When Wright County was informed that its emergency radio network was going to convert to the 800 megahertz system, county officials realized the cost was going to be extreme. In December 2008, the board approved a $4.1 million capital improvement note to cover the 800 MHz cost. But at the Tuesday, Oct. 13, meeting of the Wright County Board, the commissioners expressed frustration with the ongoing costs of the project. Before the board was a bid opening to place a new generator at the Public Works Building. In the event of a long-term power outage, the Public Works Building would be unable to open bay doors that run electrically or operate the gas pumps at the facility. Discussion of the costs led to approval of an additional $16,000 (for a total cost of $32,000) to purchase a 25 kilowatt generator, which, given the 20-25 life expectancy of a generator, would come to about $700-800 a year. However, the board expressed concern over the "nickel and dime" costs that are starting to mount with the project. "I hope one day we will see an end to 800 MHz costs," commissioner Dick Mattson said. "It seems like every day we see something else come up and I would like to see an end to that." While Commissioner Jack Russek agreed with Mattson’s sentiment, he said that projects of this size are bound to have change orders, but the frequency of the added costs is confounding the commissioners. "About every month we get a surprise," Russek said. "We had all kinds of towers that we used, but now we have to pay rent. We needed a bigger generator. We now have a $75 annual fee on every radio. "We’ve had floods and tornadoes in the county that we were able to handle and didn’t need the 800 MHz system. It seems this system is a constant drain on county budgets and it’s money we don’t have." Contrary to the board’s opinion, however, the 800 MHz system is coming in under budget. Information Technology director Bill Swing said that, as it stands, the project is about $300,000 under budget and, compared to the problems some other counties have experienced with change orders and added costs, Wright County has done pretty well. "This sort of a project is an expensive proposition," Swing said. "The people from Motorola have been surprised how few change orders we’ve had. "What the commissioners have been concerned with are the ongoing maintenance type of costs that we didn’t factor in early on in the process. We have a contingency fund that hasn’t been touched to date and we’re currently about $300,000 under budget. From the project management standpoint, it has been maintained well." The board unanimously approved spending $32,505 for the new generator at the Public Works Building, an expense they hope will be the last in a series of "surprises" in funding the project. In other items on the agenda, the board: – Reviewed the September revenue-expenditure guidelines. Through nine months (75 percent) of the year, revenues are running at 59 percent of projection and expenditures are running at 69 percent. It was pointed out that second-half tax statements have not been included and will push up the revenue total to the point where it would be much closer to the 75 percent experience rate. Auditor-treasurer Bob Hiivala said the county is well above normal in collecting delinquent property taxes and penalties and interest. The county budgeted $175,000 for both delinquent taxes and penalties-interest and, through September, had collected $621,684 in delinquent taxes and $426,041 in interest and penalties. – Authorized signatures on an amended contract with the Minnesota Department of Public Safety for an additional $28,344 for the county’s Homeland Security Emergency Management Buffer Zone Protection Program grant. There is no additional county cost, just an amendment to the award amount. – Acknowledged receipt of the county semiannual jail inspection report. Of the 114 point checklist, the jail was found non-compliant in only two areas. Both had to do with training of support employees, such as nurses and kitchen staff. Wright County agreed to include those jail employees in training sessions to correct the non-compliance issues.
