Board preserves $196,000 for Wintergreen radio improvements, asks staff to study trunking

The Nelson County Board of Supervisors on March 18 retained $196,000 in its proposed FY25 budget for radio improvements at Wintergreen, a package intended to add radio console positions, move base stations into the Courthouse shelter and connect Wintergreen to the county 911 center over fiber.

Susan F. Rorrer, Director of Information Systems, explained Wintergreen’s aging, stand‑alone radio system and the limitations of the County’s current hand-me-down consoles. The recommended $196,000 would pay for two radio console positions tied back to the County’s 911 center and for relocation of base radios from Wintergreen’s gate house to the Courthouse shelter, improving redundancy and allowing Wintergreen to communicate on the County’s system.

Dr. Jessica Ligon and other supervisors raised concerns about longer-term trunking options that would provide more channels and scalability; Rorrer estimated trunking could take up to three years to implement and might cost substantially more (she suggested costs could run into the millions), though she also said the proposed console purchases would remain useful under a trunked plan. Supervisors asked staff to develop a strategic plan and cost estimate for a trunked radio system and to explore potential cost-sharing with Wintergreen, the Wintergreen Property Owners Association, and other partners.

Board members discussed alternatives including funding a single console for Wintergreen, asking Wintergreen to contribute, or pursuing a phased approach. For now, supervisors Parr, Reed, Rutherford and Harvey were in consensus to keep the $196,000 in the FY25 budget and directed staff to return with more detailed trunking information and partnership options.

The item was discussed alongside other capital and IT priorities, including antenna and microwave network upgrades flagged for future action.