County OK's testing of digital communications

Consolidation issue resurfaces

Beth Alston

AMERICUS — The Sumter County Board of Commissioners had a lengthy discussion with radio communications vendors at its Thursday agenda setting session.

The Board had received bids for analog and for digital service in an effort to finally clean up lingering problems with communications among law enforcement and other emergency service agencies, problems which have been ongoing since the start-up of the Middle Flint 911 Center a decade ago.

After about two hours, it was decided to have Georgia 2-Way, a Sumter County firm, conduct tests on a digital system and in doing so provide a temporary repeater and hand-held radios to be tested throughout the county. When Bartow Williams, Georgia 2-Way owner, reports back on the test results, the Board will then decide whether to go digital or analog. Should they decide to use the digital technology, Motorola will be allowed to bid on that service as well. Then the Board can make a final decision.

Board chair Brent Williams stressed that the new system, whichever is decided, does not impact the new Sumter County Fire Department, which is ready to go with its own channel.

Representatives from Motorola (which put in a bid for analog service) and Kenwood, working with Georgia 2-Way (which bid on digital service) attended the meeting to answer questions from the Board.

Lynn Taylor, County administrator, stressed that the upgrade is to satisfy the needs of and improve communications in all government agencies in the county.

“This is not like comparing apples to apples,” Taylor said, referring to the differences in analog and digital. “Both of the vendors stand behind their product to fill the County’s needs. It is up to this Board to decide ... to get a clear understanding ... These will have to be borrowed funds ... The bottom line is this is our opportunity to get what we need to get proper communications.”

In addition to infrastructure and equipment, the bid package will also include work that will be necessary for the 911 Center so it will be compatible with the new County system.

Sumter County Sheriff Pete Smith, in addressing the Board, stressed the importance of communications in his business.

“ ... We need something that works. You’ve been hearing me say for five years our inability to communicate. It is very, very serious. Money is tight, but I can’t afford to lose human lives because of the inability to communicate. ... Look at the cost factors ... I’ve got to have something that works.”

The sheriff told the Board that he and his staff have experienced many instances on Ga. Highways 153 and 30 “when nothing works ... We couldn’t get Life Flight, nothing ... In the courthouse, with the problems with the cell phones, we had to change it to make it work ... When you can’t communicate, it’s a tough situation sitting there with a family member wanting to know” if they can get help for their loved one.

Smith also noted communication problems in the areas of Ga. Highways 27 and 195, the Flintside Drive area and in Andersonville. “All over the county,” he said, “there are so many dead spots.”

Brent Williams said he agrees with the sheriff, that he’s been hearing about communications problems for seven years and Commissioner Al Hurley has for 10 years.

“We want to get this thing taken care of,” the chair said. “We need to fix this, not patch it up. We don’t want to be sitting here next year after spending several thousand dollars and still have problems. It was our understanding (when the 911 Center started up) there would be help for the 911 Center in getting a repeater in outlying areas ... but it was never resolved ... ”

Bruce Erp, a Kenwood representative, told the Board that McDuffie and Ware counties have the digital system, and Tattnall County is implementing a county-wide digital system now, while Dooly County is currently testing the digital system.

Commissioner Rick Davis said that while he agrees with the sheriff, he feels the Board needs to take the time “to do due diligence to do the right thing. Let’s address which way we want to go, digital or analog ... Whichever way we go with expenses this large, we need a competitive bids process ... ”

Commissioners asked questions dealing with every aspect including benefits and drawbacks of digital.

Lynn Taylor said Georgia 2-Way’s proposal is for one tower to reach the entire county. Bartow Williams said, “You absolutely have to experience it ... I’ll stand by my claim that a 300-ft. tower will cover the distance for hand-held radios ... if it doesn’t, I’ll fix it,” at his own expense.

Following the decision to have Bartow Williams test the digital technology, the Board went about its other business.

The following items were included in those placed on the consent agenda for Tuesday’s meeting.

• Approval of a SPLOST 2004 Budget Amendment (reduction in revenue and budget and expenditure budget due to shortfall of revenues collected. These include DeSoto utility building ($24, 875), Recreation renovation plan ($1,232), Humane Society facility ($71, 019), Extension Office/ag facility ($7,196), County water/sewer study ($24,270), County offices/courthouse ($182,527), County equipment ($52,475), County road resurfacing ($60,696), County dirt road paving ($10,000), County pole barn ($10,000) and County bridge repairs ($10,000).

• Approval of the request to fill the vacant position of administrative clerk at the elections department with two part-time positions.

• Approval of the request from Sumter County Parks and Recreation for approval to enter the contract with Blue Springs Environmental Service to act as the water system operator of the Regional Park in the amount of $150 per month.

• Approval of the 2010 Americus fire reimbursement rates.

• Approval of Budget Amendments for a government-wide update to salary line items to adjust for furlough relief funds set aside ($36,244) and sheriff salary line item adjust for furlough relief from funds set aside ($86,066).

• Approval of sheriff’s request to purchase up to five federal government surplus vehicles once owned by NASA in an amount not to exceed $5,000 each (to replace depleted vehicles).

Separate items to be considered at Tuesday’s meeting include the following.

• Approval of the SPLOST 2007 Budget Amendments.

• Intergovernmental contract between the Board of Commissioners and the City of DeSoto for fire services.

• Intergovernmental contract between the Board of Commissioners and the City of Leslie for fire services.

• Intergovernmental contract between the Board of Commissioners and the City of Andersonville for fire services.

• Intergovernmental contract between the Board of Commissioners and the City of Plains for fire services.

• Discussion of purchase of an excavator for the Sumter County Public Works Department.

• Approval of renewal of alcoholic beverage license for One Dawg DBA Fatboys, Express Lane No. 18, Brickyard Plantation Golf Club and RV Campground, Spring Creek Marina, One Stop Inc. Double “D” Fast Foods, Lopez Quick Stop, Astro Club Inc. DBA Astro’s, Perry Brothers Oil Co. DBA Get N Go, C.B. Dowdell American Legion Post 558, and Plains MTD.

At the end of the meeting, Chairman Williams said the City of Americus has asked him to ask his fellow commissioners how they feel about consolidation of governments. Williams refers to approval of conducting a consolidation study to determine the pros and cons of a unified government.

Commissioner Andrea Brooks said, “Financially, yes, it needs to be looked at, but politically, I’m still against it.”

Commissioner Hurley said, “The study is worth looking into.”

Commissioner Davis commented, “When I look at it from a financial respect, the decision making process is speeded up and moving forward. We owe it to the citizens to at least look at it. We could save money. There are funds that are not available to others. I think we would get more input from our cities than last year. I’m for the study.”

Lynn Taylor said that perhaps Archway could help with manpower should the decision be made the undertake the study.

“We have to be careful of our cities,” Brooks said. “Our towns, they think we just push things on them.”

Commissioner Randy Howard said he sees no problem sitting down and talking about it before approaching the state legislature about it.

The Board decided to discuss it at its next retreat.

The consolidation issue was discussed at length by the Board prior to the 2009 Georgia Legislature session, however, it died from lack of any action.

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