Grand Traverse County commissioners approved a $3.5 million plan to upgrade the county's 911 equipment Wednesday night. The proposal calls for using 911 surcharge funds approved by voters last November to replace up to 800 radios used by emergency responders across the region with Motorola models that would connect the county with the 800MHz Michigan Public Safety Communications System. Commissioner Ron Clous was the sole "no" vote against the proposal.

While Clous said he was "disappointed" the county only sought out one bid for the expensive plan, County Finance Director Dean Bott noted that the county utilized "state of Michigan contracting," meaning the state had already gone through a bid and contract award process for such services. Commissioner Bob Johnson also cited the need for reliable, high-quality radio equipment for police, firefighters and other emergency responders. "Clarity is paramount when you're talking life-or-death situations," he said. Agreed Commissioner Carol Crawford: "This is the appropriate time to go with the best possible option...not the cheapest option."

The equipment expenditures, to be paid for over a six-year period, mean commissioners will have to look elsewhere for dollars to cover 911's operational budget. In promotional materials last year requesting the user surcharge - which raised the fee per user device from 80 cents to $1.85 per month - the county stated the increased funds would "cover all operational costs (for 911) and provide an additional $457,297 for equipment replacement." At the time, the county estimated its equipment needs as totaling only $1.5 million. Diverting $3.5 million to equipment under the new proposal effectively eliminates the possibility of fully funding 911 operationally through the surcharge, necessitating general fund dollars to subsidize the program.

Commissioners Wednesday also agreed to proceed with a four-week RFQ process seeking bids for potential energy upgrades to county faciltiies. The board also instructed the county's Capital Review Committee to simultaneously continue with its own internal analysis of energy inefficiencies in the county, so commissioners can compare the internal report, bids and an analysis conducted by national firm Johnson Controls before deciding on a course of action for upgrading county-owned buildings.