Allen County Sheriff Anthony Maness is exploring ways to improve emergency radio communications across the county as local agencies consider transitioning to the state’s 800 MHz system.
Maness told county commissioners Tuesday that the sheriff’s office is evaluating equipment upgrades and vendor proposals to address coverage gaps, particularly in the northwest and north-central parts of the county. Iola also has a significant dead area, complicating the city’s ability to transition to the system.
“We are moving forward in that direction, slowly and responsibly, but there is progress on it,” Maness said.
As a short-term solution, Maness plans to purchase a couple of pieces of equipment to test whether existing radios can be upgraded to communicate with Humboldt police, which has moved quickly toward the system. The sheriff’s office already has a substantial number of 800 MHz radios, although not every patrol truck is equipped with one. Mobile radios have decent coverage, he said, but portable radios may not work reliably in some areas.
The county is gathering bids to determine the cost of installing a repeater and maintaining it. A radio repeater receives a radio signal and sends it back out so it can travel farther. It often uses a taller tower or a stronger signal to help radios communicate over longer distances.
Maness said the last estimate he heard for a repeater was about $2 million, with annual maintenance costing tens of thousands of dollars.
“I want to know so that we can come to you and say how much it’s going to cost us to put the repeater up here,” he said. “If we do this, then the county is committing to an annual fee.”
TWO NEW towers have been installed in surrounding counties since Allen County’s last signal assessment. Maness also is examining coverage solutions used by Neosho County and other agencies. He said Bourbon County is working toward the system, while Neosho County and Woodson County law enforcement already use 800 MHz. Anderson County also has transitioned, although Maness was unsure whether it uses the state network.
The state has assigned Allen County its radio channels, and Maness has notified state partners, the dispatch center and local agencies. However, Iola does not yet have the technology needed to confidently switch over.
Maness said the state’s network was built about 30 years ago to connect state agencies, without fully accounting for local agencies’ needs. Local governments now can join the system, but the state expects them to pay the full cost.
Commissioners discussed seeking federal funding through U.S. Sen. Jerry Moran’s office, which previously helped secure funding for a drug identification tool and radio projects in other counties.
THE DISCUSSION also addressed communications for two state employees at the new state park. Chelsie Decker, the county’s 911 director, said she contacted the state about the employees’ inability to communicate through their primary system. The state responded that it had no plan to address the issue.
Commissioners discussed the possibility of allowing state agencies to use the county’s radio tower to improve communications at the new state park. Commissioner Jerry Daniels noted that the arrangement could also improve coverage in Iola, LaHarpe, and Gas, as well as for deputies and highway patrol troopers working in those communities. The county’s tower is designed to accommodate multiple carriers, noted Commission Chairman David Lee.
The discussion is part of ongoing efforts to coordinate local agencies’ transition to the 800 MHz radio system. Decker said the dispatch steering committee, which includes department heads and volunteer fire chiefs, meets quarterly and has discussed radio communications.
Maness said the county will continue exploring options to improve coverage while ensuring deputies can communicate with residents throughout Allen County, particularly those in rural areas.
IN OTHER NEWS, Public Works Director Mitch Garner reported that crews are moving dirt near the end of the taxiway at the Allen County Airport. The taxiway is temporarily closed, but the runway remains open. Contractors expect to have concrete poured by the end of November, weather permitting, though striping may not be finished by then.
