Butler County Administrator Will Johnson reviewed the plans for upgrading the county’s emergency radio system for the Augusta City Council Monday night.
He said an info-mercial on the upcoming countywide sales tax question is slated to appear among Cox television commercials this week.
County voters will be asked next month to approve a quarter-cent sales tax which, if approved, would begin in April of 2010. It is estimated the tax would raise around $1.5 million annually to pay expenses over the next decade related to implementation of the new radio system designed to meet federal communications requirements by Jan. 1, 2013.
The Butler County plan involves tying with the state’s digital communication system, leasing space on three existing towers, and building two other towers to provide better countywide coverage.
The cost has been estimated at $12.9 million, but should put the county in good communications shape for years to come, according to discussion.
The county also expects to use $667,000 in federal grant funds for this upgrade project. It was reported that Senator Sam Brownback has earmarked $500,000 in a federal funding bill for radio communications.
Johnson said that overall budget includes $1.2 million in contingency funds and indicated there’s a possibility the tax levy could be run less than 10 years.
Augusta Department of Safety Chief Tyler Brewer serves on a governor’s committee to help bring about the radio changes.
He and Johnson said counties around the state are taking different approaches. They said it will be a “huge leap” for Butler County and many other counties, but “not a big leap” for larger counties such as nearby Sedgwick County because of timely upgrades over the years.
Monday night’s discussion also brought out the fact the tax would be paid by residents shopping in the county as well as out-of-county shoppers.
Councilman Ron Reavis said there are some public misconceptions circulating about the plan. He said the county’s choice of an 800 MHz system is the right way to go for the future.
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Augusta, Kan. —
