After offer rescinded, NK leaders look for alternatives for emergency communications

After deferring action to join a regional radio due to unknown financial costs, New Kent supervisors are now looking for a new way to enhance emergency communications in the county.

County administrator Rodney Hathaway announced to the public at the Feb. 25 work session that Motorola, the service provider that would have allowed New Kent to join the Williamsburg-James City, Gloucester, and York regional radio grid, rescinded its $6.7 million offer, ending negotiations with the county.

Earlier at a work session on Jan. 28, supervisors elected to halt contract negotiations, citing the potential of $415,000 in unknown costs to join the system. That figure was in addition to the $6.7 million budgeted, causing county leaders to ask staff to research the matter and report back to supervisors within 45 days.

But according to Hathaway, Motorola pulled the offer after supervisors decided to delay making a decision. While Hathaway said the option isn’t completely dead, the likelihood of joining the regional radio grid is slim.

“While the price Motorola offered us has been rescinded, they are still offering to build us a stand-alone system,” Hathaway said. “However, we are weighing all options for this communication system to be effective to serve the citizens of the county.”

In September 2014, supervisors agreed to join the aforementioned regional radio grid. At a cost of $5.995 million and a proposed plan to borrow funds, that figure came in at $6.7 million. Supervisors had planned to repurpose one-penny from the renovation of the Historic School to help with a $700,000 buy-in fee. Two additional pennies would have been added in FY2016-17 and FY2018-19 to cover other expenses.

But when the figure for unknown costs was revealed, the cost became equivalent to two additional pennies for taxes, something supervisors struggled to accept at the January work session.

Talks of joining the regional radio grid began in April 2013 when the option was first presented by fire chief Rick Opett. At that presentation, Opett indicated that joining the grid could save the county more than $10 million.

Hathaway said staff is now looking into other alternatives. He, along with county attorney Michele Gowdy, are slated to meet with consultants and other wireless companies to receive more information and pricing on establishing emergency communications.

“It is still an important need for us in the county,” said the county administrator. “We are still working fast to get our radio systems upgraded.

“We are looking at several companies who have experience in the field,” Hathaway continued, referencing possible prospects who have established emergency communications in neighboring counties. “We hope to have this system up and running soon.”

In an unrelated matter, District 5 representative Ray Davis commented about underground utilities. Davis said Dominion Power has been contacting customers within New Kent about running underground wires on private property.

“They have been trying to get a right-of-way from customers in the area instead of land owners,” Davis said, indicating he learned about the matter through a tenant who rents property on his land. “I am concerned that they are not using the proper channels and not doing their research.

“I believe this is also happening in our neighboring counties,” he added. “I believe we might be hearing from some of our people soon on this matter.”