Town eyes new radios

By MARK SAGE/Staff

A winter of rough weather was the impetus for the Abingdon Town Council to clear the way for clearer communication between its departments.
Recalling last year’s wind and snow storms that left many in the area stranded and without power and left the town’s departments in some instances unable to talk, police Chief Tony Sullivan asked the council for money to begin upgrading its analog radio system to a far-reaching, comprehensive digital system. The council voted unanimously to work toward supplying the radio system.
The first phase of the new system, the one Sullivan sought money for Monday, would outfit his officers with handheld, portable radios. The second phase, he said, would be handled as part of his department’s normal budget requests and would put new equipment in town vehicles, including police cruisers and fire trucks. Sullivan estimated the first phase would cost around $205,000.
The new system, Sullivan said, would allow the town to install five vandal-proof call boxes along the Creeper Trail. Town Manager Greg Kelly said the boxes would be on the trail heads and at Alvaredo and Watauga if proposed rest rooms are built there. The boxes, which will be rigged with alarms, are solar-powered, Kelly said, meeting the town’s Go Green initiatives.
Currently, the town operates three distinct radio systems, Sullivan told the board, one for public works and park and recreations, one for the fire department and one for police. Describing it as “long in the tooth,” Sullivan said the radios currently in use by police are more than 15 years old.
Last year’s weather problems, which resulted in departments being unable to keep in touch, proved that a new system is needed, council members said, but the question, Mayor Ed Morgan said, is how to pay for it.
Kelly said to his mind nearly half the money is accounted for. Recent work on the Coomes Center came in under budget, giving the town $100,000 overage in borrowed funds. Kelly said the balance may be available from the Creeper Trail Enhancement Fund.
Council member Jason Berry asked if Homeland Security money might be available; however, Sullivan said those federal dollars are usually available only to cities and counties, not towns.
Sullivan said his office has already started writing bids and anticipates getting the first equipment in June.
In other news, the Abingdon Town Council on Monday night gave its approval to change how it sells its used equipment. John Dew, director of public services for the town, recommended that surplus be sold online through www.publicsurplus.com. Touting the convenience of the site, Dew said the town could upload items for auction year round instead of storing equipment on a long-term basis, waiting for the annual public auction. Dew said the Web site, which sells used vehicles, furniture and computer equipment, among other things, gives the town’s used goods more exposure, adding that he’s “hoping that translates into better returns.” The public services director said a list of items to be sold could be cleared by council on a monthly basis.
Town Manager Greg Kelly said the site deducts 10 percent from the sale price for the service.
Kelly updated council on the progress of a capital improvement plan developed during a retreat with town workers last year. Workers then identified projects, including pedestrian pathways, building upgrades, signs and park work that needed attention and money. The plan, which is available at Kelly’s office, was presented to the planning commission last month. That board requested council adopt it. The tough part, Kelly said, will be finding funding. He said if council adopts it, the plan would coincide with the annual budget adoption. Council has scheduled a 5:30 p.m. work session for March 2 to go over the plan. Afterward, it will host a public hearing to gather more input before taking any action. Mayor Ed Morgan asked that Kelly look into getting the plan on the town’s Web site, saying it would save a few trees and provide greater accessibility.
The town also voted to send a letter to the Board of Supervisors requesting quarterly meetings be scheduled between the two groups. Morgan said he and Board of Supervisors Chairwoman Dulcie Mumpower met and agreed that more regular conferences would be beneficial.
Council members also voted on a resolution supporting a Virginia Municipal League letter asking the state to take care with local funding and not to try and solve its budgetary troubles by making them problems for localities. Kelly said towns will unfortunately take a hit, he believes, since the state cannot borrow its way out of trouble this year and much make real cuts. Those cuts, he said, will trickle down. Moore, speaking specifically about schools, said he understands the letter to be asking the state to take away any mandates it can no longer fund.