Communication system upgrades approved
Two grants will fund the communication equipment
Marion County Commission approved the expenditure of grant funds Monday for the upgrading of the county's communication system totaling $122,851.
The upgrades will enable county emergency services personnel to communicate with each other via radio.
Mark Grabar, representative from TBS Electronics, Inc., of Topeka, presented the budgetary proposal to the commission regarding the upgrades.
Included in the proposal were repeater systems, control station and console upgrades, and radios and pagers for county emergency personnel.
Michele Abbott-Becker, director of communications and emergency management, said the initial $90,000 estimate did not include near the upgrades of the proposal presented to the commission.
The county's road and bridge department will participate in the project by funding one-third of the cost of the antenna system, $9,606.
This system will allow all law enforcement and emergency personnel to communicate with each other.
"It will also improve hand-held (radio) coverage," said Grabar.
The grant funds are from 911 and homeland security funds.
Abbott-Becker has the support of the majority of the emergency departments throughout the county. Each individual department will be asked to contribute 25 percent toward the project.
Commissioners commended Abbott-Becker and emergency personnel for seeing the project to completion over the past few years.
Other county emergency personnel in attendance at Monday's meeting were Lee Becker, county sheriff; Darryl Thiesen, county emergency medical services director; Gene Winkler, emergency medical technician from Marion; Mike Miller, Burns chief of police; Gerald Kelsey, county road and bridge superintendent; Scott Zogelman, EMT from Florence; and Marvena Cheevers, county communications supervisor.
Commission also approved a lease for the tower at $100 per year.
