Commissioners to check on State Police system before purchasing a new tower
Before purchasing a new $30,000 radio tower for the Presque Isle County Sheriff?s Department building, members of the county board of commissioners will assess the cost of getting involved in the Michigan State Police 800 megahertz system. Grant funding from the Federal Emergency Management Administration, through the Homeland Security program, might make the purchase of radio equipment possible. In the past, it was considered too costly.
Commissioner Gary Wozniak, who has received complaints from constituents, questioned why the commissioners would want to erect a new tower when the county could utilize the state police towers.
WOZNIAK SAID there are several towers located throughout the county, and if the sheriff?s department or any other county agency purchases the radios and agrees to be a part of the program, they can place equipment on the towers. Wozniak said he has been in contact with Gene Adamczyk from the state police, who made a presentation to the board last year, but the commissioners thought the endeavor would be too costly because of the cost of the radios.
The 800 megahertz system is designed to provide a clear communication channel for emergency personnel. Reportedly, officers in Marquette can talk with comrades in Lansing or Detroit as if they were around the block.
IN PRESQUE ISLE COUNTY, township-to-township communication has been a problem as voices are garbled or don?t go through at all. A multitude of problems, including the tower at the sheriff?s department being rusted and unsafe to climb, and repeaters not operating properly, have created an unreliable operation. There also have been complaints that the company hired to maintain the county system is not being responsive to the ongoing problems. The county pays $9,000 a year for maintenance.
The cost of the radios remains a major stumbling block as prices range from $3,400 to $4,200, plus there?s an additional fee of $200 a radio per year to be a part of the system. ?Everybody doesn?t have to have a radio, because they can still put their own equipment on,? said Wozniak. Radios could be purchased for the chiefs and second in command, with equipment being placed on the state police towers, so current communication equipment could still be utilized, but with the hopes of better reception. Wozniak said space o
?I THINK YOU should sit down and talk to them before you go into putting a $30,000 tower up, that you?re not getting good reception off of,? said Wozniak. Sheriff Terry Flewelling said if the county signed on to be a part of the state police frequency, repeaters, if they are erected on the new towers, will still have to maintained.
Wozniak suggested the commissioners determine exactly what it would cost per year and to set up a meeting with the sheriff, undersheriff, Adamczyk, and members of the health and safety committee, to discuss the issue further.
?I?ve been on the board for five years, and I?ve heard about this for five years. It hasn?t got any better,? Wozniak told the commissioners. ?It?s going to be costly to get into it, but when you look at the long range, with the problems we?ve been having, there?s no point in spending a lot of money on a tower.?