School board hears urgent radio replacement recommendation; staff to return with quotes before March 31 grant deadline

Barnes County North School Board — meeting Feb. 9, 2025 — Board members and staff discussed aging portable radios used for building communications and whether to purchase replacements using a grant that reimburses $1,500 per radio if bought by March 31.

A staff member reported two district portables recently failed and outlined the grant terms: "The deadline is March 31 to purchase those, and you get $1,500 back per radio," the staff member said. The staff member explained that district portables were purchased in several batches (2016, 2018, 2019) and that some units are approaching a typical 10‑year lifecycle.

Board members discussed technical specifications — notably dual‑band radios that can communicate both with dispatch and with buses — and noted different vendor price points. Staff said Jamestown Communications provided a lower quote than Motorola, and staff estimated total pre‑rebate costs at about $15,220, which would net to roughly $13,500 after the $1,500 rebate per radio for seven radios. The board asked staff to provide precise quotes that compare (a) a standard radio replacement and (b) the dual‑band option that communicates with dispatch and buses before the March meeting.

The board did not authorize a purchase at the Feb. 9 meeting; instead trustees directed staff to return with vendor quotes, cost comparisons and, if helpful, a dispatch representative who can explain frequencies and operational tradeoffs. The radio procurement will be revisited at the March board meeting.

Quotes and next steps - Staff to solicit and present at the March meeting: itemized quotes for dual‑band vs. standard radios, net costs after the $1,500 rebate, and a recommendation on whether to replace the district’s aging units. - No purchase authorization was made at the Feb. 9 meeting; decision required before March 31 if the district wants to capture the rebate.