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Board approves pursuing state grant to upgrade school radios
Summary
The Barnes County North School Board voted to pursue a state grant and to purchase radios to move the district onto the state's 800‑megahertz system, citing interoperability and school safety benefits. Board members discussed costs, warranties and a March 31 order deadline before approving the motion.
The Barnes County North School Board voted March 12 to apply for a state grant and to purchase radios to migrate the district to the state's 800‑megahertz public‑safety radio system.
Board discussion centered on safety and interoperability with county responders. Sarah Miller, identified in the meeting as a dispatch representative, told the board that the state's system supports vendor‑approved units (Motorola and Kenwood) and that a nearby tower (Hannaford) is active while a Valley City tower remains under development. Miller said drive testing and programming remain to be completed by state IT staff before the district can confirm in‑building coverage and performance.
Board members asked about lifecycle costs and insurance. In the meeting materials and discussion, the district's share after the grant for the 800‑megahertz option was cited as $3,422.40; the transcript also recorded a higher district responsibility ($6,128.55) for an older UHF option. The board discussed an anticipated $1,400 programming fee that would apply when the system is brought online. Miller emphasized that radios must be ordered by March 31 to meet the state's reimbursement eligibility deadline; she said devices do not have to be paid for by that date but must be ordered to qualify.
A motion to purchase radios and apply for the grant (recorded in the transcript as "Motion to purchase 8 megahertz radio is per the bid contract and apply for the grant") was moved and seconded; the board approved the motion by roll call.
Board members framed the decision as a balance between short‑term expense and long‑term safety gains. Miller described operational benefits including a programmable panic button that notifies dispatch immediately and improved two‑way coordination for on‑site incidents. The board asked staff to proceed with procurement and grant application steps consistent with the motion.
Next steps: staff will finalize ordering paperwork to meet the state's March 31 ordering deadline, confirm final pricing and programming fees, and report back to the board with purchase and implementation details.
