County’s move to AWIN will cost the city

New radios essential for communication

“The county was the first domino and once it fell, we all have to fall.”

SHANE PERRY, CITY ATTORNEY

Police Chief Lynn Hahn stressed to city officials that it is time to take action on radios for the police and fire departments, a move that will cost the city more than $100,000 ultimately.

“It’s coming up to time for us to actually do something about it,” Hahn stressed Tuesday, Jan. 21, at the City Council meeting. Hahn has repeatedly told city officials that as Benton County transitions to the Arkansas Wireless Information Network (AWIN), the city must as well or be left without the ability to communicate with Benton County Central Communications (CENCOM) which dispatches Pea Ridge Police, Fire and Ambulance.

Hahn said it’s time to transition the radio systems of city departments to AWIN.

AWIN is the name for a statewide radio communication system that allows for reliable, efficient radio communication among city employees in city limits, as well as inter-agency communication for any agency who is using the system, Hahn explained.

Hahn introduced Robert McGowen, administrator for public safety in Benton County; Josh Stubbs with Motorola; and Adam Burris, Burris Project Solutions.

“Motorola offers a lease program and the first payment isn’t

due for a year,” Hahn said, adding that city attorney Shane Perry is reviewing the agreement. The payment would be $14,000 yearly and would provide 41 radios for the Police Department and Fire Department.

McGowen told city officials the county’s transition to AWIN will “go live” in the second quarter of 2020.

Hahn said there needs to be time to get radios programmed and then, the next phase, would be getting the mobile radios.

“We’ve applied for a grant for that,” Hahn said of the anticipated $50,000 cost for mobile radios.

Hahn said he had shopped for the best price and the best one is the state bid price. Current radios are hampered with certain “dead spots” in the city that hinder communication; AWIN would eliminate that problem.

Stubbs told city officials the radios can be shipped with a week or two of being ordered and then a team will work with getting radios programmed and officers trained to use them.

“We’re already in the April to May time frame,” Burris said. “We’ve got to program the radios and get them trained before they switch them over.”

Council member Steve Guthrie, also a member of the Fire Department, said the county will provide radios for the county-owned fire trucks used by the city.

McGowen concurred. “The fire trucks the county owns, we’ll put in mobile units and portable radios… We’re spending about $4 million.”

“Is there a necessity for 20 radios for the Fire Department?” council member Cody Keene asked.

“A radio — that’s your lifeline,” Jared Powell, with the Fire Department, said. “We’ve got to have them.”

“I see dollar signs adding up pretty fast,” Keene said.

Guthrie suggested the city check with Arvest to see if they can get financing for the radios.

“If we got a loan for the whole thing, would that take us off the table for the grant,” Guthrie asked. “If we borrow the money, could we pay it back with a grant if we got the grant?”

On Wednesday, Jan. 22, Mayor Crabtree emailed city officials that after researching the question, he learned the grant can not be used to pay back a loan.

“Are they digital?” Ray Easley, council member, asked. “Are they going to be obsolete before they’re paid for?”

Stubbs explained that Benton County has dedicated funding to support and upgrade the AWIN system for the foreseeable future.

“The governor just signed a new contract to invest $53 to $56 million into the system to keep the system cutting edge for at least 10 years. This radio system is not going anywhere. It’s existed int eh sate for at least 10 years and it’s growing it out now in this part of the state,” Burris said. “Your guys will be able to communicate in places they weren’t able to communicate before.”

Perry advised the city to address the issue in February.

“Let’s double check on the grant,” the mayor said. “The thing is, we’re not guaranteed that grant.”

“The county was the first domino and once it fell, we all have to fall,” Perry explained.

“We have to or we will have no communication with fire, police — that becomes an issue,” Crabtree said.