Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Public Safety topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Jay County moves forward on radio assessment; Ritter Strategic to deliver inventory and cost estimates
Summary
Emergency Management announced Ritter Strategic Services will complete an end‑user survey to identify radio inventory and infrastructure needs; infrastructure pricing expected by October and commissioners discussed using ARP or LIT‑Public Safety funds as matches.
Emergency Management Director Samantha Rhodehamel told commissioners a comprehensive needs assessment is underway and Ritter Strategic Services will administer an end‑user survey in the next one to two weeks to better estimate radio inventory and tower requirements.
"Once completed it will give a better idea of needed inventory and estimated cost," Rhodehamel said. She cautioned that October is the earliest the county can expect firm infrastructure pricing and that towers in the eastern county are a significant concern. Commissioners discussed several funding sources — ARP, LIT‑Public Safety, EDIT, Cum Cap and Rainy Day funds — and whether smaller municipalities could participate in a joint procurement or use county funds as a grant match.
Public‑safety stakeholders underscored operational risk from gaps: a deputy pursuit was cited where dispatchers could not contact units by radio, and officials warned that limited coverage leaves first responders exposed. County leaders asked Ritter to pursue cost and infrastructure options, and no contract award beyond the Phase 2 scope (Ritter NTE $178,500 previously approved) was voted at the meeting.
