Tim Hrenchir, Topeka Capital-Journal (Kansas)

Shawnee County’s Emergency Communications Management Board will reconsider its recommendation that the county buy a new, multimillion-dollar 911 radio system from Motorola Solutions Inc. instead of Cassidian.

County Commissioners Ted Ensley, Mary Thomas and Shelly Buhler planned Thursday to consider accepting Motorola’s bid, but commissioners – without taking a vote – granted county counselor Rich Eckert’s request to pull the item from the agenda.

Eckert said the move would give the management board “another chance to look at this and get back with you.”

Eckert didn’t specify why the board needed more time. He said he would get back with the commission at the earliest on April 26.

Local officials for more than a year have looked at acquiring a digital public safety radio system to replace the 800-megahertz analog system currently used by all law enforcement officers, firefighters and emergency medical responders within Shawnee County. Sheriff Richard Barta told commissioners last year the county had no choice but to replace its aging Motorola system.

Management board members are Barta, Eckert, Topeka Police Chief Ron Miller, Deputy Topeka Police Chief Walt Wywadis, Topeka Fire Chief Greg Bailey, Shawnee Heights Fire Chief Tom Garcia and Nancy Ganson, assistant director of the Shawnee County Emergency Communications Center.

The management board researched various purchase options before commissioners voted in January to direct the board to negotiate with Cassidian and Motorola, then recommend to the commission which system to buy.

In a two-page memorandum dated Monday, Eckert told commissioners the management board voted unanimously April 13 to pick Motorola, which submitted a bid of $9,034,085 over 11 years compared to a bid by Cassidian of $10,353,733 for 10 years.

The memo said total costs for the duration of the contract were expected to be about $14 million, though Barta wanted to add another $1 million onto the contract to “cover real property acquisition, security and roads for new tower sites.”

Commissioners on Thursday also:

– Voted 3-0 to authorize the Kansas Expocentre to use up to $13,914 from its capital expenditure fund to modify its Federal Communications Commission license, reprogram 32 existing radios, and buy one new repeater and 16 new radios with accessories. Expocentre general manager H.R. Cook said the moves are necessary to comply with changes in FCC rules and regulations that take effect next year. The move lowers the balance in the Expocentre’s capital expenditure fund to $122,191.37.

– Voted 3-0 to pay two truck repair costs incurred by the county’s solid waste department totaling $6,628.81.

– Voted 3-0 to pay Lupe Guerrero up to $700 for damage to her yard at 634 N.E. Twiss and sidewalk sustained Jan. 10 when a AAA tow truck was used to tow a vehicle that had been abandoned in a vacant lot after a vehicle chase.

A man who said he was the tow truck’s driver told commissioners Thursday that he had done what he was directed to do by a Shawnee County sheriff’s deputy.

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