From left, Kosciusko County Council member Kathy Groninger and county commissioners Cary Groninger and Bob Conley participate in discussions during a meeting Friday, Dec. 3 in Warsaw. InkFreeNew photo by Dan Spalding.

By Dan Spalding
InkFreeNews

WARSAW — Federal COVID relief money will be used to cover nearly all of the costs associated with new emergency radios throughout Kosciusko County.

The county has already used some COVID money for the communications project, but the new funding will provide assistance to all parts of the county.

As a result, 25 fire and police departments as well as the county coroner and county emergency management office will share in $1,945,832 of the American Relief Plan approved by Congress at the urging of President Joe Biden.

In a joint meeting Friday, Dec. 3, the county commissioners and county council unanimously approved a recommendation from a county committee charged with determining how to use American Relief Plan money.

In all, the county is expected to receive about $15 million over two years from ARP.

The move means fire departments across the county will not have to expend money on the new radios, which are needed as the county works to upgrade its communication system and eliminate numerous dead spots that they have had to work around for decades.

County councilwoman Sue Ann Mitchell used the word monumental as she talked about how important this issue is for all emergency responders.

“Nobody knows what the feeling is to be on your hands and knees in an accident with a handheld radio that you can’t get anybody to answer you back,” said Mitchell.

In addition to new radios, the overall improvements include upgrades at the county dispatch center and the installation of three towers that will eliminate dead spots in the county.

While fire departments will be fully reimbursed with federal money for the expense, police departments that have applied for grant money for the equipment will be expected to use that before using ARP money, Mitchell said.

The individual amounts for different agencies ranges from $9,162 headed to Mentone Police to $181,116 dedicated to Turkey Creek Fire Department. The sheriff’s department will receive $328,922. The highway department will receive $188,975. Warsaw Police are in line for $83,124 (See the entire list at the bottom of the story).

Mitchell said the emphasis on communications will benefit everyone.

“We’re touching every corner of the county with this,” Mitchell said. “We’ve upgraded the dispatch center and so this should bring us up to speed and should help for years to come.”

“We feel like this is probably the most impactful way to spend the money,” she said.

Many of the 10 elected officials spoke strongly in support of the plan.

Commissioner Brad Jackson said the overall change has been a “long time coming.”

Commissioner Cary Groninger said the new technology will provide communications between all departments and emergency services “that we’ve never had in our county.”

Groninger referenced the challenges of the pandemic.

“We really look at this as a way to salute emergency responders,” he said. “This is our way of saying thank  you.”

The county learned in the past week or so that emergency radios would qualify under ARP after advice was sought from an Indianapolis law firm.

Groninger said they are waiting on one more permit from the Federal Aviation Administration and that they hope to begin construction after the first of the year.

Use of the future communications network will be phased in, possibly beginning as soon as next spring.

Above is a breakdown of spending plans provided by the county and approved by officials on Friday. The money will be used to purchase new emergency radios.