COLDWATER, MI (WTVB) – Coldwater City Manager Keith Baker thanked Branch County voters during Wednesday’s 911 Board meeting for approving an enhanced 911 central dispatch surcharge request last week so that the county can purchase a new 800/700 MHz Radio System.
Baker serves as the Board Chair. He said they appreciated the voters confidence and they will make the project as cost efficient as possible.
The new radio system would replace an old system that dates back to the early 1990’s. The proposed surcharge was backed by police and fire departments around Branch County as well as the Branch County Sheriff’s Department. They say the new equipment would provide better coverage and increase safety for police and firefighters.
Branch County 911 will increase the monthly surcharge by a maximum of $2.52 per phone device which would put the total monthly cost at $2.94 per device. It would raise about $2-point-4 million annually and the surcharge would not go longer than six years starting in July of 2021.
The new equipment would include radios, consoles and pagers for all Branch County Law Enforcement Agencies and all Branch County Fire Departments, as well as for Branch County Central Dispatch.
In addition, interim 911 Director Jean Ratkowski reported they currently have nine dispatchers with two of them in training and that they still had two openings to fill before they are fully staffed. She added they also need a supervisor and a director.
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