By John Estridge
A small building has been placed between the Union County Jail and the Liberty Town offices.
It will hold the radio equipment for Union County dispatch. There is an ongoing project of moving the dispatchers out of the jail building and putting them where the town offices are now. Liberty received the Liberty Herald building as a donation and plans to move the town offices there in the near future.
Barry Ritter, of Ritter Strategic Consultants LLC, addressed the commissioners Friday, November 6, about the new building. He is the county’s 911 communications consultant.
Ritter thanked Union County Commissioner Howard Curry for his help in getting the building unloaded from the trailer on which it was delivered. According to Curry, Union County Co-op did the service free of charge.
According to Ritter, contractors have removed some antenna towers and coaxial cable from the jail building and around the jail building. There are new antenna, antenna tower been erected and carrier cable running from there over to the jail. Radio equipment is in the new building.
Ritter said this is a three-phase project.
One request Ritter had was for the county to erect some cement barriers, much like is seen on interstates during construction projects, around the building for the protection of the building and the equipment inside.
Commissioners asked county highway superintendent Jeff Bowers to supply the barriers to the project.
In about a week, vendors are going to run more cable at the jail and get a console up and running, Ritter said.
The second and third phases will come immediately following that, and the new building’s equipment should become functional in 30-45 days.
He said repeaters have been placed on the antenna west of Liberty.
Commissioner Tim Williams asked if the town had talked to Ritter about installing the town’s repeaters at the same time, which may save the town some money. Ritter said he had not been contacted by the town, but that is something that could be done at a later time if the town is not ready to do it at this time.
Lightning protection will also be installed, which is important because a large amount of damage has been done to the county’s communications over the years with two lightning strikes.
Later, Ritter will meet with an IT contractor. The IT contractor specializes with small counties on a tight budget. Ritter said the communications director needs IT support with the Computer Aided Dispatch system. Digital Company is going to give a quote on the county’s equipment – for the reception of 911 calls. It is now about 10 years old and has reached the end of its life. Ritter is going to ask the vendor if a refresh of the equipment is possible or if there should be new equipment placed.
Much of the present equipment was installed in the jail’s basement, which was entirely the wrong placement because of the dust in the basement. He wants the present 911 equipment moved out of the basement and into the new building. It is a cleaner environment with climate control. The county’s backup system will be initiated during the move to keep communications with first responders ongoing.
The county received $35,000 from 911 distributions from the state. That will be used for the county’s portion of a federal grant to pay for the new CAD system. Ritter said the grant is a 60-40 grant with the county paying the 40 percent. The $35,000 will be most of the county’s portion, Ritter said.
Ritter said he will send out Request for Information and Request for a Proposal from three CAD vendors for both what is needed and its cost. That way if the cost is too much then county council and the commissioners would have the leeway to say it is too expensive. That $35,000 has to be spent during 2021 as the grant expires in 2022.
Liberty is going to pay 50 percent of the match also, Ritter said.
Commission President Paul Wiwi said it would not cost the county any money to get the RFI and RFP.
Ritter also spoke about coordination that is underway with Reid concerning the changeover in ambulance service. Reid won the county’s bid, replacing the current ambulance company, Spirit. He said Reid will be on the sheriff’s frequency.
According to Williams, Reid will also have the ability to use the College Corner and Liberty volunteer fire departments’ frequencies for use when they are needed.
“They will have all the communications, but their main one is going to be the sheriff’s,” Williams, who is a volunteer firefighter with Liberty, said.
Commissioners asked Ritter to have the vendors remove a remaining antenna tower off the jail. It has old television antennas among other antennas. Williams said one of the tower’s cables is broken and needs to be removed.
According to Ritter, Ludwig Contracting Inc., of Franklin County found a way to run the electric to the new building which saved the county money and that savings could be put into paying for the dismantling of the antenna tower.
Ritter said he will have it done.