenance cost for new radio system
Summary
City staff told the council on July 7 that the emergency management/9‑1‑1 budget will see a $222,000 first‑year increase tied to a Motorola maintenance contract for a new radio system; staff proposed moving most dispatch personnel into the general fund and using special‑revenue fund balance for console upgrades.
Council members met July 7 to hear the emergency management budget presentation and questions about costs tied to the city’s new radio system.
John, an agency official who led the emergency management presentation, said the department’s work is funded from three pots: the general fund, the 2‑15 (landline 9‑1‑1) fund and the 2‑16 (wireless 9‑1‑1) fund. He said staff recommended moving most employees into the general fund and reallocating allowable expenses to the two special‑revenue funds to simplify budgeting. "We moved about, I'd say, a $100,000 or more over, from the 2‑15 funds and 2‑16 fund, and then we replaced it with allowable expenses in those two special revenue funds," John said.
John told the council the new ongoing Motorola maintenance contract will add about $222,000 in year‑one operating costs. He said that increase will be split roughly between the general fund and special‑revenue funds and that, after city/county allocations, it represents approximately a $342,000 (13%) increase compared to last year. "That's a sizable increase in the budget," he said.
On capital, John said the broader radio project is near completion. He reported signing milestone three for installation and said invoice three—roughly 15% of the about $3,000,000 project—will be submitted soon; county and grant reimbursements will cover portions of those invoices. He also listed smaller capital needs: replacement UPS batteries (about $15,000 every 4–5 years), a UHF repeater kept as a spare (about $8,000), and replacement of older sirens. The presenter proposed buying four new dispatch consoles to change the room’s layout (from a partially isolated fifth console to two pods of four) and described the consoles as ergonomically and electrically specialized. He said funding for the consoles (~$100,000) would come from fund balance in the 2‑15/2‑16 special‑revenue funds rather than the general capital fund.
Council members pressed on the $25,000 furniture/console price and expected lifespan. John defended the cost, describing integrated cooling, wire management and replacement‑part availability from the vendor Watson and said the consoles are built for continuous 24/7 use. He said the consoles already purchased in a prior phase remain in service.
Councilors also asked about an unexpected monthly fee recently disclosed by Motorola for using the radios’ Wi‑Fi function. John said initial field testing showed the digital radio performs better for in‑building coverage even without the Wi‑Fi capability; staff will seek a per‑radio quote for the Wi‑Fi feature and coordinate with the agencies that own the radios about whether they can absorb the fee.
On technology and operations, John and members discussed current AI and QA tools being used or evaluated: Comms Coach for call review, EMD Pro QA to guide question flows and improve medical call handling, and RapidSOS Unite for call transcription/closed captioning. John said some of these tools can improve dispatcher situational awareness and training but will require data‑sharing arrangements and additional approvals.
The interlocal committee recommended the emergency management budget to the council and the county board. No formal vote on the budget took place at the meeting; staff said they would proceed with outreach to county partners and return with related paperwork as needed.
