Paulding County extends radio‑system consulting and approves Motorola change order with credits and warranty

Paulding County staff presented two linked actions for the county’s public‑safety radio upgrade: an extension of Tusa Consulting’s contract through Aug. 31, 2026, and Motorola Change Order #5, which adds a 5‑year extended warranty for generators, additional control‑station radios (one per fire station) and additional coverage testing to address foliage interference.

Staff said Motorola provided credits totaling $341,415.47 that reduce the gross change order. The line items described in the meeting record show a gross increase of $858,463.36 (including $470,680 in maintenance costs over 15 years), and staff calculated a net current‑year increase of $46,367.87. Funding for the net increase and ongoing radio management costs will come from 9‑1‑1 fees and SPLOST; staff estimated ongoing radio management at about $33,000 per year to be paid from 9‑1‑1 fees, while retiring older VHF system costs (roughly $110,000 per year) would end.

County staff described a recent interoperability test in which equipment was used with Douglas County emergency services and reported the cutover will occur as scheduled in about two weeks, while the overall contract end date was extended to allow completion of remaining items. Staff noted Motorola agreed to return for full foliage‑period coverage testing (June or July) at no additional county cost.

What the board recorded: the transcript includes the staff presentation and cost details, funding sources (9‑1‑1 fees and SPLOST), and technical rationale (generator warranty, control stations, radio management). The transcript does not include the roll‑call vote for these items within the provided excerpt.