Next step for wireless OK'd

New radio towers may be on the horizon for Jay County.

Jay County Commissioners and Portland City Council voted to move forward with scouting for potential locations at a special meeting Monday.

Portland Police chief Josh Stephenson talked about Project 25, a standard created by public safety professionals for digital two-way radio products. As part of an effort to meet those standards, Integrated Public Safety Commission installed radio towers emitting an 800 megahertz signal that is Project 25 compatible across the state, including one in Redkey.

The Portland Police Department purchased 25 Motorola 800 megahertz radios that are Project 25 compatible for $138,749.95 from Fort Wayne’s ERS Wireless in December. Although the radios have not arrived yet — they should be coming soon — Stephenson explained that the biggest benefit to this system is interoperability.

“Now in the county, we’re pretty much OK set up to where we can communicate with Jay County,” Stephenson said. “The problem is if we go to another county where we have that county respond to us, they will not be able to communicate because we are not on the statewide system.”

At present, the tower in Redkey does not provide enough range to adequately serve the county, especially if additional emergency personnel switch to the new system. A new tower or two in Jay County would increase the radio range, making it also possible to effectively use portable radios while inside buildings (the current system does not work well in places such as Jay County Junior-Senior High School).

Steve Dhondt, ERS Wireless government sales manager for Indiana, proposed scouting Jay for potential radio tower sites.

“There’s not a question in my mind, as a guy who was on the state planning committee for this system and a 30-year firefighter, that the statewide 800 system is the way to go,” he said.

Of 92 Indiana counties, only three have chosen not to join the system, Dhondt said. Randolph County is one of those.

“There are a few counties that are building out standalone systems, and I really equate it as to you’re building an island,” Dhondt said. “Although some of those radios may cross-communicate, they’re still building an island to a certain respect … piggybacking off the state system is a more economical way to do that.”

The state has a contract with Motorola, and ERS Wireless partners with Motorola as well, Dhondt explained, meaning initial fees for scouting locations would be waived. The state also typically takes care of maintenance and upkeep of each site, he added.

“What’s the normal time period from when — let’s say we start it today until when you’d be finished?” asked commissioner Rex Journay. “Are we talking three years? Five years?”

Dhondt said it generally takes anywhere from six to 12 months after a county has decided to invest in new towers. It took about 10 months for Henry County, he added, and it cost about $1 million for the new infrastructure there. (This does not include costs for more new radios, which can range between $1,500 and $6,000 per unit.)

“I’m seeing a lot of dollar signs on this,” said commissioner Chad Aker. “Is there any state funding for this or grants available for this, or is this all going to be funded by the municipalities?”

Dhondt noted there are grants available, specifically mentioning the regional Assistance to Firefighters Grant for the fire department. He also suggested hiring a grant writer for the process. The $1.9 trillion stimulus bill passed by the federal government last week may also have funding for municipalities, he continued.

After discussion, commissioners and city council, absent commissioner Brian McGalliard and council members Michele Brewster and Matt Goldsworthy, voted for ERS Wireless to move forward with the scouting process.