By Trevor Brown, Wyoming Tribune-Eagle (Cheyenne)

CHEYENNE – Wyoming’s relatively new statewide emergency communications system will need millions of dollars worth of upgrades and maintenance in the coming years.

Wyoming Department of Transportation officials testified to state lawmakers last week that they are requesting about $9.5 million for the biennium in one-time upgrades and regular maintenance work for the WyoLink public safety radio system.

In the past seven years, the Legislature has spent about $56 million on the system, which is used to coordinate communication between state, local and federal agencies on a shared two-way radio system.

The bulk of WyoLink’s infrastructure was completed in 2009. But officials said more money will be needed soon to ensure its long-term reliability and to make it compatible with future expansions of service.

WYDOT Director John Cox said the department is asking for $3.2 million in funds that could be recurring costs and a one-time appropriation of $6.3 million.

Cox said most of the money does not need to be approved this budget session, but the funds would need to eventually be approved.

“What you are seeing here is an exceptional expense, in our opinion, and one that we are not terribly comfortable with, except for the fact that we (know we) are going to have to deal with it,” Cox said. “It is driven by the fact that we have the system and we have to catch up to cutting-edge software to be able get new technology to tie into that.”

Ken Shultz, WYDOT assistant chief engineer for operations, said WyoLink is currently performing strongly, with few problems.

He said from January to November of 2011, WyoLink handled about 12 million calls. During this time, there was a busy rate of just 0.04 percent, he said.

However, without the $6.3 million software upgrade, the state could not add any radio sites or dispatch consoles beyond what is already scheduled to be built. This is because the new equipment has to be compatible with the latest software version, which the state does not currently have.

In addition to the software upgrade, WYDOT is requesting service agreements for Motorola to handle regular maintenance work and software maintenance.

The state contracted with Motorola to develop the WyoLink system, and WYDOT officials said it is the only vendor that can provide the updates and maintenance work.

WYDOT is asking for $1.6 million for a service agreement for regular maintenance work. The department also is asking for an additional $1.6 million that would be used for software maintenance once the $6.3 million software upgrade is completed.

Shultz said the money for the service agreements would be recurring costs that would be part of WYDOT’s future biennial budget requests.

Gov. Matt Mead recommended funding only $1.6 million – which would pay for the regular maintenance service agreement – of the total $9.5 million request.

Mead wrote in his budget request that he feels the $6.3 million upgrade is important. But he added that it is not needed at this time, and he recommended denial based on his “desire to minimize growth in government.”

Cox said he does not necessarily disagree with Mead’s recommendation to hold off on the one-time $6.3 million software upgrade for now.

“I have some hope that we can negotiate this down some,” he said, referring to the $6.3 million cost. “But I can tell you that this will be a budget request next year (if it is not approved this year).”

WYDOT officials briefed lawmakers on the request during their budget presentation to the Legislature’s Joint Appropriations Committee.

Sen. Phil Nicholas, R-Laramie, who co-chairs the committee, said he wants more information on future costs and what choices the state has in funding the upgrades and maintenance work.

“At what point do we say, ‘What are our options,'” Nicholas said.

The Joint Appropriations Committee is expected to finish its budget hearings this week and move toward working the budget by next week.

Its funding recommendations will then be forwarded to the full Legislature when it convenes Feb. 13.