July 23, 2014 at 2:10 p.m.
Radios, pagers will be costly
Jay County Commissioners
After discussing the need for narrowband radio equipment Monday morning, the Jay County Commissioners continued the conversation in the afternoon by discussing potential costs to upgrade all of the county's radios and emergency pagers.
The commissioners talked with Jay County Emergency Management Agency director Ralph Frazee about the overwhelming costs to purchase more than 200 new radios and around 300 pagers to equip firefighters and emergency medical personnel across Jay County.
Also needing radios would be the county highway department and surveyor's crew.
"For all of the vehicles, just vehicles, it's going to be right at 220 (radios)," Frazee told the commissioners, noting that each radio costs between $600 to $800.
Although some departments such as the Jay County Sheriff's Office and the Portland Fire Department are purchasing a few radios at a time as funds are available, some departments - especially town volunteer fire departments - are facing a future deadline with no funding.
"The worst part for the fire department is the pagers," Frazee said, who said Tuesday that around 450 pagers - at around $250-$300 apiece - will be needed for firefighters from the six county departments (two full-time and four volunteer departments). Frazee amended that number when questioned this morning, saying a maximum of 250 pagers would be needed by fire departments.
"You're probably going to have to go (300) because (Jay Emergency Medical Service) needs to be in there," Frazee added Tuesday.
Purchasing a total of 300 pagers at $300 each would cost $90,000, plus the additional cost of the 220 radios.
Frazee said the total cost will definitely come in lower due to some early purchasing by departments and grants, but that it could still be a major expense for the county.
"Maybe we ought to buy stock in radios," joked commissioner Jim Zimmerman.
Commissioner Milo Miller Jr., while discussing how some local fire departments are in no position to handle those costs financially, asked Frazee about fire districts and what the benefits might be.
"A fire district helps your taxing base because it allows you to be uniform," he said, but admitted that in a rural area, "(Taxpayers) may get hit harder taxing-wise."
Frazee also said that while a fire district benefits from a unified administration, local fire departments lose some of their autonomy and identity in the switch.
Miller said that after Brown County enacted a fire district, he had seen some nice fire stations but heard that taxpayers were "madder than heck that they done it," prior to the district's creation.
In other business Monday, the commissioners:
•Signed emergency claims of $634.60 and $350,852.60 to the Indiana Department of Revenue for a fuel tax payment and to U.S. Bank for the Premier TIF bond payment, respectively.
•Spoke to Bob Brown of Barnum and Brown Insurance, Dunkirk. Brown said he will review county insurance claims and quote the commissioners packages for health and liability insurances in the future.
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The commissioners talked with Jay County Emergency Management Agency director Ralph Frazee about the overwhelming costs to purchase more than 200 new radios and around 300 pagers to equip firefighters and emergency medical personnel across Jay County.
Also needing radios would be the county highway department and surveyor's crew.
"For all of the vehicles, just vehicles, it's going to be right at 220 (radios)," Frazee told the commissioners, noting that each radio costs between $600 to $800.
Although some departments such as the Jay County Sheriff's Office and the Portland Fire Department are purchasing a few radios at a time as funds are available, some departments - especially town volunteer fire departments - are facing a future deadline with no funding.
"The worst part for the fire department is the pagers," Frazee said, who said Tuesday that around 450 pagers - at around $250-$300 apiece - will be needed for firefighters from the six county departments (two full-time and four volunteer departments). Frazee amended that number when questioned this morning, saying a maximum of 250 pagers would be needed by fire departments.
"You're probably going to have to go (300) because (Jay Emergency Medical Service) needs to be in there," Frazee added Tuesday.
Purchasing a total of 300 pagers at $300 each would cost $90,000, plus the additional cost of the 220 radios.
Frazee said the total cost will definitely come in lower due to some early purchasing by departments and grants, but that it could still be a major expense for the county.
"Maybe we ought to buy stock in radios," joked commissioner Jim Zimmerman.
Commissioner Milo Miller Jr., while discussing how some local fire departments are in no position to handle those costs financially, asked Frazee about fire districts and what the benefits might be.
"A fire district helps your taxing base because it allows you to be uniform," he said, but admitted that in a rural area, "(Taxpayers) may get hit harder taxing-wise."
Frazee also said that while a fire district benefits from a unified administration, local fire departments lose some of their autonomy and identity in the switch.
Miller said that after Brown County enacted a fire district, he had seen some nice fire stations but heard that taxpayers were "madder than heck that they done it," prior to the district's creation.
In other business Monday, the commissioners:
•Signed emergency claims of $634.60 and $350,852.60 to the Indiana Department of Revenue for a fuel tax payment and to U.S. Bank for the Premier TIF bond payment, respectively.
•Spoke to Bob Brown of Barnum and Brown Insurance, Dunkirk. Brown said he will review county insurance claims and quote the commissioners packages for health and liability insurances in the future.
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