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Last modified: Thursday, February 12, 2009 3:45 PM CST
Commission approves study for FCC change
by Jennifer Johnson • Daily News
A Federal Communications Commission (FCC) decision to upgrade radio systems nationwide is pushing Wilkin County to join the fray.
On Tuesday, Wilkin County Commissioners opened the doors for law enforcement and other groups to apply for financial support through the state. By 2013, all radio systems will narrow bandwidth to open the airwaves and better accommodate public safety users.
"It's a good move as far as getting in the right direction," said Rick Fiedler, chief deputy for Wilkin County. "Right now, we don't have coverage in some spots with our portables and mobile radios. Whether a tornado or flood or fire [occur], it's our loved ones here that are on the line."
Law enforcement has been exploring the switch to a digital or 800 megahertz system for months.
Lex Rutter, a representative from consulting firm GeoComm in St. Cloud, Minn., briefed the board on making a move to ARMER, Minnesota's long term interoperable radio system. In a worst case scenario, joining the state system would cost the county $2.4 million, but Rutter estimates Wilkin County will likely end up paying $1.2 million for a digital system.
"If they go with ARMER, the state picks up an awful lot of maintenance costs on it," he said. "But a county-owned digital system...would make the county be responsible for 100 percent of the maintenance."
Chairman Lyle Hovland said the board has not committed to any dollars to getting it done. A procedural study for all public safety users here, including schools and hospitals, will be done at some point through ARMER.
"We're only allowing it to go forward to the next stage," he said.
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