Radio system costs revealed

There were nearly 9 million radio transmissions sent out by 38 agencies on about 4,500 radios using the Sarasota County 800 megahertz radio system last year. At the Monday, May 7 budget workshop, Public Safety Communications General Manager Robert Stuckey said that the 16-year-old system couldn’t handle that load much longer.

There have been discussions about implementing a new central radio system since 2007, but now that the School Board of Sarasota County, Sarasota-Bradenton International Airport and numerous police and fire units are plugged into a system that was built to last for only 15 years, the project is getting more priority. However, after seeing projected costs double in one week, commissioners directed Stuckey and other agencies involved, to return with more of their own research before hiring a consultant. (See timeline.)

“We’ve got to stop running out and calling consultants,” Commissioner Joe Barbetta said.
The cost discrepancy came from the expected $8 million to $12 million expense of radios and mobile electronics agencies will use in the field, which was omitted during the May 1 joint meeting between Sarasota County and Manatee County commissioners. Stuckey said infrastructure was the focus in that meeting but included the other costs to get the best advice from commissioners on how to move forward.
The new system being sought is called P25 and was recommended by the U.S. Department of Homeland Security. In a Monday interview with the Pelican Press, Tobias said the research commissioners suggested was on track with calls to officials in Chattanooga, Tenn., and Charlotte, N.C.

“It’s like doing an Internet search,” he said. “We get suggestions for other sources with every call.”

Tobias said that the project would meet cost and land restrictions if new towers were placed directly adjacent to current towers; it’s called co-locating.

Patterson noted that sales tax wasn’t included as a funding option, and Commission Chairwoman Christine Robinson said selling municipal bonds should be considered, as well.

“I don’t want to lose track that it’s part of a whole sales-tax discussion as well,” Patterson said.

Timeline
1990-1994 — Sarasota County provides funding for a group of agencies in need of transmission support and a consultant to design a county-wide radio system.
1995-1996 — Motorola Inc., which has since split into Motorola Mobility Holdings Inc. and Motorola Solutions Inc., builds six towers to support the system.
2004-2006 — A seventh tower is constructed to support new channels added to keep pace with population growth.
2007 — An $18.1 million capital improvement project was submitted originally for funding from Surtax 3, a sales tax. The initial proposal called for the plan to upgrade the radio system, to start in the 2011 fiscal year.
2012 — The county issues a request for proposal for a consultant to analyze the county’s radio needs and signs a contract by fall.