Committee confronts steep radio costs, supports in-house reprogramming and master contingency

Members and IT staff reviewed high per-unit costs for public-safety radios and questioned whether county purchases could be reduced through in-house capability.

"These are radios that have to work every time no matter what because lives are often at stake," the Chair said while reviewing replacement and unit costs for handheld and vehicle radios. Staff explained that handheld units and vehicle radios are specialized, often costing thousands of dollars apiece, and that outsourcing reprogramming is costly; presenting a CX-300 APX kit would allow in-house radio realignment and reduce recurring vendor fees.

The committee proposed consolidating department contingency lines into a single master contingency subject to court approval, with pre-authorized override amounts for time-sensitive needs such as IT and radio repairs. Staff was asked to identify essential radio replacements vs. items that could wait for grant funding or procurement consolidation, and to supply a per-office radio roster to aid prioritization.