October 18, 2023 – Washington County, WI – Sometime around 2005, it was recommended that a new countywide radio system was needed. Transmissions were not received by police and EMTs in some areas of the county and inside buildings.
As board chairman, I appointed a committee of the users of the system. This included police, firefighters, emergency medical personnel, and road maintenance personnel.
It was a large group but all users needed to be heard.
The committee met with consultants and determined the need, including new radios, towers, dispatch equipment, and others.
I proposed that the county would cover all costs of radios, towers, and any other equipment needed, so bids went out. I don’t remember the name of the winning bidder but I was not happy with the company. I really wanted Motorola but cost prevented that.
We, the County, also offered to assume all dispatch duties for all governments of the county. This was not popular with the municipalities that had dispatch centers. I said the county would not pay for the dispatch equipment if the municipality went on their own dispatch. At that time West Bend, Harford, Germantown, and Kewaskum decided to go on their own.
It was April of 2006 and I did not run for re-election. I left the committee and had no input from that time on.
In these 17 years, I have not changed my mind. Since all cell phone calls are sent to the county dispatch center, in this day and age it must be about 80%-90% of calls are from cell phones which automatically go to the County dispatch first. Landlines seem to be phasing out. I fully support the countywide dispatch.
Kenneth F. Miller
Former County Board Chairman
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