Council hears recurring connectivity and software costs tied to dispatch consolidation

During the presentation on the interlocal agreement, staff flagged additional software and connectivity expenses the county may face after consolidation.

Asked about recurring costs for paging over Wayne County's fiber, staff said that once agreements are executed Wayne will order service 'from the fire provider for that connectivity. They've estimated that that cost will be about $500 a month,' and that Liberty had agreed in principle to share part of the monthly charge. The presenter emphasized that the $200,000 annual dispatch fee does not include all potential future connectivity or capital costs.

Council members discussed the reliability of copper lines and the reasons for moving to fiber; staff warned that incumbent copper-based services are being retired by some phone providers, increasing the county's exposure to future recurring costs.