Study for new radios is OK’d

Jay County Sheriff’s Office needs new radios.

Officials are making moves to figure out the specifics.

Jay County Commissioners approved a $76,400 contract Monday with Ritter Strategic Services to provide a study looking into radios for emergency responders.

The decision hinges on the approval of Jay County Council, which meets at 6 p.m. today. If approved, the study is estimated to take about 210 days to complete.

Jay County Sheriff’s Office has been looking into upgrading its radio system for the last few years. Companies have provided details to the county with different options.

Barry Ritter, the former Indiana 911 director, has been offering public safety consulting to local governments through Ritter Strategic Services for about seven years, and he approached commissioners last month offering his services. Sheriff Ray Newton noted on Tuesday that Ritter’s company is independent from the radio business and can provide information as to how the county should proceed.

The study would include looking into what kind of equipment would meet the county’s needs and a land survey to determine whether the county needs more radio towers to deal with dead zones. 

Radios are becoming an increasing issue for the sheriff’s office, explained Newton.

“Our coverage is to the point that there’s times we can’t hear anything, we can’t transit or receive, it’s continuing to get worse,” he said.

The county could shift to 800 megahertz radios, but currently pagers at local fire departments have difficulties in some areas transmitting on the frequency. Hopes are to figure out a long-term solution.

“If we’re going to spend this kind of money, I want to make sure we’re doing this right,” said Newton.

Also Monday, Bill Walters of East Central Indiana Regional Planning District shared information about Mainstream Fiber Networks, a company providing rural connectivity throughout Indiana. According to Walters, approximately 3,900 Jay County residents are unserved or underserved in terms of broadband internet access. The county could invest in installing 395 miles of fiber through Mainstream Fiber Networks, with approximately 80% of the cost covered by rural connectivity programs and grants. Of the estimated $19.4 million project, Jay County’s match would come out to about $3.9 million. (The cost would be less if the county chose to install less fiber.) Walters asked commissioners to think about how much they would like to put into the project, and they talked about having a joint meeting with Jay County Council to discuss the matter.

Commissioner Rex Journay asked how long funding would be available for the project, with Walters noting the money will likely be used up quickly.

Walters also mentioned several grants his organization has helped the east central Indiana region receive in the last year, including Jay County’s owner-occupied rehabilitation $1 million program. (The dollars were awarded for being a part of the Hoosier Enduring Legacy Program (HELP), but they had to be used following certain guidelines.)

Commissioners also heard a proposal from Enterprise Fleet Management to take over the county’s fleet of vehicles and offer a maintenance and replacement system. (The City of Portland currently works with Enterprise.) The proposal, according to the Enterprise Fleet Management representative, would allow the county to cycle through vehicles about every three years and cost approximately $45 per month for maintenance, as compared to the current nine-year cycle at about $125 monthly for maintenance. It would involve leasing vehicles from the company, although the representative said for tax purposes the vehicles would still belong to the county.

Also Monday, commissioners approved a one-year contract at $440 monthly with Spotted Monkey Marketing to manage the county’s social media presence. Ashli Smith of Spotted Monkey Marketing explained Monday the company would create social media posts, articles and videos periodically to share information about county happenings.

Commissioners also agreed to purchase new sound equipment for Jay County Courthouse auditorium from Innovative Concepts at $20,655.14. The agreement includes a new sound system, monitors, speakers, microphones and a control center. Plans are for the equipment to be installed by the end of January.

In other business, commissioners:

•Approved a three-year agreement with Allstar Communications of Fort Wayne for its online cloud-based phone service at $3,283.57 per month. To set up all county phones, there will be a one-time service fee of $3,024.

•Appointed Jerry Alexander to Portland Plan Commission to fill the spot left vacant by the late Lee Newman, who previously served as the board’s president, and Josh Gibson and James Wasson to Jay County Health Department’s board.

•Approved Jay County Purdue Extension Office’s annual contract — it is included in the county’s 2024 budget — for $123,785.

•Learned Jay County Highway Department received $126,708 from sales made on the Purple Wave Auction website.

•Selected a new $1,548.11 shredder for the health department from Four-U Office Supplies of Celina, Ohio.

•OK’d requests from Jay County Clerk’s Office and Jay County Highway Department to extend some employees’ vacation or flex time into the first quarter of 2024.

•Paid claims, including $1,017.45 to Indiana Bond Bank.

•Accepted a $305 donation to Jay County Country Living.