As analog radio systems become more obsolete with each passing year, Carroll County took steps this week to update its aging technology with a state-of-the-art digital radio system.
The Carroll County Board of Commissioners voted 3-0 Thursday to award a $14.6 million contract to Motorola Solutions to complete the county's conversion from an analog to a digital radio system.
The conversion will pay for retrofitting the county's current eight radio towers and the addition of three more towers, according to Scott Campbell, administrator of the Office of Public Safety. Money to pay for the project comes from the county's capital budget.
The conversion is necessary because the radio system industry is moving away from analog technology and toward digital systems, Campbell said. Since the analog technology is being left behind, Campbell said jurisdictions around the country are having trouble finding equipment and replacement parts for aging analog radio systems.
"In the last couple of years we've become very aggressive because that window was closing and we wanted to make sure that we could transition the radio system before we risked not being properly supported," Campbell said.
The plan is to have the conversion done by the end of 2014, Campbell said.
The county's radio system is used by numerous entities including fire companies, emergency responders, law enforcement and county roads crews. The digital radio system will last the county far into the future, Campbell said.
Aside from the contract decision, the commissioners also voted 3-0 to purchase about 500 portable digital radios from Motorola for approximately $1.8 million on Thursday. Since the digital radio purchases are being done during a discount promotion from Motorola, the county will save $225,000, according to Mike Myers, of the county's bureau of purchasing.
The radios are used by law enforcement, emergency responders and certain county employees.
Commissioners Robin Bartlett Frazier, R-District 1, and Richard Rothschild, R-District 4, did not attend Thursday's meeting and did not vote on the proposals.
