Plainfield council approves $1.17M Motorola dispatch console contract after public hearing on timing and alternatives

Plainfield Town Council on June 22 approved Contract No. 26238.00 with Motorola Solutions to purchase 17 AXS dispatch consoles for $1,168,081, funded by HC 9-1-1, after a public hearing and staff presentation.

The request was presented by Renee Tomlinson, a town staff member, who asked the council to authorize the purchase. "I am respectfully asking for the approval of contract number 26238.00 between Motorola Solutions and the Town of Plainfield to purchase 17 AXS dispatch consoles for $1,168,081, funded by HC 9-1-1," Tomlinson said. Mr. Bridget moved to approve and Mr. Angle seconded; the motion carried with the council voting "all ayes." Tomlinson thanked the council after the vote.

During the public hearing resident Jay Thompson urged caution, saying the town’s existing maintenance agreement signed in 2014 appears to run through 2036 and that some vendors quoted substantially lower prices. "I believe we're still in halfway through a 20‑year lifecycle and maintenance agreement with Motorola…they priced maintenance and service all the way through the end of 2036," Thompson said, and he suggested prioritizing short‑term needs such as siren replacement and portable radios instead of an early console replacement.

Tomlinson responded that the town’s contract and service agreement would continue to be honored if new equipment is purchased and that state and manufacturer discounts make the timing advantageous. "We still have the service agreement…part is the equipment and part is the service, and it's all continuing, so there isn't a breach, and we're not double‑paying anything," Tomlinson said. She also told the council that the siren system is an Emergency Management Agency (EMA) responsibility and that the consoles being purchased are intended to support existing wireline connectivity and mutual‑aid arrangements with Indianapolis.

Council members did not request further delay and approved the contract. The council did not record an individual roll‑call for that specific motion in the transcript beyond the chair’s announcement that the motion carried. The contract will proceed per staff implementation procedures; Tomlinson acknowledged acceptance and staff will finalize execution.

What happens next: staff will complete contract execution with Motorola and proceed with procurement steps. The council did not vote on replacement of sirens or direct the reallocation of funds for portable radios during the meeting.